JeePee’s Spaw

Nimsay Rivera with a dog sitting on a bench

JeePee’s Spaw is an Orange Park pet grooming business with a wide range of products for clients and dogs. Owner Nimsay Rivera says her mission is to be a leading dog grooming brand in northeast Florida, and they are well on their way. The idea behind starting JeePee’s Spaw was to make a statement by developing a benchmark to be the best grooming service and pet environment, while also providing a top working atmosphere for their employees. Nimsay was formerly a renowned dog groomer and supervisor at a major pet care business. After nine years of Nimsay being a grooming salon lead, she took that experience along with her exciting spa ideas and pursuit of perfection in the pet grooming industry and started JeePee’s Spaw.

She knew she needed help with the business side of the enterprise, specifically, Nimsay needed assistance with the business plan industry reports and access to capital from financial institutions. That’s when she turned to the SBDC at UNF in Clay County. Nimsay and her business partner met Chris Abetz, SBDC consultant in Clay County, with a near-finalized business plan but needed that final touch of research and data to be “bank ready”. Before meeting with the SBDC, they had no idea how to get financial institutions to accept a startup business loan proposal. Chris and the team reviewed research and provided feedback and supporting reports to include in the final business plan and marketing plan. As a result, the business plan was ready to present to a bank, and Chris Abetz provided several lender referrals. In short order, the loan request was approved without major questions or edits from the underwriting teams at the financial institution! Nimsay says “Chris and the team did an awesome job and I recommend that all aspiring business owners utilize the SBDC for assistance to begin a new business”.

JeePee’s Spaw is on its way to achieving its mission of becoming the leading dog grooming brand in the area! Nimsay has been able to provide meaningful employment in a growing industry, with the best equipment, training, benefits, and pay. The business has been designed with the latest and most updated equipment to handle pets in the safest way possible for both groomers and pets. Additionally, they are implementing a continuous training program in conjunction with National Certified Master Groomers (NCMG) holding classes in the “Spaw” for our employees and other area groomers. Of her experience with the SBDC and continued growth, Nimsay had this to say “Startups do not attempt to fund your projects without first getting a second look from SBDC. Their experience was crucial in our success and this valuable resource must not be overlooked!”

"Chris and the team did an awesome job and I recommend that all aspiring business owners utilize the SBDC for assistance to begin a new business. Startups do not attempt to fund your projects without first getting a second look from SBDC. Their experience was crucial in our success and this valuable resource must not be overlooked!”

Nimsay Rivera - owner of JeePee's Spaw