Women in Equestrian Business – Cheryl Dauphin

Women in Buisness - Equigroomer

The next of our Women in Equestrian Business will not disappoint! I am so excited not only about this wonderful lady, but I sing the praises about this product daily! By the end of this post I hope you feel that you personally know Cheryl Dauphin, just as much as you will recognize her colorful, vibrant, and perfect barn and home tool!

At the beginning of 2018, I personally met Cheryl and her made-by-hand products. Since then they have not only been a staple in our barn for all of our horses….but also in our home AND in my business. The EquiGroomers often have a way of wandering off in the business (it just so happens that most of the awesome ladies that work with me, also have horses, dogs, cats, rabbits too!) Cheryl has also changed the way my pets and animals view grooming time.

About THE EquiGroomer

After Cheryl Dauphin retired as independent graphic designer, she decided to devote her time to her horse and improving her riding skills. In doing so, she realized her horse’s skin was very sensitive to the large teeth of a shedding tool. Shedding stones work for a little while, but Cheryl realized they did not last long, and were really messy. This left Cheryl in a predicament…but not for long! Tenaciously she came up with a prototype of the EquiGroomer and also eventually designed the logo. She tried it on her horse with great success and allowed other lucky barn members to try it too.

What makes this product completely unique, (and why it has been such a hit around our home, barn, and business) is that Cheryl has designed this tool to be similar to how a cat’s tongue grooms fur. The blade itself does not remove hair by friction or pulling hair out. In fact, the little teeth only remove scaly, dead hairs. Plus, the teeth of this blade are so petite that they do not actually touch the skin. Yet they are still long enough to bring the natural oils found at the root of the hair, up through the hair to help with coat and fur heath. The groomer’s colors are bright and cheerful. The wooden handle is painted with 3 coats of exterior grade paint making it impervious to bacteria, and an epoxy finish is applied to the blade which wards off rust and prevents dulling.

It is clear that Cheryl has taking all efforts to make the EquiGroomer tools the epitome of perfection. While Cheryl thoroughly enjoys showing off her products, describing the benefits, demonstrating the use, and connecting with customers….selling is not her strong suit. Cheryl mentions she does not enjoy cold calling or making sales over the phone, which frankly is not that uncommon! However, what makes up for that, is a schedule that she loves. She balances time manufacturing and her business related tasks, with her time in the barn. Cheryl has been in business for slightly over 5 years, and in that time has designed her brand to focus on customer satisfaction, quality of products, and happy pets. She feels that there is no need to change that for the next happy 5 years.

EquiGroomer

About Cheryl Dauphin

Cheryl and her business headquarters are located in Glastonbury Connecticut, and her products are manufactured locally. Labels, wrapping, and shipping of the EquiGroomer are all done by hand by Cheryl. She also finds time to juggle marketing and customer relations, all before heading to the barn. While it may be hard to pick favorites, Cheryl’s favorite is the 5″ EquiGroomer. It has made so many pet owners live’s easier and so many fur babies happier during grooming time. We asked Cheryl when she first fell in love with horses.It turns out, there wasn’t a time where she lacked the fascination and desire to ride.

Her mother recently discovered an old slide of Cheryl on the back of a horse, she was probably about 3 years old at the time. As a child, she took many summer vacations to her grandparents in Maine, and she would beg for the neighbors to pony her around on their horse. The first books she remembers reading are Misty of Chincoteague and Black Beauty. There is no exact time when the passion began, but the journey continues with her 12 year old registered Holsteiner, Clifford. This show jumper is now enjoying his retired life and lighter riding after an injury, but that doesn’t get Cheryl down. Optimist Cheryl welcomed the change of pace, and now she and Clifford enjoy trail rides and spending relaxing days together.

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EquiGroomer

Let’s Get a Little Personal with Cheryl Dauphin

What is something not everyone knows about you? I love being the center of attention, but if given the option of going to a party OR relaxing on the couch…I would choose the latter!

What is something you would tell your younger self? Don’t worry so much about what others think of you, what is really important is how you think of yourself! Too much time is wasted on things that don’t truly matter.

What is a Mantra you live by? Don’t sweat the small stuff!

What was the last show you binge watched? American Pickers…don’t ask why I find that show so entertaining. I sat through what may have been 4 hours of repeats and still enjoyed watching it!

What is the last book you read? Twelve Years a Slave

What’s your favorite word? Indeed

What profession other than your own would you attempt for a week? I’ve tried a number of things in the past, everything from retail sales, landscape designer, even seminar instructor. However, I think I would love to try to be a Pet Adoption Coordinator at a no kill shelter.

What is your favorite food? Popcorn, Popcorn, Popcorn! If I had my choice I would eat it for dinner….every day of the week, I would! I love Popcorn!

How do you take your Coffee? I take my morning Starbuck’s Espresso black with one Splenda.

What is something you want people to remember about your brand? Each EquiGroomer or WaterWisk is assembled by hand, made locally, and uses the highest quality materials available. I hand label and wrap each one, and I am solely responsible for customer relations, shipping, marketing. There is pride and love that goes into each EquiGroomer. It makes me feel even better when I know that every “hooman” that uses the brush on their animals is not only improving the grooming experience, but also increasing the quality time they spend with their pets.

In Conclusion with Cheryl Dauphin of EquiGroomer

We have really enjoyed getting to know Cheryl, and learning about the outpouring of positivity and love that goes into her life and products. It is amazing how similar we all are regardless of background, jobs, or location. In learning more about these awesome ladies, it reminds me that we are all in this equestrian world together! Like I mentioned before, at Blanket Safe we use these products daily for not only horse and pet grooming, but also removing excess hair from saddle pads and fleece. Frankly, next time I pick up my EquiGroomer or WaterWisk, I will have more appreciation of the time, care, love, and passion that went into it!

We hope you join us next time for another inside look at another equestrian business woman’s dream and business adventure! Until then, find more blogs like this HERE

Follow Cheryl at EquiGroomer on Instagram, Find EquiGroomer Online

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