Step into the world of innovation and excellence with “Industry Champions”! Join us as we celebrate the trailblazers who are redefining success across diverse industries, sharing their journeys, strategies, and secrets to thriving in competitive landscapes. Today our hosts, Chris Budihas spoke with Laura Turner of Scrub Club Beaches.
Laura Turner
Founder & Practitioner at Scrub Club Beaches
Website Address: https://www.scrubclubbeaches.com
Short company description:
Scrub Club Beaches is an alternative to the high-volume salon model. I offer one-on-one bathing built around presence, pacing, and trust. Instead of rushing dogs through a conveyer-belt-like system, I pay attention to their nervous system and work at their pace. My focus is simple: do what is in the best interest of the dog while building real trust with the family.
Scrub Club also started as half salon and half night school. That is why it is a club. Families are welcome to learn alongside me, and industry professionals are welcome to share skills and sharpen their craft together. My hope is that more of us in the grooming industry would take a nod from education. Imagine retail salons, mobile vans, boutique shops, and indie bathers sitting down, checking our egos at the door, and having PLC-style conversations about what truly serves the dogs instead of what separates us as competitors. I have the translation skills to help bridge those gaps.
What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome in your business?
Switching careers without support
How do you define success?
Success, for me, isn’t loud or performative. It isn’t the framed degrees or the applause when your name gets called. I have had all of that: degrees, jobs, study abroad programs, even a few moments that looked impressive on paper. But the moments when I’ve felt successful? Those happen quietly, when no one’s watching.
It’s the run I didn’t plan to take on a gray day (yet suddenly felt compelled to) that somehow becomes one of the best runs of my life. It’s the project I finish for no one’s eyes but my own. It’s the sound of my dog breathing next to me while I sit in my home space in the middle of the day… no boss, no bell, no schedule telling me when I can pee or print or catch my breath. Just me, here, free, doing what feels right, being [like] “a cat”, yet also a dog person.
That’s the word I keep coming back to: free: libre.
Free to work with dogs and students because I want to, not because I have to. Free to show up for people who actually need me. Free to say no to the noise and yes to peace. I don’t need a mansion or a car that costs more than my sanity. I need the space to make a difference, in small, real ways: helping a grandmother at bedtime, helping a nervous new bather believe in themselves, helping a misunderstood dog get its moment in the spotlight.
Success makes you grateful. And failure? That’s the real teacher. You don’t learn anything from the medal moment; you learn from the miles it took to get there. The blisters, the doubts, the missing toenails, the days you kept showing up in the snow when no one else saw you. Failure is the journey. Success is just the photo at the finish line.
Freedom is the most expensive thing ever; and that’s what I keep fighting to build my life around.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment is raising my own dog into someone I am deeply proud of. Phil is not perfect. He is still learning. But he has grown into a considerate, communicative, grounded member of our little family because of the time, patience, and intentional leadership I have poured into him. We built trust the slow way.
There was a moment recently when I clipped him to my waist and went for a training run on a wooded trail. A year ago, that would have been reckless. Now it felt steady. That kind of trust does not come from control or blind enforcement of a conveyer belt system. It comes from “with-it was”, consistency, presence, and mutual understanding. That is the leadership model I bring into my work.
What are your company’s strengths?
Individualized care, meeting you where your dog is
Who in the industry inspires you and why?
My rescue dog
What is the most enjoyable part of what you do?
Feeling a dog ease into care and the pep in their step when returned to the pet parent
What lessons from sports have you applied to your personal life and career?
“#SportsWords!” with a laughing shrug is admittedly my silly/sheepish reply when folks talk about “the” game last night. Growing up in a small town without a football team, I’ve never been a sports person in the traditional sense. Instead, I was the cheerleader on the sidelines (of the basketball court), not the one sprinting down the field. However, while I may have to study the football playbook, running has always come naturally to me. It became the first sport that clicked with me because it had nothing to do with hand-eye coordination, division of sides, uniforms, or winning… unless you count self-competition. It was just me learning to keep moving. That lesson has followed me through everything since: teaching, running a business, and trying to live a decent life. Running showed me that discipline and kindness can live in the same body. It taught me that consistency feels better than adrenaline, and that you don’t have to go fast to go far. The more I move, the more grounded I become. When I’m in my rhythm—whether that’s running, bathing dogs, or teaching—I sleep better, I think clearer, I have more to give. I’m patient. I’m present. I’m proud of the small work that no one sees. What keeps me going isn’t competition. It’s rhythm. It’s grit that doesn’t need applause. It’s the quiet knowing that I’ve seen what chaos costs, and I don’t want to live there again. My finish line isn’t fame or noise. It’s peace—with room to breathe—and the hope that the calm I create for myself spills over to whoever crosses my path, dogs and humans alike. That’s my version of sports. That’s what keeps me moving. Objects in motion stay in motion.
What strategies do you use to improve your performance?
I don’t chase performance; I nurture it. My process has never been about hacking productivity or forcing growth: it’s about listening, observing, adjusting. That’s teaching 101: Teach, reflect, improve, repeat. I journal, I contemplate, I seek opinions, I contemplate opinions, I seek opinions on contemplations… … …I pause long enough to notice what’s actually working. When something doesn’t feel aligned, I don’t bulldoze through; I step back, ask why, and let myself sit with it until the next right step reveals itself. Over the past year, I’ve learned that steady progress is quieter than people think. It looks like trial and error, like long mornings of writing and soul-searching, like slowly building a business that feels right instead of rushing one that just looks good. It’s learning from each small experiment, refining the plan, and trusting that “poco a poco”/”pa[w]so a pa[w]so” (“little by little”/”step by step”) gets you there. My strategies aren’t flashy. They’re rooted in reflection, creativity, and neighborly care for the work, for myself, and for the animals who remind me daily what good calm consistency can do.
Can You Discuss a Time When You Had to Work with a Team to Achieve a Goal?
Teamwork only matters to me when it’s real. I’ve seen what “fake teamwork” looks like: it’s the kind that lives on a breakroom bulletin board with percentages and obscure targets. That kind of thing drains people. Real teamwork, to me, is quiet. It’s when people step in for each other because they care, not because they were told to. It’s the bather who helps finish a dog so the groomer can focus better on a nervous poodle. It’s the person who spots a need and fills it because they can. I think about my time at a local retail salon this past summer. I never bought into the idea that teamwork meant hitting a quota or chasing upsells. I refused to sell a product just to pad a number. But if another bather was behind, or a nervous dog needed a calmer set of hands, I was there. That’s what real teamwork is: seeing where your energy is needed and showing up without making it a performance. And outside the salon, that same philosophy carries through my community work. Whether it’s celebrating another groomer’s success, supporting a local pup cup business, or helping a neighbor without being asked, I believe teamwork is just life in motion: people quietly lifting each other up, one small act at a time… Repitan conmigo… “pa[w]so a pa[w]so”. Life is legitimately an adventure, and I genuinely want to help everyone in my care fetch it.
What’s The Biggest Challenge you are facing in your business or industry?
Humanely onboarding, training, and providing continued mentorship. Too often, new bathers are thrown into high-pressure environments without the support they actually need. When training becomes about checklists and speed instead of confidence and presence, both the human and the dog pay for it.
How do you see your field evolving in the next 3-5 years?
I’m hopeful that over the next three to five years, service providers will start keeping the best interest of the dogs in mind instead of focusing on what divides us. If retail salons, mobile groomers, boutique shops, and independent bathers could collaborate instead of compete, we could strengthen standards across the board. We could even handle more of our own industry training right here in Jacksonville rather than outsourcing it to one big-box retail academy in Orlando.
Who in your industry do you see as a trend setter and why?
Two women in this space who I see as trendsetters are Lauren at BrewHound and Kelly at Fur Sisters. From my perspective, Lauren models grounded leadership. She has built a space around community, and you can feel it. She is approachable. Patrons seem comfortable expressing gratitude or offering ideas without fear of repercussions. I have observed her lead team meetings in an open, round-table setting where, although hierarchy clearly exists, it also feels like voices are welcome. The best teachers are remembered not for the specific content they taught, but for how they made people feel. I suspect Lauren leads that way. Kelly brings a different but equally important strength. She hustles for the dogs. There is grit, passion, and forward motion in everything she does. She understands that if we sit passively, nothing changes. At the same time, her heart for the dogs is obvious. I respect that balance of drive and care. They lead with different strengths, but both are mission-centered. I find value in both approaches, and I think our industry benefits from having leaders who build community and leaders who push momentum.
Transcript
Speaker 1
welcome to Industry Champions, I’m your host Chris Budihas Joining me here in studio is Laura Turner with Scrub Club beaches Laura how you been?
Speaker 2
Good. How are you doing?
Speaker 1
Well what brought you down to Florida?
Speaker 2
I threw a dart at a map.
Speaker 1
Did you really?
Speaker 2
I’m not suited for cold environments.
Speaker 1
Yeah. Me neither. My mom was born and raised out west, out in the Dakotas, in South California. So I think I inherited her blood.
Speaker 2
That’s great. I do better in warm waters.
Speaker 1
Okay, so Scrub Club Beaches. What is this company?
Speaker 2
So it’s an alternative. Okay. It’s for the dogs that might not meet with as much success. And, salon environment. Okay. Dogs that don’t do as well with the car. Right? Dogs that don’t do as well with other dogs and other humans in the same grooming environment with all the distractions who don’t do well, being housed in a crate for an extended amount of time, for kennel drying perhaps, or being held, you know, while other services are happening around him or her. Maybe don’t do so well with the the loud dryers and things like that. It’s an alternative where I come to your house.
Speaker 1
Okay, so you get your Saturday back or your Sunday or your Monday, because I can also offer services on days that salons are traditionally, traditionally closed.
Speaker 2
Okay. And then your dog doesn’t have to go through the car ride. You don’t have to do the dog and pony show of waiting around for the salon to call you back when your dog is ready, and the main thing is meeting the dog where the dog is and going at the dog’s pace.
Speaker 1
That’s awesome. So you obviously have seen a need because you’ve been in this industry for a little while.
Speaker 2
Yeah.
Speaker 1
What was the idea was what brought you to these conclusions. Because you really nailed a series of reasons why a dog owner who’s probably listeners right now going, I need to call Laura.
Speaker 2
I think honestly, I think a lot of this stems from my background in education.
Speaker 1
Okay.
Speaker 2
It doesn’t have to be one size fits all in education. We talk a lot about differentiation.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
retake policies. You know, students don’t necessarily learn and objective from Monday to Friday because the teacher said that that’s the schedule, right. Dogs are the same. They don’t necessarily go from zero to clean because the appointment is exactly one hour long. And especially when ding dong, ding dong, you know, walk ins are coming in.
Speaker 1
Ring, ring, the phone’s going off.
Speaker 2
Yeah. Other distractions are happening in the environment. So it started with my frustration. I think from it just not being the most fair environment for the bather who’s trying to do her best. And it’s not the most fair environment for the dog either.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
So if you can sort of take away the noise and meet the dog where the dog actually is.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
it’s the best case scenario for everybody. You know, if the dog is expected to stand on the table for an hour straight and never take a break.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
And, you know, always do exactly what you say because, well, you’re the boss and you say stand or you say sit.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
You’re you’re fighting an uphill battle. I think if you can take your time and be present with the dog and go by the dog’s cues.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
In an environment where he feels safe, then you’ve got something going there that’s special.
Speaker 1
Yeah. It’s funny, I was thinking about this. You’re talking I remember Covid, which seems like a long time ago, but really not.
Speaker 2
Yeah.
Speaker 1
You know, pet owners, the one company that did really well during Covid was chewy because people love their pets because it becomes an extension to your family. So obviously it’s kind of like when you go to the doctor, you want to make sure that your pet’s being taken care of. So somebody like you can come in and meet the dog where they’re at. Oh, by the way, make it easier on the owner. That’s that’s huge.
Speaker 1
Yeah. What’s been the, the reception from from your clients, you know, what kind of feedback you’re getting from them?
Speaker 2
I think a lot of relief, you know?
Speaker 1
Okay.
Speaker 2
My dog in particular. I’m sorry if I me is, a pitbull staffy type of mix, you know, and I think that there’s a stigma out there. The dogs are supposed to behave x, y, z way, and he does not thrive in this environment.
Speaker 1
He.
Speaker 2
Yeah. He needs somebody that can go a little bit more slowly, a little bit more at his pace. And somebody who knows his cues.
Speaker 1
You.
Speaker 2
Right. Somebody who knows his tells when he’s about to act a little bit mischievously and, and the cookie cutter one size at all, you know, just doesn’t get you there.
Speaker 1
Yeah. And I guess from, from professionals perspective, like you having that experience to understand dogs cues by different types of breeds, I’d imagine is very helpful. Right. Because sometimes, you know, you show up at some pet store who does grooming or does, you know, bathing, and you may you’re not sure who who you’re entrusting your pet to or your family member to. So like, you can’t come in, there’s someone with an experience and then provide that service and then know that your pet’s me and take care of. That’s huge. So that’s great.
Speaker 1
Where, where are you servicing right now? You’re kind of your your area, which you’re covering. And are you looking to expand
Speaker 2
primarily the beaches?
Speaker 1
Okay.
Speaker 2
I’m looking to extend northward. Maybe, also incorporating the Mayport area.
Speaker 1
Okay.
Speaker 2
There’s a real scrappy energy up that way. And I think there’s definitely a there’s definitely a difference. I, I am in a good way about, offering an alternative. For example, I love of.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
I decided to take my dog. I lived downtown for two weeks.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
And, Saint Augustine, what a great event.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
So I decided to take my dog at dawn on Christmas morning.
Speaker 1
Oh, we fight the traffic. We fight all of the clouds, and everything gets perfect timing.
Speaker 2
Sick experience.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
Just at his pace. That’s what I’m about. Not not fighting. What already exists, what already exists are wonderful models. Salons are great for dogs that thrive in that environment. Right. Mobile vans are wonderful for dogs that thrive in that environment because mobile vans will come to your house as well. I’m just another alternative in that.
Speaker 1
See?
Speaker 2
Yeah. And again, coming from education, my very first school where I worked, our mission statement ended and decisions are made in the best interest of our students. Decisions are made in the best interest of our dogs. That’s good. Whether they go to a salon or a grooming van or in their own home with me helping them out.
Speaker 1
Yeah, interest of the dog is what should be at play here. That’s good.
Speaker 1
Expertise in dogs. Do you also do cats or just, you know, you just limiting yourself to dogs right now?
Speaker 2
I bathe my own cat.
Speaker 1
Do you really?
Speaker 2
So. Okay. I’m learning. Okay. I would not feel comfortable offering that service to the public quite yet.
Speaker 1
Good for you. But that’s very mature. You, you know, as an educator, you’re always on both sides of the desk. You’re always learning. You’re always.
Speaker 2
Yeah, reflecting. You know, and that’s another aspect of education that I think I bring to the table. Is this PLC process?
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
You got a whole bunch of teachers around a table all talking about what’s in the best interest of the students.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
What if we got all of the people in the pet industry to talk about what’s in the best interest of the dogs? Imagine if you got X, Y, Z pet store and mobile van people all together like a big PLC.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
And talked about what can we do as a community. How can we provide opportunities for people to break into this industry where it doesn’t necessarily have to be salon specific?
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
What if somebody were around that could learn the system area Y yeah, maybe sub in if somebody calls out sick or sub in as a mentor or as a tutor. Wow. Because right now you have the people evaluating the bathers, mentoring them. And Crashin tells us about the affective filter here. You can’t learn from the person that’s evaluating you.
Speaker 1
Yeah, that’s that’s a good point. It’s like like a profession is self-policing. It’s got industry standards. And then it’s advancing the organization over time and space based on best practices. You know, the latest in the literature that you’ve seen in education, why would not be any different when you’re taking care of, you know, a pet in this case. So that’s huge.
Speaker 1
So, Laura, how do folks find find, your company and how they find you.
Speaker 2
So I’m scrub club beaches.
Speaker 1
Okay.
Speaker 2
The end game is that I am an alternative for the dogs that don’t maybe thrive in existing models, but I’m also hoping to ultimately be a solution. Maybe a night school type of workshop type of spaces.
Speaker 1
Wow. That’s wonderful. I hope salon leaders will feel comfortable reaching out to me as well that I’m not competition.
Speaker 2
Okay? I’m here to support what I can imagine. Demand signals high enough that you know all everybody that rising title, it’s all boat so everybody can cooperatively work as a community.
Speaker 1
Exactly. And so do for for making appointments or contacting you.
Speaker 2
They go through the website or yep, I’m scrub club beaches.com okay. My social media is at Scrub Club beaches. You know there are other businesses with Scrub Club in their name. So scrub club beaches. Yep, yep. Okay. And then you know, they I have an intake form on my website. That’s wonderful. And I’m also in Rover. So if people want to give me a shot, like you said, this is a trust based industry. So if people want to give me a shot as a pet sitter first, that’s one way of having sort of like an open house experience. Yeah, that’s available as well.
Speaker 1
That’s great. Well, thanks for coming. Thank you. Appreciate what you’re doing for our community. Very, I learned a few things along the way. I’m not a pet owner, but I do appreciate people with pets, so that’s great. I can see that pets, different personalities, like my sister Lorne’s pet based, a little bit different. And, my, my son’s pet was a little bit more. She was a high maintenance, and the other one’s a little bit less high maintenance. And that matters in your approach when you’re caring for those pets. So that’s great.
Speaker 2
They’re both who they are. And like, you love Mister Rogers.
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
I love them just the way they are. Not for who they’re supposed to be.
Speaker 1
That’s wonderful. Thank you very much I folks. Can I go Laura myself on on LinkedIn and take a look at what she’s doing with her company and how she can help you with Scrub Club beaches. We’ll see our next segment and live with gratitude.
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