Lily is 26 and from Bracknell. Before grooming, she was studying nursing at university, but over time she realised it wasn’t the right path for her.

“I’d rather spend my days with dogs than nursing.”

She knew she wanted something practical and hands-on, where she could work closely with animals. Being someone who learns visually and by doing, the structure of regular, practical training suited her.

“I’m a practical learner, so having the hands-on days really helped me.”

The timings worked naturally around her lifestyle. She doesn’t have children, just her own dog at home, so being able to train without very early starts or long days made it manageable and balanced.

In the beginning, learning alongside other students helped her feel less alone in it. Everyone was at different stages, and that variety became part of the learning process.

“Working with other students was actually really nice because we’re all at different stages.”

As the weeks went on, she began to notice how much she’d changed. Looking back at earlier grooms compared to where she is now, the difference is clear to her.

“I can look back now and think, oh my god I’ve come a long way.”

One groom in particular felt like a turning point – working on Tia later in the course.

“I did it almost completely independently and even tweaked things myself.”

That was the moment she realised she wasn’t just following instructions anymore – she was making her own decisions and refining her work.

Now Lily has a salon space set up in her garden at home. She’s already had a couple of bookings and plans to build steadily, taking on more dogs as her confidence continues to grow.

For her, this change has been about choosing something that feels right – and seeing how far she’s come in a relatively short space of time.