The Future of the Industry as Seen by a Veteran with 40 Years of Experience: 'Romance and the Abacus' for the Grooming Industry to Become a 'Real Business'

I am Sakuma, the representative of CHOKIP.
The other day, I had the opportunity to have a long, in-depth conversation with Mr. Mori, the representative of Wanx and a senior figure in the industry whom I deeply respect.

As many of you may know, Mr. Mori is a great person who not only supports the industry as a manufacturer of scissors and shampoos but also continues to devote himself to human resource development in the grooming industry, especially the development of business owners, through management schools, future schools, and Management Games (MG).

Every word Mr. Mori spoke that night resonated with me surprisingly deeply, and I wanted to share it with you while the passion was still fresh. I have been involved in management in the grooming industry for over 20 years, yet even so, there were many times during our conversation that I was struck by his words, thinking, 'So that's what it is!'
Today, I will deliver the content of that dialogue in a report format, while cherishing the raw nuances of that day.

The grooming industry has finally begun to become a 'real business'

The first thing Mr. Mori mentioned was the 'current location' of the grooming industry.

'For a long time, the grooming industry has been unable to move beyond the realm of a hobby. In a sense, you could say it was a business that took advantage of the kindness of groomers.'

These are harsh words, but they carry weight precisely because they come from Mr. Mori, who has watched the changes in the industry for decades.

'Because I love dogs'
'Because I want to make customers happy'

—A structure that relied too much on that pure goodwill, causing improvements in salaries and working environments to be put on the back burner, had permeated the entire industry.

However, Mr. Mori says that the atmosphere has definitely been changing over the past few years. The activation of contests where techniques are competed, collaboration with veterinary medicine such as dermatology, and the verbalization and evidence-based approach to treatment methods and tools.
Sensory services that were once considered 'somehow good' can now be logically explained as 'this is necessary for this reason,' and the foundation as an industry has finally been established.

'From here on is the timing for the grooming industry to truly sublimate into a business.'

We must now create an environment where the younger generation can truly aspire to 'work in this industry' and groomers themselves can proudly say, 'I am a professional who protects the happiness of families with this knowledge and skill.'
I feel the exact same response, seeing many workplaces through CHOKIP, to Mr. Mori's powerful words.

The two wheels of management: the balance of 'romance and the abacus'

The next thing that left an impression was when I asked about Mr. Mori's impression of young groomers.

'The current younger generation is truly excellent. While taking pride in their skills, they calmly grasp the importance of investment and the priority of learning. They balance 'romance' and the 'abacus' very well.'

The keyword Mr. Mori repeated was this 'romance and the abacus'.

'People tend to focus only on the 'abacus (numbers)' when they are in distress. Conversely, when things are going well, they tend to lean too much toward 'romance (ideals).' For example, there are not a few cases where people win a contest, attract attention, and mistake themselves for a charismatic figure.'

I was startled by these words. The moment either wheel is lifted, management becomes unstable. As someone who has been in management for 20 years, I feel this keenly; when things are going well, I fail to notice complacency, and when things are going poorly, I am chased by numbers and tend to lose sight of the 'people.' Mr. Mori has witnessed the extreme ends of both paths many times.

Why the 'charisma' of an owner sometimes becomes a wall for the organization

This was the core of our dialogue.

'The more a shop has an owner called a charismatic figure, the more the self-propulsion of the workplace is lost without realizing it. To use strong words, a charismatic figure does not grow under a charismatic figure.'

Mr. Mori was not denying the fact that individual charm or skill is excellent, but was pointing out the aspect where that 'too strong light' becomes a challenge in organizational development.

Ace-level staff suddenly become independent, and staff who were candidates for store manager leave, feeling, 'As long as you are here, there is no place for me.' Even if it looks smooth on the surface, new customers do not increase, and existing customers gradually decrease as dogs age.

And, out of impatience, they start new businesses or open a second store to regain sales. However, if you expand the vessel without people being developed, the workplace will collapse, cash flow will worsen, and as a result, even the main business of grooming and the management of the main store will be jeopardized.

It seems that many owners come to Mr. Mori for management advice because they admire his personality. However, many of the consultations with Mr. Mori are at a point of no return, such as 'construction has already started' or 'the contract has already been signed.'

'When asked, 'Do you think I should do this?', it is often already too late.'

This was a story that hit home for me as well. Whether or not you have someone in the industry you can stop and consult with easily and honestly will decisively change the future of your shop.

'Being equal' and the 'courage to entrust'

Also, as we delved deeper into human resource development during our dialogue, the importance of 'being equal' was highlighted once again.
Even if positions are different, respect each other as professionals. A third-year employee should not look down on a first-year employee, and it is not good for the person teaching to take away work by saying, 'It's still too early for this child.' It is necessary to trust and entrust, to let go.
And Mr. Mori continued like this.

'Whether it is perceived as 'entrusted' or 'neglected' is determined by the educational process up to that point. If it is someone with whom you have a 'savings account of trust' on a daily basis, when they are given a heavy responsibility, they will accept it as an expectation.'

Also, the story that 'kindness backfires' was impressive. Emotions like 'I can't say it strongly' or 'I don't want to be disliked' actually cause the team to malfunction. I was taught once again that dealing with the determination of 'I will take responsibility' is the foundation for raising people. I have faced the 'courage to let go' many times myself, but by having it verbalized like this, I felt as if my head had been cleared.

The future Mr. Mori envisions: co-creation of small communities of owners

Finally, I asked him, 'What kind of activities do you want to do from now on?'
Mr. Mori's vision is very clear.

'You cannot acquire wisdom just by listening to lectures. After all, there must be work (practice). The mechanism for raising newcomers has been established, but what is needed most now is a place for owners to learn 'how to raise.' I want to raise the level of both teaching skills and learning skills.'

He said that he wants to focus on the spread of 'business coaching' to realize that.
Mr. Mori seems to have been thoroughly drilled in coaching by a management master he has studied under for many years. Mr. Mori expressed that 'the technique of drawing out the other person's thoughts so naturally that they don't realize they are being coached' is the real thing.

'General coaching is close to counseling and takes time. Business coaching is a method that, while being close to the other person's emotions, ultimately leads them straight to the decision of 'do it or don't do it.' As long as it is professional work, you cannot move forward unless you decide. I want to spread the questioning skills for that to this industry.'

Should I increase staff? Should I introduce a new menu? Should I increase the number of stores? The 'power to decide' is required in every situation in the workplace.
Mr. Mori's vision sounded like a challenge to train the muscles for that throughout the industry.

Another is the dream of creating small communities of owners across the country where they can learn about human resource development, management, data analysis, and branding, and talk honestly. 'Connecting with friends who have the same worries in a small community of 10 or 20 people. Just that makes management surprisingly easy,' he said.

To the future of the industry ~ The role of CHOKIP

While listening to Mr. Mori, I was thinking about the significance of 'CHOKIP's' existence.
The reason we develop and operate CHOKIP is, in the end, because we have the desire to 'reduce the burden on the workplace and regain the time for groomers to concentrate on their original work.' Because I know the limits of desperately running a shop with paper medical records and appointment books.

However, after hearing Mr. Mori's story, I was convinced that the essence of digitalization is not 'efficiency' itself, but 'becoming able to notice information for decision-making.'
'How many customers have not visited in 3 months?' 'How does sales move when the menu structure is changed?' By visualizing numbers, the accuracy of judgment, such as strategies to raise salary levels and mechanisms to entrust to staff, will be significantly improved.
This is the same for those who are expanding multiple stores and those who are managing alone. Rather, those who are carrying everything alone need 'tools' to organize their thoughts.

I want to deliver the current CHOKIP to myself more than 20 years ago, when I had just opened my first grooming salon—myself who was desperately struggling while only grasping sales and the number of customers. That is my honest feeling.
However, 'human development' and 'determination as a manager' beyond that tool cannot be solved by a system alone. That is why I strongly felt that I wanted to be involved in a 'community where we can learn from each other' like the one Mr. Mori is envisioning, even if only in a small way as CHOKIP.

The grooming industry is now at a major turning point.
Going beyond the realm of 'hobby' to make it a 'real business' that we can proudly pass on to the next generation. Such a next 10 years is about to start from here.
Please join us on that voyage.

Thank you very much for reading to the end. If there is any part you can empathize with, even a little, it would be encouraging if you could press 'Like.' I would like to continue to write down little by little what I have learned from seniors in the industry and what I have felt in the field.

<Tomo Mori Profile>
Representative Director, Wanx Creation Inc. Entered the pet industry at 19. Since then, has been active at the forefront of the industry for 38 years.
In addition to planning, wholesale, and sales of brands and products that have gained enthusiastic support from many groomers, such as the hair care and skin care brand 'Prophum' and the trimming scissor brand 'KERRY,' he constantly leads the pet industry, especially the grooming industry, by actively providing places to learn management, such as management schools and future schools.
In 2013, together with Sakuma and other colleagues, he established the Japan Pet Salon Association to work for the stability and development of grooming salon management.
Even now, starting as an MG (Management Game) instructor, he is always devoting all his energy to cultivating 'human resources who will lead the industry in the future.'

<CHOKIP Representative Sakuma Profile>
Joined P&G Marketing Headquarters in 1992. After leaving the company, established Colors Co., Ltd., which conducts pet-related businesses, in July 2000, and has operated 6 grooming salons for 20 years, as well as launching online mail order, etc. In 2013, became a founding vice-chairman of the Japan Pet Salon Association. In October 2022, established DAY ONE Co., Ltd., which provides DX/OMO support for retail & service industries. Develops and operates 'CHOKIP,' an electronic medical record for grooming salons.