5 Years to the Prime

“Consider within the me, that believes in you.” I say this regularly in my seminars and within the salon I co-own with Corina Stammworthy – The Laundromutt. It resonates with me as a result of many groomers, together with myself, say “I can’t do what they do, as a result of…” *Insert countless causes right here.* However there may be all the time somebody trying up at you saying the identical factor.

My title is Macie Pisa. As a second-generation groomer, I grew up saying there was no means I used to be going to be a groomer. It appeared onerous, annoying and messy. I wished to be an inside decorator! I wished to dwell in Seattle! I might be cool and artsy! Properly, right here I’m in Buffalo, New York, doing precisely what I stated I wouldn’t. I like it, and I nonetheless get to be cool and artsy.

I started grooming in 2014 after working two years as a bather for an area salon in Buffalo. I lastly determined this was the place I wished to be. I used to be a cocky, know-it-all child (some would say I nonetheless am), and I give quite a lot of credit score to the proprietor of that salon for sticking it out, educating me and giving me a superb basis.

She was a sort girl, all the time serving to her group and providing her salon and employees to the town shelter anytime they’d a canine in want. It was an important alternative for me, as I made a decision to take a kind of canines on as a foster in hopes I may take him to my very first grooming contest. We went on to compete at Groom Expo in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in September 2014. We positioned second in Entry, and I used to be hooked!

At PetQuest in 2015, I competed in Entry once more with my 9-month-old, black Commonplace Poodle pet, Vlad. We positioned first, and I used to be on my means out of Entry! (There are three ranges in competitors grooming – Entry, Intermediate and Open, and it takes three first place wins to maneuver to the subsequent stage.)

PetQuest was additionally the primary present Corina and I traveled to collectively, and it was the beginning of among the finest years of my life. I made lifelong associates, realized, traveled and had a blast. We caught to the East Coast reveals and ate luggage of salad, cups of noodles, PBJs and stayed at some questionable motels. I’m fairly certain we break up tacos and margaritas after my placement at that present.

It’s costly to journey on a regular basis. Plus, Corina and I had a child salon at dwelling to care for, however we had a lot enjoyable it was value it! That first yr we realized how necessary making associates and splitting the price of all of the bills was. By March of 2016, I had made my three first place wins, and I used to be in Intermediate. Then in September of 2016, I used to be nominated for Up-and-Coming Groomer of the 12 months AND had made it into Open with the massive children, able to earn some factors!

The New England Grooming Present was subsequent, and that’s the place I made a decision GroomTeam was going to be my objective. I hadn’t dared to assume I used to be able to making it. But it surely was my first Open present, and I obtained my first factors, seven factors on my Bedlington Terrier.

Seven factors. It doesn’t seem to be a lot, but it surely put me on the scoreboard. What’s the scoreboard? It’s an inventory of each competitor that has earned factors in that calendar yr. It’s type of an enormous deal, particularly the primary time you make it. And I used to be No. 20! I turned decided to get to the highest 10 – the lower off for who will get their GroomTeam jacket and who doesn’t.

The following yr was attention-grabbing. If you find yourself within the decrease ranges, you hear in regards to the drama and the stress of Open, but it surely’s straightforward to remain out of it and maintain issues thrilling. At my first present of 2017 – my second ever present in Open – I used to be instructed I had solely made it this far as a result of I used to be fairly and that I wasn’t prepared. It was an enormous blow to my confidence and a impolite awakening of my new REAL world of aggressive canine grooming. I began to listen to extra criticism and change into paranoid about my expertise. I began to marvel if this was actually for me. I ended having enjoyable and ended the yr with three factors and quite a lot of frustration.

In 2018, I made a decision to take time for myself and took the yr off. However I didn’t cease grooming. I practiced, realized and watched from the web as my associates did superb issues. I began to essentially miss being on the market. I missed the frenzy, the stress, the joy; and I missed my associates! When competing, you make associates from everywhere in the nation, and also you see them fairly usually at reveals. It’s particular to have individuals round you who perceive your drive and fervour for such a weird and area of interest sport. Sure, I stated it – SPORT!

I got here again in 2019, and I got here again sturdy. I used to be decided to make the highest 10! I wasn’t going to let different individuals break my enjoyable. So, Corina and I packed up the canines and hit the competition circuit. We taught courses and began attempting to get extra time to benefit from the locations we visited. It was an important yr crammed with superb canines, and I ended the yr within the TOP FIVE! I had surpassed my objective and was going to obtain my jacket.

I had a lot enjoyable competing towards so many superb groomers and pushing myself to see how far I may get. It felt so good to show to myself and to the those who instructed me I couldn’t that I completely may! In March of 2020, I obtained my workforce jacket and my official recognition as a member of GroomTeam USA.

Making it onto GroomTeam isn’t the tip all. It’s a continuing wrestle to remain on high. Yearly everybody grows and improves, and the competitors will get tougher. It’s nice encouragement to proceed studying.

However why? Why will we do it? Many rivals try to be on GroomTeam as a mark of validity as an teacher. We see it as a means for individuals to know that we all know what we’re speaking about.

It’s extra than simply that. There’s one thing superb about being the most effective, about having proof that every one your onerous work was for one thing. That out of everybody in your nation who competed, you have been on the high. You get to the highest 10, and then you definitely begin to dream larger – you begin to understand there’s one other stage and you possibly can be the most effective on this planet.

And that’s the place they get you. The place you get sucked in perpetually. The place you possibly can by no means slack otherwise you’ll lose – not an precise recreation, however the recreation you play with your self the place you possibly can by no means fall behind. There’s all the time one other canine, one other breed, one other trim.

It’s not a simple objective, and it’s not a simple life; however we wouldn’t need it if it was straightforward.