Sydney Kidd grooms Gus on an almost quiet morning at Waggin’ Wonders in Brownstown.
Erica Malone | (Samuel) Tribune
BROWNSTOWN — A Jennings County High School graduate has used the skills she learned as a young man trimming the hoofs of goats and sheep for a 4-H show and turned them into a booming dog grooming business.
At age 20, Sydney Kidd of Tampico opened Waggin Wonders Boarding and Grooming behind Blondie’s Pizza in Brownstown. After just two years, Kidd’s business has grown to a new location where she can serve her clients even more.
Since opening, she’s made a name for herself in the community and has made many connections with her furry friends and their humans.
“In the beginning I had customers that I didn’t really know or hear about, but now we’re really good friends and I think their dogs are like mine…it’s kind of like a big family,” she said .
After graduating from Jennings County High School, Kidd was hesitant to go to college, but she went anyway, completing an associate degree in agricultural business. She grew up in the countryside and is familiar with farming and livestock through FFA and 4-H programs. After earning her degree, she struggled to find work in the field, so she decided to focus on raising livestock in the surrounding states. While the position brought good income, it took a toll on her body, making the long hours difficult.
Through her relationship with livestock and her experiences, people in the community began asking her to do other things, like clip dog nails. This led her to work at a small grooming business in Crothersville, where she learned the basics of grooming dogs and other animals. When the pandemic started, Kidd worked at various beauty shops, but she always knew she wanted to start her own business.
“I’m an outgoing person and I like to do my own thing,” Kidd said. “My parents would tell you ‘I’m a kid, they don’t have to tell me to do something because chances are I’m already doing it.'”
After looking for a place to start her business, she finally found a place to rent behind Blondie’s Pizza, where Country Pups used to be. The venture is funded entirely by her and her immediate family, who have come together to bring her vision to life. Once her business was established, it took off immediately.
“I didn’t really have a slow period, and I still don’t have a slow period,” she says. “Business has really picked up.”
It didn’t take long for her small shop to expand and be able to relocate to a larger location near the Jackson County Fairgrounds, east of Brownstown. In the process of moving to a new and larger location, the business continued to thrive.
“I still have beauty appointments on my books until I’m officially at the new location,” Kidd says.
Since opening at her new store, Kidd has been able to expand her grooming and boarding services to more residents in the community. Through this expansion, she was able to hire some staff and start a volunteer program that introduces young people to the field of animal care.
In her free time, she enjoys giving back to the community through her local animal shelter. For Charity Rescue in North Vernon, she provides free grooming services for animals to help them get adopted.
In October, she hosted a Halloween party at her business and invited the Jackson County Humane Society to bring in some adoptable dogs for a photoshoot. Those experiences are among the many perks of owning a small business, Kidd said.
“Through my small business and my small town, I feel more connected to the community. I want to do something that helps support my small town,” she said.
Starting a business at a young age will give her plenty of time to grow the business and change as she matures, she said.
“It’s really a positive thing about owning a business because as I get older and my life changes, I can change the business to fit what’s needed at the time,” she said.
While Kidd has experienced the many benefits of owning her small business, there are some challenges for new business owners. For any business, it can be difficult to maintain a balance between work and personal life.
“I’m there every day, and if I’m not there, I feel like I should be there,” she said.
Another factor in owning a business is building a steady income. For some business owners, uncertainty can be stressful.
“If something goes wrong, you are the entire financial backer of the business. As a small business, I’m still accumulating my own savings so I can fall back on something in case of an emergency.”
As the business continues to grow and she works tirelessly to maintain its success, whenever she feels like giving up, she is always reminded of why she started this business.
“There have been some tough days, but when I see a dog doing something funny, I just laugh,” she said. “I realized that’s why I’m doing it all.”