Emmetsburg, Iowa – A northwest Iowa woman who started a dog grooming business at age 17, and eventually built a nationwide educational program for training groomers, is being recognized as Iowa’s Small Business Person of the Year.
The Iowa regional office of the U.S. Small Business Administration is honoring Sierra Elbert of Emmetsburg as founder and president of Groom Curriculum, and her business partner Patricia Pierce. Elbert says she recognized the need to elevate industry standards and expand access to professional grooming education.
Elbert and Pierce launched Groom Curriculum in 2022, the first standardized, college-accredited grooming education platform in the country. Elbert says their 15-week course is being taught in multiple environments, including high schools, community colleges, salons, trade schools, and prisons.
Elbert says Groom Curriculum provides credentialed education for those new to the profession as well as continuing education for professionals at every stage of their careers. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many barber shops and salons to close, along with most pet groomers, and Elbert says it showed people how skilled you need to be to cut hair — for people and for pets.
As the statewide winner, Elbert and Pierce will represent Iowa at National Small Business Week in Washington D.C. in May, where they’ll be in the running for the title of National Small Business Persons of the Year.
