After working as a groomer at a variety of companies in the pet industry, Jessica Muniz found her home training new employees and building a loyal customer base at Scenthound in northern Atlanta.
Working at Scenthound is giving Muniz the opportunity to expand her career horizons. She started her career at Scenthound, a membership-based pet grooming brand, as a trimmer in November 2021 while attending Georgia State University. Although she is majoring in political science, Muniz has a passion for working with animals. She quickly moved up the ranks and is now a manager at Scenthound’s Chastain location. In her new role, she focuses on attracting new dog parents, analyzing her store’s numbers, ensuring top customer service, and using project management skills she learned at college.
“Jessica has been a tremendous asset and a great example of personal leadership and commitment to developing herself and others,” said Bill Gray, franchise owner of the three Scenthound locations in the northern Atlanta area. “She continues to own her development while investing in the development of her team. We see tremendous potential in her, and she will be an instrumental part of our growth as a business.”
Developing Future Leaders
Prior to joining the Scenthound team, Muniz spent seven years working as a pet stylist and groomer. In her previous roles, she learned how to do pre-cuts, take temperatures, and master techniques for dealing with aggressive dogs. After spending several years working in the grooming department of a large pet store chain, Muniz decided to go out on her own and work at private salons where she could control her own schedule and have her own clients. Despite sharpening the skills she needed to be a groomer, her previous roles did not help her develop and grow.
“For the longest time, groomers were only seen as groomers, and I was stuck in that place for a while. Scenthound gave me the opportunity to grow and be more than a groomer,” Muniz said. “I like working for Scenthound because they have really great mentors and coaches.”
As part of her responsibilities at Scenthound, Muniz helps train and educate new employees. The number of trained groomer associates at Scenthound’s Chastain location is up 300% since Muniz took on more management responsibilities. Her Scenthound mentors enabled her to expand her leadership capabilities and hone her project management abilities. Muniz said she sees a solid career path for her future with the company.
Helping Pets Stay Healthy
By fostering employee growth, Scenthound is helping dogs get the care they need in order to stay healthy and clean. Scenthound puts members first by educating dog moms and dads on the importance of proper grooming. They focus on the five core areas that all dogs need, Skin, Coat, Ear, Nose, and Teeth. Helping new employees learn Scenthound’s mission and educating dog parents makes coming to work exciting and fulfilling for Muniz.
Muniz and her fellow Scenthound staff teach dog parents on how certain grooming techniques can impact their dog’s health. As an example, Scenthound groomers do not shave double-coated dogs, despite customer requests. Shaving double-coated dogs, such as golden retrievers or spaniels, can change the texture of their fur and make it more likely to get matted. It can also make it difficult for the dogs to regulate their temperature, impacting the health of the pup.
“Scenthound was a bit different from other groomers. As I did more research, I saw their business was less about styling and more about health and wellness. That concept was a bit new to me. Most of the time, pet parents want their dog to look good, but they don’t realize the negative impact of an improper haircut,” Muniz said.
Expand your horizons at Scenthound
To learn more about working at a company with opportunities for growth and development in the pet industry, contact Scenthound to get more information about a career that allows you to put pets first.
