Founding Groomer Program · 10 businesses only
Help shape SmartGroom — and use it free while we build together.
We're inviting 10 independent grooming businesses to become founding members. You'll get personal onboarding and free access during the program. In return, we want honest feedback from real groomers so we can refine the workflows that matter most.
Why this exists
You may already have online booking. That's not the whole business.
SmartGroom is designed around everything that happens before, during and after the booking — especially the pieces that generic tools often leave scattered across different apps, notebooks and messages.
"We don't want 10 people who just sign up. We want 10 grooming businesses who will actually use SmartGroom and tell us the truth."
That feedback will directly influence how SmartGroom evolves for independent groomers.
Pet notes, repeat appointments, client history and follow-ups still need somewhere to live.
SmartGroom supports reminders and card-on-file protection through Stripe or Square.
Messages in one place, payments in another, pet history somewhere else — SmartGroom aims to bring the workflow together.
Breed, coat, behaviour, vaccination and visit history all matter differently in this industry.
Founding member benefits
You help shape the product. We do the heavy lifting.
This is a hands-on founding program, not a generic free trial.
Free founding access
Selected businesses use SmartGroom with no software fee during the founding program.
Personal onboarding
We help configure services, setup basics, policies and your initial workflow.
Direct influence
Your real-world feedback helps decide what we improve and build next.
Founder-level support
You won't be dropped into a generic support queue during the program.
Early feature access
Try improvements before the wider market and tell us what should change.
Founding member treatment
Participants receive special post-program consideration and founding pricing.
What SmartGroom covers
More than a booking button.
The founding program is centered around the full workflow SmartGroom is building for groomers.
How it works
Simple, practical and founder-led.
Apply
Tell us about your grooming business and current setup.
Short fit call
We learn how you currently manage bookings, pets, reminders and no-shows.
We set it up
If there's a fit, we help configure SmartGroom around your workflow.
You use it & give feedback
Use it in real work and tell us what saves time and what still gets in your way.
Who we want
A good founding member is an active grooming business — not necessarily one with no software.
Probably a strong fit
- ✓Independent groomer or small salon
- ✓Solo owner, mobile groomer or small team
- ✓Already has real customers and recurring appointments
- ✓Uses online booking, Square, Wix, Fresha or another partial system
- ✓Still manages some pet history, reminders, messaging or no-shows separately
- ✓Willing to give specific, honest product feedback
Probably not the right fit
- —Looking only for a free website
- —No intention of using the product during the program
- —Needs a complex enterprise stack immediately
- —Already has a complete grooming system they're fully happy with
- —Large enterprise or franchise operation
FAQ
A few things you may want to know first.
Is the founding program really free?+
Yes. Selected founding members receive free SmartGroom software access during the founding program. Third-party costs such as payment processing, hosting, domains or SMS usage may still be separate where applicable.
Do I have to give a positive testimonial?+
No. We want honest feedback. If SmartGroom genuinely helps your business, we may later ask whether you are comfortable sharing your experience, but a positive testimonial is not required.
I already have booking. Can I still apply?+
Absolutely. Many of the businesses we want to learn from already use online booking. We're interested in what happens around it — pet records, repeat appointments, reminders, payments, communication and no-show workflows.
Will you help me move from my current setup?+
Yes, for selected founding members, setup assistance is part of the program. We'll first review your current tools and determine what can reasonably be configured or migrated.
How much time will this take?+
We aim to keep it practical: a short initial call, onboarding, real product use and occasional feedback conversations. Useful feedback matters more than long meetings.
Apply for one of 10 spots
Interested? Tell us about your grooming business.
We'll review applications personally. If there looks like a strong fit, we'll contact you for a short conversation before onboarding.