She may have married into the area, but Melissa Freeman is most definitely making her own niche in Journal Country. Though she took a winding path to it, Freeman found she has a passion for dogs and keeping them well-groomed. Just as she opens her own business in Britton, The Barking Lot, the entrepreneur reflects on her journey that made it all possible.
Freeman was born and raised in California. In 2020, in the midst of COVID, she needed a change of scenery. Her sister-in-law who is from South Dakota convinced her to move to the faraway state and give it a try.
Living in the Sioux Falls area, Freeman would try her hand at a new line of work. In California, she worked with developmentally disabled adults but had also been around dog breeding. In South Dakota, her brother knew someone who bred and groomed dogs. Freeman went to work for the business Lacy’s Struttin’ Mutts. There she gained on-the-job, first-hand experience helping with doggie daycare, boarding and even grooming dogs.
“I learned a ton,” she explained. “I’m a very hands-on learner, so working with Lacy was great.” She adds that she did a lot of her own research and educated herself as she worked at the grooming craft.
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