What You Can Do Now to Make January Peaceful (and Profitable)

December 30, 2025

Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee — founder of The Savvy Groomer, and if you’re listening to this right now, friend, take a deep breath… because you made it. You survived the holiday rush. The double-booked doodles, the “just a quick nail trim” walk-ins, the clients who swear they called you “weeks ago” even though it was yesterday. You’ve been running on caffeine, chaos, and muscle memory. But now… it’s over. And this is the part no one really talks about — the holiday emotional hangover. That strange cocktail of exhaustion, relief, pride, and maybe even a little resentment. You’re proud of how hard you worked, but also wondering, “Why do I feel so fried?” You made it through the rush, but now you’re staring at your table thinking, I don’t even want to look at a pair of shears right now. I get it. This is the time of year when groomers start fantasizing about quitting everything and moving to a cabin in the woods with zero dogs and perfect Wi-Fi. But here’s the thing: this quiet moment, this post-holiday pause — it’s gold. Because what you do right now in this space between burnout and renewal is what sets the tone for your entire year ahead. So today, we’re talking about how to reset — your energy, your systems, and your mindset. How to take everything you just went through and turn it into data, not drama. Because the goal isn’t to just recover. It’s to realign. So that January feels peaceful, intentional, and — yes — profitable. Let’s be honest — the holidays don’t just drain your energy; they distort your sense of normal. You’ve been operating in survival mode for weeks. Every spare minute is accounted for. You’ve said yes to appointments you didn’t want. You’ve eaten more granola bars in the back room than actual meals. You’ve run out of patience, product, and probably paper towels. And now that the rush is over, you don’t know whether to cry, nap, or deep-clean the salon. When we’re in that state, our brains don’t stop working — they start replaying. We replay the client who made us feel small. We replay the conversation we wish we’d handled better. We replay all the “I’ll deal with it after the holidays” stuff that’s now waiting for us. That’s the emotional hangover. It’s your system trying to process everything you didn’t have time to feel in the moment. So before you dive back into the grind, pause. Ask yourself: What did this season really leave behind? Maybe it left behind clutter — literal or emotional. Maybe it left behind resentment — toward clients, staff, or even yourself. Or maybe, surprisingly, it left behind proof — proof that you can handle more than you thought possible. Whatever it is, see it. Because awareness is the first step to peace. You can’t reset what you refuse to recognize. You’ve heard me say this before — burnout isn’t failure. It’s feedback. It’s your body, your mind, your spirit saying, something’s out of alignment. Every time you felt that flash of irritation or that tightness in your chest this season — that was data. When you felt underpaid, underappreciated, or just plain done — that was data too. It’s all emotional information. And when you look at it through that lens, it stops being something to feel guilty about and becomes something you can learn from. Let’s talk about some examples. That one client who always calls last-minute and expects a miracle? That’s data about your boundaries. That one employee who’s always “just five minutes late” but you never call it out? That’s data about your leadership. That moment when you snapped at your favorite dog because you were exhausted and hungry? That’s data about your self-care system — or lack of one. And here’s the kicker — sometimes the data is about us. It’s not always them. Sometimes we’re the ones dropping the ball, over-promising, or taking things too personally. I’ll share this story again because it changed the way I see everything: I once had to fire my own groomer. They weren’t bad. The haircuts were fine. But the communication? Not so much. Every pickup time changed, every “what’s included” conversation turned awkward. When I finally asked for clarity, I got attitude. And I remember thinking — “Oh. This must be what my clients feel like when I’m too tired to explain myself clearly.” That was my data. It wasn’t about blame — it was about awareness. Because self-awareness is what turns a good groomer into a great leader. So here’s your journal prompt this week: “What did this season teach me about me?” Maybe it taught you you’re stronger than you thought. Maybe it showed you where you need to delegate. Or maybe it just revealed where you’re stretched too thin. You don’t need to fix it all right now. You just need to notice it. Because that’s the beginning of every meaningful change. Alright — now that you’ve gathered your emotional data, let’s do something with it. Let’s talk about the December Debrief. Think of it as your end-of-year checkup — for your business and your brain. Grab a notebook, open a Google Doc, or just voice-record your thoughts while you clean up your table. We’re going to go through five quick categories: 1️⃣ Money — What actually made a profit? What quietly drained it? Did your add-on services carry you? Or did you undercharge for those “holiday extras”? Look at where the money flowed easily — and where it felt like pulling teeth. 2️⃣ Mindset — When did you feel calm, confident, and in control… and when did you start people-pleasing? Did you say “yes” because you wanted to — or because you were afraid to say “no”? 3️⃣ Boundaries — Where did you hold firm? Where did you give a soft yes that you regretted later? This isn’t about guilt — it’s about gathering the truth. 4️⃣ Clients — Who energized you? Who drained you? If you felt a pit in your stomach when someone texted, that’s not a coincidence. 5️⃣ Body — When did you nourish yourself? And when did you skip yourself? Did you hydrate? Eat? Stretch? Or did you run on fumes and Red Bull? You don’t need a spreadsheet. You just need honesty. Write one “ugh” thought, then balance it with three “I’m proud I…” wins. Because yes, this season had its chaos — but it also had victories. You showed up. You made it through. You built something real. And once you see your patterns on paper, you’ll start to see where to fine-tune. That’s how you stop repeating the same problems every year — by actually learning from them instead of just surviving them. Okay, so you’ve done your emotional inventory and your operational checkup. Now it’s time to clean house — literally and figuratively. Let’s start with your client list. Who’s truly your soulmate client — the ones who pay on time, respect your schedule, and trust your process? And who’s been quietly draining you? If you’ve got someone who’s been disrespectful, chronically late, or constantly “forgetting” your policies, I promise you — you do not need to drag that energy into a new year. Let them go. Kindly, professionally, gracefully. You can say something like: “We love Fluffy, but we don’t feel we can meet your needs anymore. Here’s a list of groomers who might be a better fit.” That’s not rude — that’s leadership. Because when you release what’s misaligned, you make room for what is. Next, look at your systems. Anything that made December harder than it needed to be? Fix it now. Update your reminder texts, your pricing sheets, your “what’s included” policies. Create templates for common messages so you’re not rewriting the same thing a hundred times. And if you realized your SOPs live in your brain and nowhere else — that’s your sign to get them documented. Your future self will thank you. And finally — reward yourself. I mean it. Not the “I’ll rest when I’ve caught up” kind of reward. The “I’ve earned this” kind of rest. Book a massage. Schedule a nothing day. Turn your phone on Do Not Disturb and watch trash TV with your dog. Because rest isn’t lazy — it’s leadership. Your brain needs white space to reset. Your creativity needs silence to breathe. And your body needs care to keep doing this work long-term. Peace doesn’t just appear — it’s something you build. Through boundaries, clarity, and compassion — for yourself and for everyone you serve. So as we head into January, remember — you don’t need to overhaul everything. You don’t need to reinvent your business or make a massive new plan. You just need to make one small, intentional improvement in each area you struggled with this season. That’s how you build a business that feels lighter, cleaner, calmer — without burning it down to start over. And because I know how busy you are, I made you something simple to help: The 5-Minute Year-End Clean-Up for Groomers. It’s a free checklist to help you declutter your mental load, tighten your systems, and walk into January already a step ahead. You’ve survived the season — and more importantly, you’ve grown through it. Now give yourself permission to rest, reflect, and reset. Because peace isn’t something you find — it’s something you create. And honestly? That’s the most Greedy Bitch thing you can do. Alright, my friend — take a deep breath. Let’s look forward to a new year. If you know of a groomer who could use this podcast, feel free to share them. Until next time, stay savvy, stay greedy — and never apologize for wanting more. 💋

Episode Transcript

Let’s be honest — the holidays don’t just drain your energy; they distort your sense of normal.
You’ve been operating in survival mode for weeks.
Every spare minute is accounted for. You’ve said yes to appointments you didn’t want.
You’ve eaten more granola bars in the back room than actual meals.
You’ve run out of patience, product, and probably paper towels.
And now that the rush is over, you don’t know whether to cry, nap, or deep-clean the salon.
When we’re in that state, our brains don’t stop working — they start replaying.
We replay the client who made us feel small.
We replay the conversation we wish we’d handled better.
We replay all the “I’ll deal with it after the holidays” stuff that’s now waiting for us.
That’s the emotional hangover.
It’s your system trying to process everything you didn’t have time to feel in the moment.
So before you dive back into the grind, pause.
Ask yourself: What did this season really leave behind?
Maybe it left behind clutter — literal or emotional.
Maybe it left behind resentment — toward clients, staff, or even yourself.
Or maybe, surprisingly, it left behind proof — proof that you can handle more than you thought possible.
Whatever it is, see it.
Because awareness is the first step to peace.
You can’t reset what you refuse to recognize.

You’ve heard me say this before — burnout isn’t failure. It’s feedback.
It’s your body, your mind, your spirit saying, something’s out of alignment.
Every time you felt that flash of irritation or that tightness in your chest this season — that was data.
When you felt underpaid, underappreciated, or just plain done — that was data too.
It’s all emotional information.
And when you look at it through that lens, it stops being something to feel guilty about and becomes something you can learn from.
Let’s talk about some examples.
That one client who always calls last-minute and expects a miracle?
That’s data about your boundaries.
That one employee who’s always “just five minutes late” but you never call it out?
That’s data about your leadership.
That moment when you snapped at your favorite dog because you were exhausted and hungry?
That’s data about your self-care system — or lack of one.
And here’s the kicker — sometimes the data is about us.
It’s not always them.
Sometimes we’re the ones dropping the ball, over-promising, or taking things too personally.
I’ll share this story again because it changed the way I see everything:
I once had to fire my own groomer.
They weren’t bad. The haircuts were fine.
But the communication? Not so much.
Every pickup time changed, every “what’s included” conversation turned awkward.
When I finally asked for clarity, I got attitude.
And I remember thinking — “Oh. This must be what my clients feel like when I’m too tired to explain myself clearly.”
That was my data.
It wasn’t about blame — it was about awareness.
Because self-awareness is what turns a good groomer into a great leader.
So here’s your journal prompt this week:
“What did this season teach me about me?”
Maybe it taught you you’re stronger than you thought.
Maybe it showed you where you need to delegate.
Or maybe it just revealed where you’re stretched too thin.
You don’t need to fix it all right now.
You just need to notice it.
Because that’s the beginning of every meaningful change.

Alright — now that you’ve gathered your emotional data, let’s do something with it.
Let’s talk about the December Debrief.
Think of it as your end-of-year checkup — for your business and your brain.
Grab a notebook, open a Google Doc, or just voice-record your thoughts while you clean up your table.
We’re going to go through five quick categories:
1️⃣ Money — What actually made a profit? What quietly drained it?
Did your add-on services carry you? Or did you undercharge for those “holiday extras”?
Look at where the money flowed easily — and where it felt like pulling teeth.
2️⃣ Mindset — When did you feel calm, confident, and in control… and when did you start people-pleasing?
Did you say “yes” because you wanted to — or because you were afraid to say “no”?
3️⃣ Boundaries — Where did you hold firm? Where did you give a soft yes that you regretted later?
This isn’t about guilt — it’s about gathering the truth.
4️⃣ Clients — Who energized you? Who drained you?
If you felt a pit in your stomach when someone texted, that’s not a coincidence.
5️⃣ Body — When did you nourish yourself? And when did you skip yourself?
Did you hydrate? Eat? Stretch? Or did you run on fumes and Red Bull?
You don’t need a spreadsheet. You just need honesty.
Write one “ugh” thought, then balance it with three “I’m proud I…” wins.
Because yes, this season had its chaos — but it also had victories.
You showed up. You made it through. You built something real.
And once you see your patterns on paper, you’ll start to see where to fine-tune.
That’s how you stop repeating the same problems every year — by actually learning from them instead of just surviving them.
________________

Okay, so you’ve done your emotional inventory and your operational checkup.
Now it’s time to clean house — literally and figuratively.
Let’s start with your client list.
Who’s truly your soulmate client — the ones who pay on time, respect your schedule, and trust your process?
And who’s been quietly draining you?
If you’ve got someone who’s been disrespectful, chronically late, or constantly “forgetting” your policies, I promise you — you do not need to drag that energy into a new year.
Let them go.
Kindly, professionally, gracefully.
You can say something like:
“We love Fluffy, but we don’t feel we can meet your needs anymore. Here’s a list of groomers who might be a better fit.”
That’s not rude — that’s leadership.
Because when you release what’s misaligned, you make room for what is.
Next, look at your systems.
Anything that made December harder than it needed to be? Fix it now.
Update your reminder texts, your pricing sheets, your “what’s included” policies.
Create templates for common messages so you’re not rewriting the same thing a hundred times.
And if you realized your SOPs live in your brain and nowhere else — that’s your sign to get them documented.
Your future self will thank you.
And finally — reward yourself.
I mean it.
Not the “I’ll rest when I’ve caught up” kind of reward.
The “I’ve earned this” kind of rest.
Book a massage. Schedule a nothing day.
Turn your phone on Do Not Disturb and watch trash TV with your dog.
Because rest isn’t lazy — it’s leadership.
Your brain needs white space to reset.
Your creativity needs silence to breathe.
And your body needs care to keep doing this work long-term.
Peace doesn’t just appear — it’s something you build.
Through boundaries, clarity, and compassion — for yourself and for everyone you serve.
________________

So as we head into January, remember — you don’t need to overhaul everything.
You don’t need to reinvent your business or make a massive new plan.
You just need to make one small, intentional improvement in each area you struggled with this season.
That’s how you build a business that feels lighter, cleaner, calmer — without burning it down to start over.
And because I know how busy you are, I made you something simple to help:
The 5-Minute Year-End Clean-Up for Groomers.
It’s a free checklist to help you declutter your mental load, tighten your systems, and walk into January already a step ahead.
You’ve survived the season — and more importantly, you’ve grown through it.
Now give yourself permission to rest, reflect, and reset.
Because peace isn’t something you find — it’s something you create.
And honestly?
That’s the most Greedy Bitch thing you can do.
________________

Alright, my friend — take a deep breath.
Let’s look forward to a new year.
If you know of a groomer who could use this podcast, feel free to share them.

Until next time, stay savvy, stay greedy —
and never apologize for wanting more. 💋

What You Can Do Now to Make January Peaceful (and Profitable)

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