Startup Costs
One-time costs to launch the salon. Complete this file early - it drives the funding requirement and initial financial plan.
Equipment
List compiled by Kendra and Jeremy. Each line below is sourced to a specific real-world product for future reference - click through to check current price/availability before ordering.
| Item | Qty | Unit Cost | Estimated Cost | Actual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rabies pole / restraint pole | 1 | $150 | $150 | Standard snare/restraint poles run 130-200. Midwest Tongs | |
| Muzzle set (assorted dog & cat sizes) | 1 | $40 | $40 | Exact price not published; estimated from comparable 12-piece assorted sets - verify at checkout. Downtown Pet Supply 12-pack | |
| Groomer’s Helper restraint arm (“Groomer Helper”) | 4 | $159.95 | $639.80 | Groomer’s Helper Starter Set. Groomer’s Helper official site | |
| Leads (grooming slip leads) | ~15 | $5 | $75 | Bulk nylon leads run ~$5/lead. Canis Gear bulk leashes | |
| Nooses (grooming loop replacements) | 2 × 4-pack | $27.50 | $55 | 18” nylon loops sell in 4-packs. PetEdge/Top Performance loops | |
| Kennel / cage dryer | 1 | $400 | $400 | Mid-range single-cage dryer. Groomer’s Choice cage dryers | |
| Finishing dryer | 2 | $882 | $1,764 | XPower B-16 Finishing Stand Dryer. Waggz | |
| Drying table (electric lift, non-hydraulic) | 1 | $879 | $879 | Flying Pig FP4000A Super-Low Electric Lift Table. Flying Pig Grooming · Amazon listing | |
| Kennels (6-8 unit modular stainless bank) | 1 | $3,275 | $3,275 | Price varies 2,925-3,275 by configuration. K9 Kennel Store | |
| Grooming table (hydraulic) | 4 | $799.99 | $3,199.96 | Paw Brothers Hydraulic Z-Style 48”. Cherrybrook · Ryan’s Pet Supplies | |
| Bath tub | 2 | $1,600 | $3,200 | Standard stainless bathing tub, price scales 1,439 (36") to 1,808 (58”) by size - $1,600 assumes ~48”. Groomer’s Best | |
| Water bowls (stainless steel, non-skid, kennel-grade) | 10 | $8 | $80 | One per kennel unit (6-8 unit bank) plus spares. Bulk case pricing for heavy non-skid stainless bowls; exact per-unit price not published - verify at checkout. Max and Neo bulk case |
Equipment Subtotal: $13,757.76
Phased Equipment Plan - added 2026-07-07
Not every station needs to exist on Day 1. Per direct instruction: defer station-specific equipment until the groomer who needs it is actually hired, funding it from operating cash flow instead of upfront investor capital. Only 2 of the 4 stations are built out at launch (Kendra doesn’t need 4 tables to groom solo).
| Item | Deferred Qty | Deferred Cost | When it comes back |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grooming table (hydraulic) | 2 of 4 | $1,599.98 | 1 at Month 9 (3rd groomer), 1 at Month 15 (4th groomer) |
| Station drawers (storage units) | 2 of 4 | $300 | Same as tables - 1 at Month 9, 1 at Month 15 |
| Groomer’s Helper restraint arm | 2 of 4 | $319.90 | Same as tables - 1 at Month 9, 1 at Month 15 |
| Finishing dryer (blower) | 1 of 2 | $882 | Month 9 - the 3rd groomer is when a 2nd dryer stops being optional |
| Bath tub | 1 of 2 | $1,600 | Month 15 - 2 tubs isn’t needed until a 4-person team could bottleneck one |
| Kennels (partial expansion) | ~1,475 of 3,275 | $1,475 | Split evenly across Month 9 and Month 15 (~$737.50 each) - estimated, since the sourced 6-8 unit kennel bank isn’t priced per smaller configuration; get a real quote for a 3-4 unit starter bank before relying on this |
| Total deferred from Month 1 | $6,176.88 |
Multiple-shipment cost: ordering in 3 batches instead of 1 likely means losing out on any bulk/freight consolidation, particularly for the kennel bank and tables (often LTL freight, which can have a per-shipment minimum). Estimated at ~5% of each deferred batch (~140 at Month 9, ~170 at Month 15, ~$310 total) - a placeholder, not a quote. As you flagged, this may not matter much in practice if these vendors already ship separately regardless of order timing (they’re already 6+ different vendors) - worth checking real freight quotes before trusting this line.
| Batch | Items | Subtotal | Est. shipping surcharge (~5%) | Total CapEx that month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month 9 (3rd groomer) | table + drawer + arm + dryer + half kennel expansion | $2,729.44 | ~$140 | ~$2,869 |
| Month 15 (4th groomer) | table + drawer + arm + tub + half kennel expansion | $3,447.44 | ~$170 | ~$3,617 |
This drops the immediate Month-1 equipment spend from 13,757.76 to **7,580.88**, with the deferred 6,176.88 (plus ~310 shipping surcharge) paid for out of the business’s own operating cash in Months 9 and 15 instead of upfront investor capital - see financial-model.xlsx’s Monthly Model tab, column U (“CapEx This Month”).
A 5th Station - added 2026-07-07, for the 4th-staff-hire scenario
Per direct instruction, financial-model.xlsx now models a genuine 4th STAFF groomer (Staff 5, hired Month 20) so Kendra can decline all the way to 0 dogs/day instead of settling at a permanent 8/day floor. This is new spending, not a re-timing of the original budget - the original plan only ever priced 4 stations total (Kendra + 3 staff).
During the handoff window (Months 20-21), Kendra and all 4 staff groomers are briefly producing at once - 5 simultaneous groomers need 5 tables. This need is short-lived: Kendra reaches 0 dogs/day by Month 22, after which only 4 stations are ever active again (matching the original build-out).
| Item | Qty | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grooming table (hydraulic) | 1 | $799.99 | |
| Station drawer | 1 | $150 | |
| Groomer’s Helper restraint arm | 1 | $159.95 | |
| Total | ~$1,110 | Modeled as CapEx at Month 20 in financial-model.xlsx |
Worth considering before buying: this equipment is only load-bearing for ~2 months. Renting a table, borrowing one, or using a portable/collapsible setup for that short window may be cheaper than an outright purchase that then sits unused (or gets resold) once Kendra is fully off the floor. Not modeled either way - the $1,110 above assumes a straight purchase.
Facility
Assumes monthly rent of $2,500 (placeholder until a space is selected).
| Item | Estimated Cost | Actual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security deposit (first + last month rent) | $5,000 | 2 × $2,500/mo assumed rent | |
| Leasehold improvements (plumbing, flooring, lighting) | $10,000 | Placeholder estimate - refine once a space is selected | |
| Signage (exterior + interior) | $800 | Basic flat-panel storefront signs run 300-1,000. HomeGuide business sign costs | |
| Cleaning supplies (mops, brooms, mop bucket, wet floor signs, etc.) | $300 | Commercial mop/bucket/sign kits bundle around this range. WebstaurantStore mop kits | |
| Trash cans (1 large + small at each station) | $90 | One 32-gal can (~30-40) plus several small station cans (~15-20 ea). Lowe’s 32-gallon trash cans | |
| Washer/dryer set | $850 | Budget top-load sets start around $850. Best Buy washer/dryer sets | |
| Front desk | $800 | Mid-range reception counters run 700-1,300. Ivars Display front counters | |
| Station drawers (storage units, ~4 stations) | $600 | Stainless 3-tier drawer units run 85-200 each; assumes 4 units. Stainless steel storage drawers |
Facility Subtotal: $18,440
Technology
Website design is covered by the Marketing bundle below (single provider doing logo + website + social) - the line here is just ongoing hosting/domain.
| Item | Monthly Cost | Setup/Annual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking / scheduling software | $79/mo | $0 | MoeGo Salon Basic plan (grooming-specific: scheduling, client/pet records, reminders). MoeGo pricing |
| Point-of-sale system (card reader + software) | $0/mo | $59 hardware | Square Free plan (2.6%+$0.15 per transaction) + Square contactless/chip reader. Square pricing |
| Business phone line (service) | $19.95/mo | - | Ooma Office Essentials, single line. Ooma Office pricing |
| Business desk phone (hardware) | - | $120 | Budget desk IP phones run 80-300. tech.co VoIP desk phone guide |
| Office printer (all-in-one) | - | $300 | Budget business laser AIO printers run 280-350. Best business printers 2026 |
| Front desk computer | - | $800 | Business desktop + monitor bundle runs 700-900. Best business desktop PCs 2026 |
| Website hosting (domain + hosting) | $23/mo | - | Squarespace Basic plan; domain included free in year 1. Squarespace pricing |
| Google Workspace / email (5 accounts) | $35/mo | $420/yr | Business Starter, 7/user/mo × 5 on annual billing (8.40/user/mo if paid monthly). Google Workspace pricing |
Technology Subtotal (first year, all-in): 3,162.40 - 1,279 one-time hardware + $1,883.40 in recurring services (12 mo. of software/phone/hosting/Workspace)
Opening Supplies Inventory
Quantities below assume opening stock of 3 gallons for high-use consumables (shampoo/conditioner) so there’s a backup on hand before a reorder is needed, rather than a single bottle.
| Category | Qty | Estimated Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shampoo (professional concentrate, 1 gal ea) | 3 | $150 | 50/gal. Concentrate (dilute 6:1 to 32:1) runs 47-$90/gal. Lillian Ruff Ultra Concentrated Shampoo |
| Conditioner (professional concentrate, 1 gal ea) | 3 | $360 | 120/gal. Concentrate gallons run 100-$150. PetEdge Top Performance Fresh Pet |
| Ear cleaning solution (1 gal) | 1 | $50 | Bark2Basics Ear Cleaner, 1 gal. Groomer’s Choice |
| Styptic powder | 3 | $40 | ~$12.74/unit at 3-unit bulk pricing. eBay listing |
| Grooming wipes (400-ct pack) | 2 | $26 | $12.99/pack of 400 (4×100ct). Pet N Pet |
| Finishing sprays (+ spray bottles/accessories) | 1 | $100 | Finishing spray concentrate runs ~$36/gal, plus bottles/accessories. Best Shot UltraMAX Pro |
| Towels (commercial, grooming-grade) | 1 | $200 | Bulk salon/grooming towels sold by the dozen. Towel Supercenter grooming towels |
| Cone of Shame (assorted recovery cone sizes) | ~5 | $90 | Individual recovery cones run 14-32 each; assumes ~5 assorted sizes. Petco recovery collars |
| Bandanas and bows (60-pc assorted pack) | 1 | $75 | 60 assorted, 4+ designs, mixed sizes. Bandanas Unlimited |
| Sanitation supplies (disinfectant + gloves) | 1 | $86 | Top Performance 256 disinfectant, 1 gal, 65.66 (dilutes to 256 gal) + 2 boxes nitrile gloves @ 10.09. Walmart disinfectant · DASH Medical gloves |
| Laundry detergent | 1 | $37 | Arm & Hammer 18 lb. HE powder detergent. WebstaurantStore |
Supplies Subtotal: $1,214
Legal and Administrative
| Item | Estimated Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business entity formation (LLC) | $100 | NH Certificate of Formation filing fee (102 if filed online via NH QuickStart). Annual report is a separate 100/yr. NH Secretary of State |
| Business license and permits | 0-200 | No state-level general business license or state groomer license in NH. No state sales tax in NH, so no sales tax permit needed. A NH kennel license (RSA 466/437) is only required if boarding dogs overnight - not needed for day grooming only. Some towns require a local business registration (25-200/yr) - check with the town clerk once a location is picked. |
| General liability insurance (first year) | 600-800 | Fixed-location groomers average ~64/mo (768/yr); varies by state/revenue. MoneyGeek dog grooming insurance cost |
| Bailee’s insurance / animal bailee coverage (for animals in care) | 250-700 | Standard GL excludes “care, custody, and control” - this add-on covers injury/loss/escape of a pet in your care. Insureon groomer insurance cost |
| Accountant / bookkeeping setup | 150-450 | One-time setup (chart of accounts, bank connections) vs. ongoing monthly bookkeeping (separate, not a startup cost). QuickBooks bookkeeper cost guide |
| Bank account setup | $0 | Free business checking widely available (no minimum balance, no monthly fee). NerdWallet free business checking |
Legal Subtotal: 1,100-2,250
Marketing (Launch)
Plan is to have one provider handle logo, website, and social media setup together rather than piecing it out.
| Item | Estimated Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Logo, branding, website & social media setup (single provider) | 1,800-4,000 | Two data points: (1) 99designs Silver Brand Identity pack (899, includes logo + business card/stationery/social cover art) + Silver Website pack (899) = 1,798 from one platform. (2) General small-business full-service agencies quote 2,000-$4,000 for a comparable basic logo+website+social bundle. 99designs Brand Identity pricing · 99designs Website pricing · Branding cost guide |
| Business cards (500) | $50 | Standard cards start at 17/100; ~50 covers 500 with a paper/finish upgrade. Vistaprint business cards |
| Initial social media content (photography, launch posts) | $300 | Small-package branding/product photo session. Photography pricing guide |
| Grand opening promotion | $750 | Simple grand opening (decor, light refreshments, in-store promo) runs 500-1,000. Fora Financial grand opening guide |
Marketing Subtotal: 2,900-5,100
Total Startup Cost Summary
| Category | Low Estimate | High Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment (Month 1 only - see Phased Equipment Plan above) | $7,580.88 | $7,580.88 |
| Facility | $18,440 | $18,440 |
| Technology (year 1) | $3,162.40 | $3,162.40 |
| Opening Supplies | $1,214 | $1,214 |
| Legal and Administrative | $1,100 | $2,250 |
| Marketing (launch) | $2,900 | $5,100 |
| Working Capital (reworked - see below) | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| TOTAL (upfront investor capital needed) | $37,397.28 | $40,747.28 |
| Deferred equipment + shipping (funded from operations, Months 9 & 15 - not upfront capital) | ~$6,487 | ~$6,487 |
| 5th station for the Month 20-21 handoff overlap (funded from operations, Month 20 - not upfront capital, not a deferral of the original budget) | ~$1,110 | ~$1,110 |
Working Capital Basis - superseded three times on 2026-07-07, current logic below
Current: 3,000, with a flat 2,000 ongoing cash-reserve cap (see financial-model.xlsx Assumptions tab). The prior cap-based version (9,000 working capital, 6,000/2,000 two-tier cap) drove cash negative for 10 months because it assumed Kendra fully stopped grooming the moment a 3rd groomer was hired - a real cash crunch that turned out to be a modeling artifact. Once production was rebuilt per-groomer (Kendra's continued, declining-but-real production reduces how much gets commissioned), plus her salary cut to 4,000/mo, plus equipment phasing reducing the Month-1 cash need - the Month 9-15 “hiring cascade crunch” mostly disappears. The only real cash low point left is the Month-1 launch dip itself (structural minimum ~2,791, including the Month 9/15 CapEx hits). 3,000 leaves a bare ~$209 margin on top of that - genuinely “as low as it can go,” per instruction, not padded.
Why this dropped so much (was 9,000, now 3,000; was 49,574-52,924 total, now 37,397-40,747): the biggest lever was not the cash policy - it was correctly modeling that Kendra keeps grooming a meaningful amount all the way through the hiring ramp (she’s not commissioned, so her production was effectively “free labor” the old aggregate model was throwing away by assuming she stopped at Month 9). See financial-model.xlsx’s Read Me tab and revenue-projections.md for the full explanation, including the important finding that she can never fully stop grooming under the current growth targets with only 3 staff groomers.
Prior working-capital methodologies (all superseded, kept for audit trail)
Original (pre-model), 3-months-of-expenses heuristic: 24,083.34-24,245.85, based on Kendra’s $5,000 salary + solo-phase fixed costs × 3. Assumed the launch ramp was the biggest cash risk.
First model-driven rework: 15,000 flat (structural minimum 8,129 + ~$6,871 safety margin), once the 36-month simulation showed the real risk was the Month 9-15 hiring cascade, not launch.
Second rework (cap policy, same day): 9,000 working capital + a 6,000/2,000 two-tier cash-reserve cap. This is the version that produced 10 months of negative cash (Month 11-20, bottoming at -5,040) - a real problem with the old aggregate production model’s Month-9 “Kendra stops instantly” assumption, resolved by the per-groomer rebuild rather than by adjusting the cap further.
Funding Sources
Equal partners and equal investors, per direct instruction 2026-07-07.
| Source | Amount | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Corson (50%) | 18,698.64-20,373.64 | Committed | Half of TOTAL upfront investor capital above |
| Courtney (50%) | 18,698.64-20,373.64 | Committed | Half of TOTAL upfront investor capital above |
| Total Funding | 37,397.28-40,747.28 | Excludes the ~$6,487 in deferred equipment, which is funded from operating cash flow at Months 9 and 15, not upfront investor capital |