10.11.26 | 5 min

Three People, Three Visions, Three Startups, Part 2: Microcredit Brings Happiness to Four-Legged Friends

In April 2025, Jasmina Zosso opened a dog grooming salon in the city of Lucerne with a unique concept: the dogs themselves help determine how far the grooming goes—a needs-based, force-free approach. This was made possible in part by a microloan arranged by Lucerne Business.

Jasmina, what does Pop Dogs offer?
Pop Dogs is a dog grooming salon in the city of Lucerne. We offer professional grooming, but with a clear focus: every session is one-on-one care. I work using a force-free, cooperation-based approach. That means the dog helps decide how far a grooming session can go—there’s no coercion. This works especially well with anxious or inexperienced dogs.

How did you come up with the idea of starting your own business?
I originally worked as a hairstylist for people. Driven by my love for dogs, I then retrained and entered the dog grooming industry. Together with Dominik, who runs the Stiefväter hair salon, we came up with the idea of establishing a dog grooming salon that deliberately sets itself apart from traditional dog grooming salons.

Were there any important milestones or challenges along the way to founding the business?
An important milestone was definitely founding the GmbH in 2025 and establishing the underlying structures. The initial phase was particularly challenging, as we had to build up our client base and earn their trust—especially since our approach requires some explanation. Ultimately, what made the difference was that we consistently prioritized quality over quantity from the very beginning.

How did you find out about the microloan program offered by Lucerne Business?

I knew from David—who, as a co-founder, is still part of Pop Dogs today—that Lucerne Business existed; he was already familiar with its services from when he founded another company. 

In what way did the microloan provide the decisive impetus?

The microloan helped us cover the initial investments and set up the salon to the highest standards. That gave us the financial flexibility to invest in quality from the very beginning, rather than cutting corners in the wrong places.

What is the current status of Pop Dogs?

The salon is up and running; I manage its day-to-day operations and am now also a co-owner of the LLC. We’re currently working on further expanding our visibility in Lucerne—including through Google Ads and our first steps on Instagram—with a particular focus on puppy owners as our target audience.

How did you feel supported by Lucerne Business? 
The support provided by Lucerne Business was excellent. Communication was always straightforward and direct; even with formal matters such as approval for changes in ownership structure, everything proceeded quickly and without red tape.

What are your next goals?
We want to further increase our capacity utilization, especially among puppy owners, and strategically expand our visibility in the Lucerne region without losing our personalized, one-on-one approach.

What makes you proud, and what are your first successes?
What makes me most proud is that I’m now a co-owner myself. That was the goal from the very beginning: to participate in the company’s success not only operationally but also as an entrepreneur. I’m also delighted by how many customers come to us specifically because of our force-free approach and how well it works for dogs that otherwise struggle with grooming.