When Mariam Owusu-Poku speaks about dogs, her voice carries warmth, humour, and conviction. A content creator, actress, and co-founder of The Dog Grooming Salon, Mariam represents a growing generation of African women building unconventional businesses driven by passion, purpose, and opportunity.
Based in Accra, Ghana, Mariam and her husband co-founded The Dog Grooming Salon after identifying a gap many pet owners quietly struggled with: access to affordable, professional dog grooming services. What began as a personal challenge has since grown into a thriving business serving hundreds of clients across the city.
How It All Started: Love at First Bark
Mariam’s journey into dog grooming began unexpectedly. One day, her younger brothers showed up with a box containing a puppy — a responsibility they could no longer manage. That puppy, later named Mercury, would unknowingly become the foundation of a business.
With no prior experience caring for dogs, Mariam quickly learned that owning a poodle came with serious grooming needs. Searching for professional grooming services in Accra revealed two major problems: limited availability and extremely high costs. Faced with this reality, her husband decided to learn grooming himself. They bought clippers, experimented carefully, and began grooming Mercury at home.
“Mercury is the real CEO,” Mariam jokes. “Without him, this business wouldn’t exist.”
From grooming their own dog, they began extending their services to friends and neighbours who were also searching for budget-friendly, quality grooming options. The Dog Grooming Salon was born — not from a business plan, but from genuine love for animals.
Starting Small, Thinking Big
In the early days, there was no shop, no van, and no staff. The couple operated a fully mobile service, loading grooming tools into their car and travelling from house to house. Their focus was simple: provide excellent care without compromising the comfort or safety of the dogs.
That emphasis on compassion became a major differentiator. “People trusted us because they could see we treated their dogs the same way we treated our own,” Mariam explains.
Challenges Along the Way
Like many service-based startups in Africa, the business faced significant early challenges. Grooming in clients’ homes required careful planning to avoid mess, manage electricity needs, and maintain professionalism. Access to power was often an issue, as some clients were uncomfortable providing electricity despite paying for the service.
Another major hurdle was staffing. When The Dog Grooming Salon launched in 2019, dog grooming was still a very niche industry in Ghana. Skilled groomers were almost impossible to find. Rather than give up, Mariam and her husband chose to train their own team from scratch.
Today, the business employs about nine staff members, all trained internally. Grooming, as Mariam notes, is physically demanding and requires patience — animals cannot be instructed the way humans can. What was once a one-man operation has grown into a structured team of professionals.
Services Offered
The Dog Grooming Salon provides a range of essential pet care services, including:
- Dog bathing services
- Full grooming (fur trimming and styling)
- Nail trimming and ear cleaning
- Flea and tick treatments
- Deworming services
While the salon does not offer veterinary services, it works closely with trusted vets and refers clients when medical attention is required. This clear boundary has helped maintain trust and professionalism.
Marketing Through Social Media and Trust
Social media — particularly Instagram — played a critical role in the salon’s growth. Through consistent content creation, advertising, and engagement, the business reached its target audience organically. Word-of-mouth referrals further accelerated growth, as satisfied clients recommended the service to friends and neighbours.
Later, branding the grooming van added another layer of visibility. “Sometimes people call just because they saw the van in their neighbourhood,” Mariam shares.
A Growing Client Base
While Mariam admits it’s difficult to keep an exact count, she estimates the salon serves around 200 active clients, with new ones joining regularly. Popular dog breeds include poodles, Shih Tzus, Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers — reflecting Ghana’s diverse pet-owning culture.
The Vision for the Next Five Years
Looking ahead, Mariam’s vision extends beyond grooming services. She hopes to:
- Establish a dog grooming school to train future groomers
- Encourage more women to enter the male-dominated pet care industry
- Build a dedicated facility housing grooming services, pet supplies, and a veterinary clinic
- Launch a dog food or pet product line
For Mariam, growth is not just about profit, but about impact, skill development, and industry building.
Advice for Aspiring Pet Care Entrepreneurs
Mariam’s advice is both practical and heartfelt:
“You must genuinely love animals. Without patience and compassion, you won’t last.”
She encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to learn from those already in the industry, understand the financial requirements, start small, and avoid unnecessary expenses. Passion, she says, must be matched with preparation and financial awareness.
Building Africa’s Pet Care Future
Mariam Usu Poku’s journey is a reminder that meaningful businesses often emerge from everyday problems. Through resilience, creativity, and love for animals, she and her husband have helped shape Ghana’s growing pet care industry — one groomed dog at a time.
This feature is part of the Just4WomenAfrica series, spotlighting African women building impact-driven businesses across the continent.
