Pets
June 16, 2023 | 8:03pm
Dog grooming artist Gabriel Feitosa creates distinct developments for animals.
CNBC Make It
Gabriel Feitosa is no regular dog groomer.
Dogs come out of his San Diego establishment appearing like giraffes, lions, cheetahs and — even Pokémons.
“This salon is a dream for me,” Feitosa, who is from São Paulo, Brazil, informed CNBC Make It.
“I came to the US with two scissors and a clipper, and now I have a place where I feel like an artist and show the world that this career is possible.”
His hair salon’s expensive developments — the costs vary from $500 to $1,200 — can take anywhere from 3 to 5 hours to finish. During the procedure, pups are spoiled with food and take as numerous restroom breaks as required.
The 31-year-old go with vegan, pet-friendly dyes while utilizing standard grooming strategies to perform his distinct styles.
Feitosa’s hair salon generated about $1.2 million in 2022, according to CNBC Make It.
The dog grooming artist — whose social networks existence consists of 2 million fans on TikTok and 400,000 on Instagram — made $125,000 that very same year from brand name deals and sponsorships.
Feitosa discovered his enthusiasm for dog grooming at the age of 12. His sis entrusted him with taking her dog to the groomer and he oddly viewed while they worked. Soon, he started gaining from them how to clean dogs.
The excited dog grooming trainee left high school early to pursue it full-time.
By the time he was 23, Feitosa got a grooming internship with a dog breeder in Sacramento.
After relocating to the United States, Feitosa dealt with groomers and dog programs around the nation for 3 years. He settled in San Diego in 2017, working part-time job as a dog groomer for a little hair salon. He likewise helped a poodle breeder.
Eventually, he wound up purchasing his employer’ grooming business.
Feitosa now has a group of 10 workers that “groom about 20 dogs a day, and at least 500 per month,” he informed CNBC Make It.
“The designs might seem fancy and unnecessary, but the amount of smiles you put on people’s faces by walking by with a dog in one of these designs is an unforgettable experience,” he said. “It brings so much joy to people.”
