I never became a groomer myself, but I’ve worked in several dog daycares and grooming salons over the years, including owning one for a short time in Hoboken. So while I was never the one holding the clippers all day, I was around the environment enough to see how the machine actually works. And that’s important, because from the outside, grooming can look cute, polished, and pretty straightforward. Fresh haircut. Bows. Bandanas. Nice Instagram photo. Happy owner. Behind the scenes, it is...

Fair warning, this is a longer read. But it’s a story I’ve wanted to tell for a long time, and I tried to write it as honestly as I could. It’s about opening a dog grooming salon in Hoboken, the lessons I learned about the industry, and how the whole experience changed my perspective on life, relationships and business. What most people don’t know is that I never set out to become part of this world. I didn’t go looking for the job. The job found me. After leaving film school I somehow found...

Whenever someone tells me they’re thinking about getting a dog, my reaction is usually a mix of excitement and mild concern. Excitement because dogs genuinely make life better. Concern because I’m not always sure people realize what they’re signing up for anymore. The first thing that usually comes out of my mouth is simple. “Make sure you can afford it. And make sure you actually have the time.” Working with dogs around Hoboken every day gives you a strange kind of front row seat to modern...