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LORI KEAN

April 15, 2009 12:35 am

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FAMILY: I have been married to my wonderful husband, Andrew Kean, for 13 years. We have three beautiful boys, Andrew Jr., 14; Tristin, 12; and Brayden, 10. We also four dogs: Daisy, Dixie, Bacon and Jezzi, and five cats:, Bella, Mika, Mel, Ki-Ki, and Emmy. Nora Ephron once said, "You enter into a certain amount of madness when you marry a person with pets." My husband decided to do it, and I am certainly glad he did.

FIRST JOB: My first job was in 1987 at a video store/tanning salon. Quite the combination.

WORST JOB: I would have to say my worst job ever was at Hechinger's when I was a teenager. The irony is that now Lowe's is one of my favorite stores.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? I grew up in Fairfax. After marrying my husband in '95, we decided to move south to get away from city life and the traffic. But by the looks of Route 3, it followed us.

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? I can honestly say I always knew I wanted to work with animals. As a child, I imagined becoming a veterinarian but soon found out I didn't do so well with the sight of blood. As a teenager, I hoped to one day work with Shamu at Sea World. I have to admit, that job still sounds appealing.

HOW DID YOU END UP OWNING PAW PRINTS? I have spent many years assisting with animal rescue. Often dogs would be in need of grooming, vet care, and TLC before being adopted into a new home. Nothing made me happier than spending my days surrounded by animals and helping make a difference in their lives. I decided I wanted to not only do something I loved but that also allowed me the opportunity to help even more animals. Thus, the birth of Paw Prints.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST DECISION YOU'RE WRESTLING WITH NOW? What to do next? My personality leaves me always wanting to improve. "Things are good but can they be better?" I am forever musing over possible improvements on the business as a whole.

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT YOUR JOB? The only thing I would change would be a few more weekends off to spend time with my family in the mountains.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB NOW? I love meeting new people who share my love of animals. My clients are as crazy about their pets as I am about mine.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? My family is my biggest motivator. My actions are strongly guided by my hopes to teach my children the benefits of perseverance and hard work and the amazing rewards that come with helping those who cannot help themselves.

WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO? "The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog," by Ambrose Bierce. Anyone who has ever given a dog a bath can truly appreciate this.

WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT THE BUSINESS CLIMATE HERE? Our goal is to make the grooming experience as pleasant as possible for both our two- and four-legged clients. For those dogs that get along with others, we encourage them to play together while awaiting their appointment.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN? We are currently in the process of building a vacation home in the mountains near Lexington. When my schedule allows, I love spending time up there with my family. It is a place where the boys and the dogs can run, get dirty, and have fun and I can relax.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST CAREER ACHIEVEMENT? Paw Prints would have to be my biggest career achievement. It encompasses everything I would hope it to be. I work alongside some amazing women. I have the best clients anyone could ask for and meeting new ones daily. I am able to continue helping other animals through the use of Paw Prints.

WHAT'S THE BEST CAREER ADVICE ANYONE HAS GIVEN YOU? When I was contemplating the risks of opening the salon my husband chose not to give me advice. Instead he gave me support. It was the support I needed to take a chance. For that, I am so thankful.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHERS TRYING TO ENTER THIS FIELD? If someone is really interested in becoming a groomer, I would strongly suggest first getting a job as a bather. This job takes more than a love of animals, and a bit of hands-on experience will help you make a more educated decision. If you do decide it is the career for you, there are grooming schools in the area and online.

pawprintssalon.com

--As told to Craig Schulin




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