Sequoya Carter’ Business is for the Dogs!
Sequoya Carter loves dogs. Sometimes she even admits that she loves dogs more than people. So, it’s no surprise that when she learned how to groom dogs over ten years ago, she knew she had found a line of work that she truly enjoyed.
Over time, Sequoya worked as a dog groomer at a few different places. She became a Certified Dog Groomer and developed good relationships with her human clients who loyally followed her from place to place. Working at different salons helped Sequoya learn about the business and see what worked best for her four-footed clients as well as their humans.
She started thinking about how she would run her own dog grooming salon, but she didn’t see herself as a businessperson. She thought about the challenges of owning a business AND grooming dogs, and while the possibility of owning her own salon excited her, she wasn’t sure where to start.
With a bit of encouragement, Sequoya enrolled in the Profeta Entrepreneurship Workshop, a free program at New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) for people in Newark and the surrounding communities. The Workshop teaches business fundamentals, focusing on key topics new business owners need to be prepared to handle: validating a good business idea; researching their market; understanding business financials and conducting simple financial analysis; developing a pricing strategy; and marketing their goods and services. Sequoya committed herself to attending every session; she achieved that and fully participated, making new friends and gaining confidence.
During the workshop, participants learn how to create financial projections in order to predict how their business will perform financially and when it will reach breakeven. This lesson helped Sequoya realize that her business would be more successful as a home-based business without the significant costs of rent and utilities if she were to open a storefront. With the full support of her husband, LJ, they remodeled their basement, turning it into the home of Redwood Dog Grooming, which offers a peaceful environment that encourages each dog to remain calm during their grooming. She then went on to set up an online booking system so that clients can schedule their dogs’ grooming appointments. She also opened a business bank account, bought business insurance, and began marketing her services on Instagram and Tik Tok.
Since taking the Profeta Entrepreneurship Workshop, Sequoya reports that her clientele has tripled! She is also the go-to groomer for a few area dog breeders who are very particular about who they choose to care for their dogs. She has found additional support for her enterprise through the NJ Professional Pet Groomer Association and the Black Women NJ Sisterhood. She attended both organizations’ annual galas as well as the Sisters Inc. Summit hosted by Black Enterprise magazine.
Sequoya says, “More than anything, I got the confidence to fully commit to being an entrepreneur through the Profeta Entrepreneurship Workshop.” She is thrilled to have created a business that allows her to do what she loves, be available to her family, and build financial success.
NJII is fully committed to the growth, development, and success of small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout New Jersey. Through programs like the Profeta Entrepreneurship Workshop and New Jersey Innovation Fellows (NJIF).