Black Business Profile: Chateau 4 Paws pet care salon

Chateau 4 Paws, an Atlanta-based Black-owned premier pet care salon, is owned by Managing Director and CEO Janelle Russell. Russell adores dogs; however, she never thought her passion would become her job until two unrelated events occurred. In 2005, her then-boyfriend got her a toy poodle, and she was let go from her corporate job. This, in turn, inspired her to open her pet grooming salon, Chateau 4 Paws, in 2010. She said she used her 401(k) to fund her new business venture and asked her parents and uncle to match the funds. Russell makes it clear she jumped head-in without knowing anything about a business or having a business plan. All she knew was she loved animals and dogs. Fortunately, one day, someone told her there weren’t any small, independent pet grooming shops in Fayetteville, GA, so Russell set up shop, assuming there wouldn’t be any competition, but she realized otherwise. She said she learned three other grooming salons were opening in the same area around the same time, so being nervous, she confided in her dad, who offered some wise advice. As the mother of a five-year-old, one of her game-changing business investments has been digitizing more of...