Meet Brian Lane | Pet Grooming Shop Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brian Lane and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When I first took over Bingo Pet Salon back in 2012, it was my life. I worked for 90+ straight days to get the shop off the ground. I was in the shop every day, even I wasn’t working that day. I was also the only one doing scheduling for years, so I was the person answering the phones from 7am-7pm or later every day to schedule clients. My mindset was that every missed call was a potential client lost. I also took every review so personal as if we didn’t make EVERY person happy, it was my fault. It took many years to realize that I could not be tied to the business 24-7 and take every persons opinion as a failure of myself as a person. These days we have a remote scheduler who works 5 days a week from 8am-4pm. I do answer calls on her off days, and will answer calls after hours for a reasonable amount of time, but when I am done for the day and want to relax with my husband, the phone is off and we return missed calls the next day. Now that we have grown from a single to shop to multiple locations and a school. I had to learn to turn some responsibilities over to others so that I can live my life and enjoy time with my family and not always worry about the businesses. It has allowed me to fall back in love with what I do because it is no longer consuming all of my time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I try to run a business where everyone’s opinion matters and is heard. While I am the final decision maker as far as major decisions, I always want input from my staff to make sure that the policies and procedures we set will help make their jobs easier and their work more enjoyable. I always want to be a place of acceptance and giving back. As our staff has grown and diversified, I try to make sure that we are a safe place where people feel accepted and valued. We also try and make sure to give back to our community that supports us. Whether it is offering free grooms for local rescues and shelters, or donating a groom to the local youth sports team, I feel that giving back is definitely one of our core values.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitly start with a Detroit City Football Club (DCFC) game. They are the most exciting sports team in the city. Rowdy fans, great cheers, accepting atmosphere, and a team that plays until the last whistle. A trip to Belle Isle and the Dequinder Cut. They are great places to walk around, enjoy great views of the city, and get a little exercise in. As far as a great place to go eat, I would have to say my favorite places are Redcoat Tavern, Slows BBQ, Whiskey Taco Foxtrot (WTF), and Green Lantern Pizza. Great bars for the evening would be Rock on 3rd, Danny’s Irish Tavern, and SOHO.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband Clinton, who has been the best support system I could have ever asked for. Also, I have to give a big thank you to every person on our staff. From the groomers, to the receptionists, bathers, and scheduler, they all have been so amazing as we have grown. They do such an amazing job of pivoting as needed to keep everything running smoothly.

Website: https://www.bingopetsalon.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BingoPetSalon/