Today we’d like to introduce you to Beatriz Figarella
Hi Beatriz , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story begins over 25 years ago in Venezuela, the country I’m from.
I think it was around 1996 when I got into Vet school, but life had something else in store for me and I became pregnant, giving birth to my first daughter in 1998, thus finding myself torn between decisions… So I began working at a Vet clinic where they needed a basic groomer. I started in that position thinking I would eventually climb up the ladder to become a Veterinarian.
To my surprise I found myself loving the grooming process, and wanting to learn more about it to the point where becoming a veterinarian completely left my mind. That’s when my grooming career began officially.
After an unfortunate event at the vet clinic where we got robbed, I decided to try my luck at an actual pet grooming salon. There isn’t many of them in Venezuela as it’s seen as a luxury rather than something your pets need!
I began working with the best groomer in the country, as well as one of the most known Shih-Tzu breeders! I learned so much from her during the few years I worked there, she was my instructor and inspiration!
After working there for a couple years, I finally felt confident enough to begin working by myself. Back then my two daughters were still young, and their father worked almost all day, so I decided to set my own business at home where I worked for about 10 years straight. I also began breeding and showing Shih-Tzus with Pedigree, and I gotta say this is when my passion grew and grew limitless. The dog world was my world!!
After all those wonderful years perfecting my craft, being able to spend time with my family, learning so much about the breeding world as well as the grooming world, the only thing that wasn’t going according to plan was the condition of my country.
Venezuela’s government began crumbling down, and so did my hopes of a brighter future until my brother who had been living in the US for over 20 years brought up the idea of moving… at first I was reluctant, scared of the unknown, unsure about what my family would think but… in the end, it was meant to be.
My daughters and I moved to the US in November 2015, at first we lived in Philadelphia because it was known to be a cheap but reliable city, and I was able to set up my grooming salon in the house we were living at! To my surprise there were a lot of Hispanic people living in Philadelphia, so I felt like I was right back in Venezuela with my people…
5 years later my daughters wanted to be closer to their uncle because the lack of familiar contact was starting to get to all of us, so we made the big move to Minnesota! It was hard to leave all of my precious customers behind, as well as all the friends we had made so far… but again, it was meant to be.
By mere chance I happened to apply at a grooming salon where the owner was well known, she was an amazing groomer, breeder and dog shower! I began working there and learned SO much from her in the 5 years I spent there next to her. It was like I unveiled a hidden treasure that called for my name…
And then she made me manager of the salon. After that, she began to rely more and more on me for different things, until one day she broke the news to me: she told me she was seriously planning on moving to another state to open up a boarding and grooming facility, and that she wanted ME to take over her legacy and continue it! I couldn’t believe her words for the longest time until the day came that she made me the official offer.
I couldn’t turn away from this incredible honor… and that’s how Barks & Bubbles came to be! Coming all the way from Venezuela and now I became a business owner in the US!
I hadn’t just found the hidden treasure, I had landed on the treasure planet itself!
I’m still very much new to the whole entrepreneur deal, but since August 2024 I’ve officially owned my very own salon with the help of one of my daughters, and my partner. Without them and everyone else that has helped me I couldn’t have made it…
But it was always meant to be.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life is never a smooth road, and I think that’s what makes it so important…Without these bumps and obstacles we’d never be able to see what we’re truly made out of.
In Venezuela, a lot of the challenges I faced were mostly related to the conditions my country was under, but besides that I had it all. I had my entire family with me, I had my pets with me, and I had finally found my calling – my reason to be.
Somewhere in the middle I began having spinal problems that I still deal with to this day, but I never wanted to let these physical limitations stop me from living my life or chasing my dreams.
Once I moved to the US is when I faced the most challenges in my life. Mostly related to the language barrier, but also because I was so far away from home, completely separated from the rest of my family, starting all over as an adult, and shocked from the huge difference in culture. It was something that took quite some time to fight, but eventually I won the match.
All it took was patience and perseverance, which I have plenty of, and it definitely paid off!
I don’t consider the “challenges” I faced in the pet grooming world to be an obstacle, as they were very much needed for me to expand my horizons, and I’m someone who’s eager to learn more and more about the things I love.
Life never stops teaching you, you just have to pay attention to the lesson…
As you know, we’re big fans of Barks & Bubbles. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At Barks & Bubbles, we bring over 25 years of grooming excellence from Venezuela to our new home in the US. Our mission is to deliver exceptional pet grooming services with the same passion and care that has defined our history. We are dedicated to celebrating the unique beauty and personality of each pet in a loving stress-free environment.
I particularly specialize in proper dog handling, specially for those older or difficult dogs that a lot of groomers tend to avoid, as I think that these are the pets that should require the most attention and comprehension from us… I also have a great passion for dog dyeing that I’m known for! My own Shih-Tzu has been my testing dummy for like 8 years, and I love him and appreciate him so much for his patience and company.
I like to think that what sets Barks & Bubbles apart from other salons is the cultural richness we have – offering better support to the Hispanic community, as well as being able to connect with the rest of the communities that make the US such a powerful and unique country! We want everyone to know that anyone is welcome here with open arms, and we consider all of our customers family.
I’m proud of all of the people who have contributed to creating the Barks & Bubbles brand, like my daughter and friends. I’m proud that I came from nothing, and yet I have everything. I want to represent the two parts of me that make me whole through my business, and I’m proud to say that it does so!
We are a reliable, familiar, understanding and loving pet grooming salon. We will accept any animals, and any requests as long as they’re reasonable. We believe grooming shouldn’t be limited to dogs or cats only! We want everyone to know that we’re here for you and your pet’s needs, and it is our honor to be of help during ANY situation.
We’re pretty flexible with the services we offer so that your experience with us can be tailored to your personal wants and needs! In the end, we’re here for YOU and YOUR PET, and you’ll always be treated as family at Barks & Bubbles.
What are your plans for the future?
At the moment we’re really looking forward to the renovation process.
It is true that we took over an almost 15 year old business, meaning there is some wear and tear that comes with time and such, but once our vision becomes reality, we’ll give way to a beautifully designed and efficient work space for all the groomers, as well as giving a better impression for the customers and pets who also deserve a beautiful space.
Barks & Bubbles’ story has officially begun, and I cannot help but be extremely excited about what the future holds in store for us. We’ve been making some changes already of course, but once we renovate the actual business, I think this story will take a very positive turn…
Pricing:
- Appointment services – full groom: $60-$200+ depending on breed.
- Call in services – bath & neaten: $40-$100+ depending on breed.
- Plans – monthly or weekly: discounted price for services, depending on breed and availability.
- Walk in services – nail trim, face or feet trim, brush-outs, etc: $5-$30+ depending on the request.
- Add on services – hair dyeing, hand stripping, teeth cleaning, anal glads, etc: $10-$80+ depending on the request.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://BarksNbubblesMN.com
- Instagram: @barksNbubblesMN
- Facebook: Barks & Bubbles – Lakeville MN
- Yelp: Barks & Bubbles – Lakeville MN
