Erkin has been in the grooming industry since 2014 and originally started their journey in Turkey before moving around the world.

What can you tell me about your grooming career?

I started my career as a self-taught groomer. Unfortunately, when I started my journey there were no grooming schools or educated groomers in our country to get a chance to learn.

After getting online education and doing a lot of free grooming, I started working in some grooming salons and kept improving myself. In 2018, I opened my very first salon in Antalya, Turkey. After three and a half years, I realised that staying in the same salon and earning money was not enough for me.

So, I went to Istanbul and stayed there for a year and now I’m working in Alanya. I joined my first grooming competition and took 3rd place with the only standard poodle in the competition.

Besides that, for a few years, I have been traveling all over Turkey and going to dog shows, doing Poodle show haircuts and teaching people. Also, I’m trying to be a responsible Standard Poodle breeder and a great handler!

What can you tell me about grooming where you’re from?

The grooming industry in Turkey was a dreadful nightmare until 2022! We couldn’t even get a slicker brush or were not able to find a sharpener for our blades. You wouldn’t believe how many blades we throw into the trash because we can’t find anybody to sharpen them! Now, thank god, we are able to get professional products.

What differences have you noticed between groomers where you’re from and groomers in the UK?

Because of the economic situation of our country, we are not able to charge what we deserve. When I am having discussions with my colleagues, we are always talking about that. We need to groom two to three poodles so we can buy one blade! UK groomers are luckier than us.

What are some key things that you think UK groomers can learn from groomers where you’re from?

Patience and passion. We are in love with our business and are creating things from zero.

Are there any general thoughts you’d like to share with our readers?

Keep doing what you love! If you do what you love you never need to work. Grooming is a hobby. A hobby that makes us earn our lives. We need to show some more respect for ourselves and our unique works.

Follow @petgroomerkin on Instagram.