Franchisee Profile: Randy Ring of St. Louis, Missouri

Franchisee Since: February 2005

Location: St. Louis, MO

Q: What was your career before franchising?

A:  Before I decided to go full time with Fetch! Pet Care, I was involved with various sales and marketing positions. My wife and I also published a magazine in St. Louis. My wife is active in the pet industry and runs a website where you can purchase different novelty dog items.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?

A: I was looking for something to that I could enjoy and feel passionate about. I saw some advertising for Fetch! Pet Care's pet franchise opportunities and began to research the brand. After learning more about Fetch!, I was sold on the possibility of pursuing a business with pets as the focus.

Q: Regarding your previous experience, which skills do you feel helped you in your business?

A:  I had a basic knowledge of business from marketing and sales positions. Franchising with Fetch! Pet Care made sense because they could provide me with experience specific to professional pet services that I was lacking. The system was already in place for me, so I could focus on the business and not have to worry about any start-up nightmares.

Q: Why did you choose to enter the pet care industry?

A: Although pet sitting business was a new industry to me, I have always had an active interest in animals. It was a business that I could feel good about and enjoy.

Q: What makes your business different?

A:  I have been with Fetch! Pet Care since very early on in the franchise. Being one of the first franchisees gave me the ability to see the company change and grow. My business approach is unique because I have been able to mature with the franchise and was able to learn quickly from their attentiveness.

ABOUT FETCH! PET CARE

Fetch! Pet Care was founded in Berkeley, Calif., in 2002 by Paul Mann, who wanted his pets to remain in his home instead of kenneling them while he traveled. Finding no professional company suitable to the task, Mann started his own firm with the goal of providing as-needed, reliable, and loving care to pets of all kinds. Today, there are more than 3,000 Fetch! professionals operating in 1,500 U.S. communities. FETCH! Pet Care is the nation's largest and most trusted provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services, serving thousands of pets and pet parents from coast to coast. Comprised of pet lovers turned business owners, each independently and locally owned Fetch! focuses on taking the stress out of finding a sitter and adding convenience to customer’s lives by doing all of the legwork for them. Fetch! matches you and your pets with the most qualified, experienced pet professional possible. For more information, visit www.fetchpetcare.com. 

Franchisee Profile: Erin McBride of Hinsdale, Illinois

Name:  Erin McBride

Opening Date: March 20, 2012

Brand: Fetch! Pet Care

Location: Hinsdale, IL and surrounding area

Q: Where do you live?

A: I live in West Beverly, IL.

Q: What was your career before franchising?

A: Before franchising, I was working for the Chicago Public Schools as a project manager. Currently, I am working with Grace Educational Resources where we provide educational books to schools, which I will continue to do part-time while operating Fetch! Pet Care.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?

A: One day on the train ride home from work, I came across an article in the Red Eye about Fetch! Pet Care. Even though I was going to school for nursing at that time, I had been exploring career options in pet care. As soon as I read the article, I knew that working with Fetch! was exactly what I’d been looking for.

Q: Why did you decide to open your own business in this industry?

A: I’ve always had a passion for caring for animals of all types. The Red Eye article showed me that it really is possible to do what you love for a living. I began to research Fetch! and countless other pet franchise opportunities. I was excited to learn how successful Fetch! is in the pet industry and inspired to see how much Fetch! owner and founder, Paul Mann, loves his job.  At that point, my life changed course and I immediately began paving my way to become a business owner and pet care professional.

Q: When choosing a franchise, what were the criteria you used to make your decision and choose Fetch!?

A: I looked at other franchises that were similar to Fetch!, but overall, I realized that Fetch! was the best one out there, as I was able to work out of my home and the franchise cost was low. Their tagline is “we’ve got your tail covered” and they really do!  Fetch! has a ton of pet services like pet sitting and dog boarding, and really strive to make their pet and human customers happy. The support Fetch! provides their franchisees in phenomenal.  When Paul Mann actually called me personally to thank me for choosing Fetch!, and encouraged me to open my location, that was the deciding factor. Normally you don’t get a call from the CEO of a company, and I thought for Paul to make that connection with me was extraordinary, and it showed exactly what kind of company Fetch! was.

Q: What makes your business different?

A: I plan to market Fetch! and it’s pet sitting business to the extreme, really creating great visibility for the brand and our services so everyone in my community is aware that they have fantastic options when it comes to pet care. I personally hand pick my pet sitters and will only hire those that I would trust with my own pets. It takes a special person to dedicate their time to animals. My clients consider their pets a member of the family and it is my utmost priority to ensure the sitters caring for those pets uphold the same importance. Fetch! sitters are unique in that they provide one-on-one attention, establish a lasting, positive relationship and maintain a consistent and safe environment for the pets they serve.

Q: How does your business connect with the community?

A: I will be joining my local chamber of commerce, attending any and all pet-related events, from parades to adoption events and everything in-between, including sponsorship of such events. My pet sitters and I will partner with local shelters in the area, volunteering and advocating pet adoption, foster care and health and wellness.

Q: Are there any prominent industry trends that you are experiencing right now?

A: I think pet supply pickups and delivery, as well as pet taxi services, will be big in my territory.

Q: What are some of your achievements that you think will help you along the way in your business?

A: As a project manager for Chicago Public Schools, I believe I have great management skills, as well as fantastic customer service experience. Every job I’ve ever had has had a customer service element. Also, my love for animals is strong and deep. As long as my family has allowed me to, I’ve always fostered animals, and working in the pet care industry will only strengthen the bond I have with pets, including my customers’ pets!

Q: What are your expansion or development plans for the next year or two?

A: Within 2 years I would like to run another territory for Fetch! and, of course, increase business.

ABOUT FETCH! PET CARE

Fetch! Pet Care was founded in Berkeley, Calif., in 2002 by Paul Mann, who wanted his pets to remain in his home instead of kenneling them while he traveled. Finding no professional company suitable to the task, Mann started his own firm with the goal of providing as-needed, reliable, and loving care to pets of all kinds. Today, there are more than 3,000 Fetch! professionals operating in 1,500 U.S. communities. FETCH! Pet Care is the nation's largest and most trusted provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services, serving thousands of pets and pet parents from coast to coast. Comprised of pet lovers turned business owners, each independently and locally owned Fetch! focuses on taking the stress out of finding a sitter and adding convenience to customer’s lives by doing all of the legwork for them. Fetch! matches you and your pets with the most qualified, experienced pet professional possible. For more information, visit www.fetchpetcare.com. 

Franchisee Profile: Greg Alonzo of Chicago, IL

Franchisee Since: November 2007

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Q: What was your career before franchising?

A:  Before becoming involved with Fetch! Pet Care, my wife Carolyn and I were both working in corporate America doing jobs like accounting, sales and customer service. Most recently, I worked with 7-Eleven, which is how I became familiar with the franchising industry. Initially, we had decided that I was going to get the company up and running while Carolyn continued to work for the University of Illinois. However, our circumstances changed, and we decided she would stay home to start the business. I left 7-Eleven a year later to join her.  

Q: Why did you choose to enter the pet care industry?

A:  I remember the day Carolyn showed me an article on MSN.com featuring Fetch! Pet Care, which made me realize that this opportunity was just the venture we had always been looking for. We rarely traveled because we had an issue with not having anyone trustworthy with whom to leave our pets. With Fetch! Pet Care, you don’t have to disrupt your life to find someone dependable to care for your pets.

Q: What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?

A:  I loved the idea of having corporate support. Being able to have help or get advice whenever you need it is very important. If you start a business from scratch, you will have to rely heavily on family and friends for that support. When you’re involved with Fetch! Pet Care, there is a whole family of other business owners who are waiting to help you before you ever open your doors.

Q: With respect to your previous career experience, which skills do you think help most with your business?

A: The main source of help is our customer service background. Carolyn has dealt with many different types of personalities from her work at the University of Illinois, and I have experience providing excellent customer service from previous corporate jobs. This advantage is definitely one of our strongest when dealing with clients.

Q: What makes your business a cut above the rest?

A:  We have a variety of pet sitters who are equipped to handle all different types of animals. We never had to turn a client down because we weren’t able to meet the needs of their pet. Having strong, knowledgeable pet sitters keep our clients coming back.

ABOUT FETCH! PET CARE

Fetch! Pet Care was founded in Berkeley, Calif., in 2002 by Paul Mann, who wanted his pets to remain in his home instead of kenneling them while he traveled. Finding no professional company suitable to the task, Mann started his own firm with the goal of providing as-needed, reliable, and loving care to pets of all kinds. Today, there are more than 3,000 Fetch! professionals operating in 1,500 U.S. communities. FETCH! Pet Care is the nation's largest and most trusted provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services, serving thousands of pets and pet parents from coast to coast. Comprised of pet lovers turned business owners, each independently and locally owned Fetch! focuses on taking the stress out of finding a sitter and adding convenience to customer’s lives by doing all of the legwork for them. Fetch! matches you and your pets with the most qualified, experienced pet professional possible. For more information, visit www.fetchpetcare.com. 

Franchisee Profile: Peggy Kennedy of Los Angeles, CA

Name:  Peggy Kennedy

Opening Date: March 2006

Brand:   Fetch! Pet Care

Location: Los Angeles, CA - West Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Sherman Oaks of North Hollywood

After spending numerous years in the retail management and financial industries, local business owner Peggy Kennedy realized that she needed a career she was passionate about. After taking a two month leave of absence to intern at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT, Peggy finally realized where her heart belonged – with animals. Leaving the retail management and financial industries for good, Peggy moved to LA from Boston in order to pursue her new found passion. After being employed as a pet sitter with Fetch! Pet Care, the nation's largest and most trusted franchisor for professional pet sitting and dog walking services, she finally decided to open her own business.

Q: Where are you from?

A: Although I was in Boston for 14 years, I’m originally from Rochester, NY. I moved to Boston to attend college and fell in love with the city. In fact, I would still be there if I could.

Q: What was your career before franchising?

A: Before I got into franchising, I was involved in the retail management industry and financial industry. I began selling industrial equipment for a small family owned business in MA, but wasn’t thrilled with my career. From there, I got into the financial world and worked for Capital One for six to seven years. However, I became antsy and couldn’t stand being confined in the office anymore. In search of another career, I took a two month leave of absence to intern at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT to see if I wanted to work with animals. Although I loved it, the location was very remote and not a place where my husband could sustain his career. Shortly after my internship finished, my husband and I decided to move to LA, which was much more appropriate for him. We’ve been here since 2005.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?

A:  I learned about the Fetch! Pet Care brand from the existing location in west LA. I worked with that location as a sitter and finally decided to open my own pet sitting business!

Q: What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?

A: The most appealing aspect of joining a franchise system for me was the fact that everything was already in place. I didn’t have the time or money to invest in my own business, so the turnkey operations aspect was also attractive.

Q: With regard to your previous experience, what skills do you feel helped you in your business?

A: While in the industrial equipment sales industry and financial industry, I was able to gain a lot of customer service experience. As a result, I’ve become successful at diffusing situations and giving customers what they need. In addition to customer service skills, I was also able to gain administrative operation skills which have helped me become extremely organized. By becoming organized in my professional career, I’m able to work more quickly and efficiently.  

Q: What makes your business different?

A: I believe my business’s communication skills set us apart from others. As a business, we try to respond to every voicemail and email within an hour in order to acknowledge our customers in an appreciative manner. By doing so, we keep an open flow of communication. It’s what makes or breaks our business.

Q: How does your business connect with the community?

A: Our biggest contribution to the community is my involvement with the local Animal Rescue. I also do some free walks myself and try to donate my time and money.

Q: Are there any prominent industry trends that you are experiencing right now?

A: The industry has seemed to follow the economy. For instance, I grew significantly from 2006 until 2008. By the time September 2008 came around, I noticed our business slowly declining. Our business kept declining in 2009, but we managed to get by. By 2010, we started to see the industry slowly picking up. Now, in 2011, business has gone bonkers. I’m not sure if more people have found a need for mid-day walks, or if people are taking more vacations, but it seems as though people are back to traveling.

ABOUT FETCH! PET CARE

Fetch! Pet Care was founded in Berkeley, Calif., in 2002 by Paul Mann, who wanted his pets to remain in his home instead of kenneling them while he traveled. Finding no professional company suitable to the task, Mann started his own firm with the goal of providing as-needed, reliable, and loving care to pets of all kinds. Today, there are more than 3,000 Fetch! professionals operating in 1,500 U.S. communities. FETCH! Pet Care is the nation's largest and most trusted provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services, serving thousands of pets and pet parents from coast to coast. Comprised of pet lovers turned business owners, each independently and locally owned Fetch! focuses on taking the stress out of finding a sitter and adding convenience to customer’s lives by doing all of the legwork for them. Fetch! matches you and your pets with the most qualified, experienced pet professional possible. For more information, visit www.fetchpetcare.com.

Franchisee Profile: Chris Pulliam of Fort Worth, Texas

Fetch! Pet Care – Chris Pulliam

Franchisee Since: 2007

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Q: What was your career before franchising?

A:  Before franchising with Fetch! Pet Care, I was working for a company that trains commercial truck drivers. My wife and I wanted to look into a business where I could keep my job and the benefits that they provided my family. I wasn’t ready to venture out on my own with a business.

Q: What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?

A: My family has been always been entrepreneurs. My great grandfather started a swimming pool business which has been in the family for years. Swimming pools weren’t something that interested me so out of college I began thinking about the pet care industry and opportunities to start a business in that field. After my wife and I got married and had children, we were looking for something that we could do that would still allow me to keep a full time job. Going back to the pet care industry, I found Fetch! and decided it was an affordable opportunity in a field that I cared about.

Q: Regarding your previous experience, which skills do you feel helped you in your business?

A:  I think my previous experience managing people has really helped me. I have 8 contracted employees and I have had to be very selective with who I hire. You must have good pet sitters to run a successful business and be able to trust them. You have to have a good relationship with them so they can provide the best customer service.

Q: Why did you choose to enter the pet care industry?

A: We chose to enter into the pet care industry because we love pets! The people that use Fetch! are the type of clientele that hold their pets in high esteem, and since I have always had an interest in this field, it seemed like a natural fit that I would help care for other people’s animals.

Q: What makes your business different?

A:  Most pet companies are one person operations. We have many different pet sitters so no matter what you are going to get a qualified and trusted sitter from us. We will never have to turn a pet away because we are prepared to handle many different clients.

ABOUT FETCH! PET CARE

Fetch! Pet Care was founded in Berkeley, Calif., in 2002 by Paul Mann, who wanted his pets to remain in his home instead of kenneling them while he traveled. Finding no professional company suitable to the task, Mann started his own firm with the goal of providing as-needed, reliable, and loving care to pets of all kinds. Today, there are more than 3,000 Fetch! professionals operating in 1,500 U.S. communities. FETCH! Pet Care is the nation's largest and most trusted provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services, serving thousands of pets and pet parents from coast to coast. Comprised of pet lovers turned business owners, each independently and locally owned Fetch! focuses on taking the stress out of finding a sitter and adding convenience to customer’s lives by doing all of the legwork for them. Fetch! matches you and your pets with the most qualified, experienced pet professional possible. For more information, visit www.fetchpetcare.com. 

Franchisee Profile: Libby Mitchell of Dallas, TX

Name:  Libby Mitchell

Opening Date: May 2009

Brand:   Fetch! Pet Care

Location: Dallas, TX

Q: Where are you from?

A: I am originally from New Jersey but went to college in Massachusetts before I began working for the Forest Service.   I worked in a variety of different fields from computers to finance and moved to Texas 13 years ago.

Q: What was your career before franchising?

A: I received my degree in biology and worked for several companies before I decided personality-wise that I was better suited to working for myself.  I actually opened a small independent film business in 2002 and we do work on feature film, short films, and industrial work. 

Q: Why did you decide to open your own business?

A: I was very interested in running and managing a company. Corporate jobs do not offer a lot of freedom, so I wanted to do something that would allow me to use my ideas and personality. I have experience as an entrepreneur from owning my production company and have a love for animals, so I wanted to explore my options with a business that could combine the two.

Q: When choosing a franchise, what was appealing to you about Fetch! Pet Care?

A: I was looking at franchises on MSN and Fetch! kept coming up as a successful and thriving franchise business. I decided to look into it and met with Fetch! executives in May 2009. The ground work was already laid out and the name alone has a great reputation. Although no business is completely recession proof, it was clear they are expanding at a steady rate. I have worked with rescue animals since I was a teenage and have several rescue dogs living with us and also take care of my mom who lives with us.  I needed a business which focused on the well-being and care of others and something I knew I would enjoy.

Q: With regard to your previous experience, what skills do you feel helped you in your business?

A: I worked with a woman who owned five businesses and I was her operations manager charged with keeping everything on track. I own a small production company as well, so I have a lot of experience when it comes to managing and running a company.

From my experience as a leader, I have a good sense of how to encourage everyone to work as a team and for a common goal, which, in this case, are happy clients and pets!

Q: What makes your business different?

A: The sitters and I really connect with the clients, and they are very appreciative and loyal. All of our sitters are pet  first aid trained in case of an emergency; they know what to do and how to handle an urgent situation. Everyone that works with me is happy and upbeat. What is most important to me is are  sitters who can work with animals and understand people because those are the two most important qualifications in our line of work.

Q: How does your business connect with the community?

A: We reach out to the community in a variety of ways. We handle from different angles  from attending events to social networking such as posting on blogs. We work with adoptions and non-profit pet organizations, such as Garland Pawsibilities, Linens for Animals, and Richardson Animalluv.

Q: What are some of your achievements (professionally or personally) that you think will help you along the way in your business?

A: I set goals every year, and I do my best to achieve them every year.  I may not make it right on the time period I want, but they do happen.  I think it is important to set goals because I always have the motivation to work harder and make my business the best it can be.

Q: What are your expansion or development plans?

A: I would probably like to expand in the future. I’m really interested in Allen and McKinney (Texas), so I plan to put out some feelers and see what happens.

ABOUT FETCH! PET CARE

Fetch! Pet Care was founded in Berkeley, Calif., in 2002 by Paul Mann, who wanted his pets to remain in his home instead of kenneling them while he traveled. Finding no professional company suitable to the task, Mann started his own firm with the goal of providing as-needed, reliable, and loving care to pets of all kinds. Today, there are more than 3,000 Fetch! professionals operating in 1,500 U.S. communities. FETCH! Pet Care is the nation's largest and most trusted provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services, serving thousands of pets and pet parents from coast to coast. Comprised of pet lovers turned business owners, each independently and locally owned Fetch! focuses on taking the stress out of finding a sitter and adding convenience to customer’s lives by doing all of the legwork for them. Fetch! matches you and your pets with the most qualified, experienced pet professional possible. For more information, visit www.fetchpetcare.com. 

Franchisee Profile: Lisa Vince of Danvers, MA

Name: Lisa Vince

Brand: Fetch! Pet Care

Location: Danvers, MA

Lisa Vince joined Fetch! Pet Care to follow her passion--- to help animals and her community. By combining her prior career experience with her love for animals, she is able to assist her clients with personalized and professional pet care. After a career in hospitality, Lisa strives to bring the best customer service to every client by working with them on a personal level.

    

Q: What was your career before franchising?

A: I spent a majority of my career working in the hospitality industry. Based off of that career, I found that I loved working with people and have a passion for customer service.
    

Q: How did you learn about the brand?

A: I learned about Fetch! Pet Care from the woman next door to me who owned a Fetch!Pet Care franchise. It looked like it was successful in the area, and because of my passion for animals and volunteer service, I decided that it would be a great fit for me.

Q: Why did you decide to open your own business?

A: Based on my experience in corporate America and my knowledge and background in customer service, I was interested in owning my own business because I knew I could offer high quality service to my customers. I have also volunteered for several animal shelters in my community, so I wanted to find a way to help animals as a part of my full-time career.

Q: What makes your business different?

A: By listening to our customers and offering personalized service, we’re able to identify their needs and deliver on our promise. Pets are like children –people want the best for them.

ABOUT FETCH! PET CARE

Fetch! Pet Care was founded in Berkeley, Calif., in 2002 by Paul Mann, who wanted his pets to remain in his home instead of kenneling them while he traveled. Finding no professional company suitable to the task, Mann started his own firm with the goal of providing as-needed, reliable, and loving care to pets of all kinds. Today, there are more than 3,000 Fetch! professionals operating in 1,500 U.S. communities. FETCH! Pet Care is the nation's largest and most trusted provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services, serving thousands of pets and pet parents from coast to coast. Made from pet lovers turned business owners, each independently and locally owned Fetch! focuses on taking the stress out of finding a sitter and adding convenience to customer’s lives by doing all of the legwork for you. Fetch! matches you and your pets with the most qualified, experienced pet professional possible. For more information, visit www.fetchpetcare.com. 

Franchisee Profile: Jerry Dean of Sacramento, California

Name:  Jerry Dean 
Opening Date: March 2011
Brand:   Fetch! Pet Care
Location: Sacramento

Q: Where are you from?

A: I moved to Sacramento from Redding, Calif., six months ago to invest in a Fetch! franchise.

Q: What was your career before franchising and why did you decide to open your own business in this industry?

A: I was a full-time driver for the past 10 years with two different companies – most recently FedEx. I was making 100 stops a day in six hours.  I got tired of doing that every day and I wanted a change from the corporate America lifestyle.

I’ve always loved animals and I have three cats, five dogs and a boa constrictor. I said, “The heck with it, I’ve got the money. I want to invest in a Fetch! franchise.”

Q: How did you learn about the brand?

A: I was walking through Costco one day on a (FedEx) delivery, and I saw a magazine with a list of franchises, and Fetch! was near the top of the list. I held onto that magazine for three years – I still have it – and I told myself one day I would own one. I kept that magazine where I could find it and used it as motivation. I was determined to make my dream become a reality.

Q: What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?

A: At first, I thought about opening up a pet care service by myself, but after looking into it more, it seemed financially impossible. When I looked at Fetch!, I saw how structured, organized and efficient they were. They had a brand name that was dialed in, they had the software in place – everything was set up for you to hit the ground running, ready to go. It’s a beautiful setup.

Q: With regard to your previous experience, what skills do you feel helped you in your business?

A:  My previous job required me to be very efficient and organized and those are two skills that are absolutely necessary when starting a new business and making it successful.

Q: Why did you choose to enter the pet care industry?

A:   I have a huge passion for animals and really enjoy working with them every day. Pet care is an industry that is important to people who have animals and as a pet owner, I understand how important it is to give them the best care possible.  

Q. What service does Fetch! predominately provide?

A: One of our more popular services are daily visits to take care of pets..  Most people work nine to five and don’t have the option to run home to let their pet out so we visit the pets, let them get out their energy, feed and walk them for their owners. We also provide private boarding, which a lot of people don’t know.  Owners bring their pet to a Fetch! sitter’s house for overnight sitting.

Q: How does your business connect with the community?

A:  Everyone loves their pets, so I think we connect with the community on that personal level.  Fetch!  allows us to really get to know the community on a much deeper level than other businesses because we work with their pets.  Anyone with a pet knows that they are much more than an animal; they are a family member.

Q: What’s the most outrageous pet you’ve tended to?

A: I walked a tortoise for a lady once for an hour a day in the backyard of her house.  He was surprisingly very energetic and I had to keep a close eye on him so he wouldn’t end up missing.

Q: How many clients do you have so far and what are your expansion or development plans for the next year or two?

A: Right now we have around 140 clients. In my first year of business, I would like to see steady growth.

ABOUT FETCH! PET CARE

Fetch! Pet Care is the nation's largest and most trusted franchisor for professional pet sitting and dog walking services, serving thousands of pets and pet parents from coast to coast. They take the stress out of finding a sitter and add convenience to your life by doing all of the legwork for you. With over 3000 Fetch! Pet Care professionals in 1500 communities, they match you and your pets with the most qualified, experienced and loving pet professional possible. Whether you need a daily dog walker or last-minute pet sitter, Fetch! Pet Care has got your tail covered with a bonded, insured, background checked expert!  In 2011, Entrepreneur Magazine ranked Fetch! Pet Care in its Top 500 Franchises, Low-Cost Franchises, Top New Ranking, Top Home-based Franchises and Fast-Growing Franchises.  Fetch! Pet Care also ranked as the top-ranked pet-care franchise on AllBusiness.com’s AllStar Franchise List for the current year. For more information, visit www.fetchpetcare.com.  

Franchisee Spotlight: Karen Culley & Danielle Proctor – N. Pittsburgh

Originally loyal customers of Fetch! Pet Care, friends Karen Culley and Danielle Proctor took the leap into business ownership together in 2008 when they bought an existing franchise from an owner who was moving to a different state. Knowing that business ownership can put a strain on friendships, the two work hard to maintain a balance between their business and friendship to ensure they are able to work well together and continue to have fun as friends. Each with a strong background in business, the pair splits responsibilities to ensure all aspects of the business are looked after. Karen has four cats, and Danielle as one dog, one cat and a chinchilla.

Q: What were your careers before franchising?
Karen: I worked as a paralegal and corporate manager for a privately owned family investment company for 25 years before accepting an early retirement package and retiring for a year. I now work for a private wealth manager in addition to owning Fetch! Although the clients are definitely a lot different (some with fur, some without), there are many similarities in the areas of customer service and the need to be efficient and organized.
Danielle: I am somewhat of a serial entrepreneur. I had been in the software industry for 12 years when I left to start my own construction company back in 2003. It was around that time that I fell in love with golf, which is how I met Karen, and I started to get into the golfing scene. While golfing I was injured and as a result I began to do Pilates. I liked it so much that I started my own Pilates studio, too — so I own three businesses right now. My philosophy is that I see businesses that are out there and I want to see how I can run them to make them better. I’ve brought that mentality to running Fetch!, where we are purely customer driven rather than focusing on the mentality of being driven by the masses.

Q: How did you decide to start a business together?
Karen: We both discovered Fetch! as clients before we considered buying the franchise. When we heard that the former owner was relocating out of state and was interested in selling her business, we explored the possibilities. As animal lovers, we had always talked about going into business together and doing something that focused on animals, so this seemed like a natural fit and a good opportunity. By purchasing an existing franchise, as opposed to starting a new franchise location, we were able to hit the ground running without having to experience the early growing pains of a new business. Of course, we had to really keep on our toes to make sure our existing clients and sitters were taken care of seamlessly.

Q: What has business been like since you took over?
Karen: We have grown slowly and steadily, relying on the Internet and word-of-mouth, rather than spending a lot of money on print advertising. Because Pittsburgh is such a big city, local advertising in all the areas that we cover proved to be costly. We sometimes see a slowdown in the winter months for obvious reasons, but we have never had any bad months. Last year was our best performance to date, increasing our gross sales by more than 70 percent. We now have more than 40 sitters and we cover the City of Pittsburgh and all points North.

Q: Was there a moment that you knew this was the right move for you?
Danielle: The morning we were leaving for our training in San Francisco, one of Karen’s cats wasn’t feeling well. In fact, she was worried that there was a serious problem. She had to make a decision as to whether to continue to San Francisco or turn around and go home. She called her Fetch! sitter, who promptly took the cat to the emergency room. When our flight landed in California and I turned on my phone, I had a message that my chinchilla had gotten its leg caught in its cage and was also on its way to the emergency room. We both wondered if this was some kind of omen. What it really showed us was how good our pet sitters are and how well equipped they are to handle any situation. They each sat with our animals and saw them through their emergencies. That experience solidified our decision to join Fetch! It drove home the point that our sitters are really our best asset.

Q: What are your expansion or development plans?
Danielle: For this franchise, expansion comes in the form of ZIP codes. We recently bought two more ZIP codes and already have a double territory. We are quickly expanding our coverage to service more people’s pet sitting needs.

ABOUT FETCH! PET CARE
Fetch! Pet Care was founded in Berkeley, Calif., in 2002 by Paul Mann, who wanted his pets to remain in his home instead of kenneling them while he traveled. Finding no professional company suitable to the task, Mann started his own firm with the goal of providing as-needed, reliable, and loving care to pets of all kinds. Today, there are more than 3,000 Fetch! professionals operating in 1,500 U.S. communities. FETCH! Pet Care is the nation's largest and most trusted provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services, serving thousands of pets and pet parents from coast to coast. Comprised of pet lovers turned business owners, each independently and locally owned Fetch! focuses on taking the stress out of finding a sitter and adding convenience to customer’s lives by doing all of the legwork for them. Fetch! matches you and your pets with the most qualified, experienced pet professional possible. For more information, visit www.fetchpetcare.com.