At first, searching for a course was quite confusing. I wanted something recognised that gave me a proper qualification. There were options in London and Portsmouth, but this academy was local to me and I’d heard good things, so I gave it a try.

The timings were brilliant. I get a regular day off each week and you were really flexible and helpful in fitting everything in, so it all worked perfectly.

It was lovely starting off grooming with others because you can work together and see each other’s progress. Then doing it on my own later really showed me what I could do and how I could cope.

My proudest moment was probably the first time I groomed a dog completely on my own. That felt like a big step.

Going next door into the salon gave me a great insight into how it all works in practice and helped me see where I was at.

Now I’m planning to work from home in a little salon in my garden, starting part-time and building it up. I’ve just invested in a bigger space, which should be ready in about four weeks.

"I’ve been wanting to do something animal-related for about 20 years. Finding the right course was confusing, but this one was local, flexible, and just worked perfectly for me."

Watching Anna–Lisa’s journey has been inspiring. She came in looking for a new direction and has left ready to build something of her own. Her calm, caring approach makes her a natural groomer, and we can’t wait to see her garden salon come to life.