Olympians and their pooch pals

Olympians love their pets just as much as we do! Thanks to our friends at NBC you can check out these olympians and their furry friends.

"Olympians and their pooch pals"

BY: NBC Olympics

Speed skater J.R. Celski

Freestyle skier Hannah Kearney

Figure skaters Alex and Maia Shibutani

See all here.

Fetch! Pet Care featured on MO.com

In a story profiling Fetch! Pet Care founder Paul Mann, which includes great photos, it talks about the Fetch concept and how it was created. In addition to touting the Fetch 91% Net Promoter Score, the Q&A article also includes information about how the brand grew throughout the country, the successful use of strategic partnerships for the brand, and the ongoing training and support geared toward Fetch franchisees.

“With nine out of ten of our customers positively promoting us to others, it clearly points to the success of this mission.”
by MO

Paul Mann is the Founder and CEO of FETCH! Pet Care, the largest pet sitting and dog walking franchise in the United States, serving thousands of clients in hundreds of cities and towns from coast to coast.

Fetch! Pet Care is the nation’s largest and most trusted provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services. With over 3,000 bonded, insured pet sitters on staff, we serve thousands of pets and their owners in over 1,500 communities nationwide.

Paul Mann, Fetch! Pet Care founder and CEO

...

Click here to read the article.

Fetch! Pet Care was featured on Franchise Chatter

Fetch! Pet Care was recently featured on Franchise Chatter in an article titled, "How Franchises are Turning to Facebook to Engage with Loyal Customers and Gain New Fans." The article discussed how Fetch! Pet Care was able to increase their Facebook Fan page from about 3,000 to 13,000 fans over the span of a little more than 2 months without advertising by engaging fans to share why their dog had the greatest rescue story. With a goal of 30,000 fans by the end of the year, the article shows how Fetch! Pet Care is utilizing social media marketing as a key business growth strategy and to show support for the animal adoption community. Click here to view the entire article.

How Franchises are Turning to Facebook to Engage with Loyal Customers and Gain New Fans
By:  AMBROSIO

A number of franchises are exploring creative ways to grow their Facebook following and engage with

loyal fans. The method of choice (at least for now) seems to be the use of contests where other Facebook fans vote for the winner.  This strategy has proven effective in boosting fan numbers for as long as the prizes at stake are significant enough to generate buzz and participation.  While giving away free stuff can easily increase fan numbers several fold, the real measure of success is the cumulative impact of the number of new cyber fans who become paying customers, the increase in spending among loyal customers, and the number of new franchises sold.  Watching your followers multiply as a result of the contest is the easy part.  The real challenge lies in converting these fans into actual dollars and cents.
 

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Fetch! Pet Care featured on SecondAct.com

Fetch! Pet Care was recently featured on SecondAct.com in an article titled, "How I Did It: Getting Started in the Pet Business." The article features Fetch! Pet Care franchisees Paul and Deborah Quinn as they discuss how they got started in the pet care industry. When Deborah was laid off during the onset of the recession from her graphic design job, Paul thought they would be secure with his career in the housing sales market. When that started to fall apart, Paul and Deborah started looking for a career they could do together, and one they were truly passionate about. The couple often volunteered to take care of their friends pets when they went out of town, but the Quinn’s realized they could make a career out of this new found pet sitting passion, which is when they found Fetch! Pet Care. With a low investment cost of about $20,000, Paul and Deborah were able to open their own pet sitting business. Click here to view the full article.

How I Did It: Getting Started in the Pet Business
By: Geoff Williams

Your customers may shed and bark really loudly. The cats can be kind of standoffish. Fleas are an occupational hazard. But many people still love working in the pet industry.

Even in a sluggish economy, the pet industry is standing on all four legs. Last year, two-thirds of American households spent north of $50 billion on their pets, mostly on dogs.

That's a comfortable number to consider if you're thinking of taking your next career into the animal kingdom. Pet owners are consumers with serious purchasing power and unique habits, and they represent a compelling market for many businesses.

But if it isn't practical to get your veterinary or zoology degree, don't worry. There are plenty of other career avenues for working with pets.

Here are five second-act careerists who talk about how they got started in the pet business.

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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. 

Fetch! Pet Care: 5 Ways Pet’s Make Better Companions

This Valentine’s Day, You don’t have to look far for love

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for lovebirds.  It’s a celebration of love for its intrinsic worth, and no one offers more love than a pet.  For those who need reminders of just how much our furry friends fill our lives with happiness, take a look at these 5 ways pets make better companions this Valentine’s Day:

1. Unconditional love:  Pets will never judge you.  They don’t care what you wear or how you look.  As long as you feed, play with, and love them back, you will never have to worry about being alone.  Most pets are naturally affectionate and seek out the affection and approval of their owners.  Everyone wants to be loved, and pets are no exception.

2. Loyalty: There is a reason for the saying “dog is man’s best friend.”  That reason is simple: loyalty.  A dog, or any other pet, is never going to turn its back on you when times are tough.  You never have to worry about being stabbed in the back, cheated on, or lied to with your pet.  You are your pet’s first priority, and they will look out for you when no one else will.

3. Fun: Pets thrive off of energy and fun.  There is never a shortage of good times when a pet is in your life, because they are a constant source of laughter and play.  Playing with your pet can cheer you up on even the worst days.

4. Trainable: Have you ever wished that you could get your boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse to do something you wanted without nagging?  Not only are most pets trainable, but they often enjoy having discipline in their lives.

5. Listeners: No matter how bad your day is, your pet will always be there to listen.

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: 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. 

Fetch! Pet Care featured in The New York Enterprise Report

Fetch! Pet Care was recently featured in The New York Enterprise Report in an articled titled, "Imperfect Process of Picking Partners". Paul Mann discusses the process and criteria he used to find an ideal investor for his business endeavors. Click here to read the full article.

Imperfect Process of Picking Partners
By: Paul Mann

You’ve put in sweat and tears to grow and expand your business. It started as a small idea and now it has turned into a profit-generating operation that has withstood the test of time. Should you let investors become involved with something you’ve built from the ground up? When is the right time to take investment funds? How do you find the “perfect” partner? I’ve sought investors for two of my companies—one with reluctance and the other with ambition.


In my first company, an internet software business I founded during the dot-com boom, I took on investors too late. I had taken on investors who were active in both investing money and providing insights into my business. But I soon found that they lacked domain expertise in my industry, as well as physical availability to meet and discuss the growing daily needs of my business.

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Fetch! Pet Care Named to Entrepreneur’s Best of the Best List

Fetch! Pet Care was recently named to Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2011 Best of the Best list. The national pet sitting and dog walking franchise was selected as the best pet services franchise, exemplifying the brand’s commitment to providing the highest standard of professional pet care services.

Founded in 2002 after struggling to find consistent, reliable care for his pets while traveling, Paul Mann has grown Fetch! Pet Care into a nationwide business that now includes more than 3,000 experienced pet sitters operating in 1,500 U.S. communities. Specializing in providing in-home pet care services, Mann created Fetch! Pet Care with the goal of building a dependable business that could be duplicated through franchising.

“To be recognized by Entrepreneur as the best brand in the pet services category speaks to the consistently high level of care our franchise owners and their staff provide to pets and their parents everyday,” Mann said. “When I founded the company, I had heard so many stories about pet sitters not showing up, or pets getting lost or injured under the care of the kid next door. I knew Fetch! had to eliminate those concerns and add a greater level of reliability to our services in order for us to be successful.”

Focusing on unsurpassed customer service, Fetch! Pet Care franchisees aim to deliver peace of mind to pet parents by bringing the service to their doorstep. Instead of keeping their furry friend in a kennel or boarding facility all day with little time for play, Fetch! Pet Care customers know their pet is safe and comfortable in its familiar surroundings while it is being looked after.

Mann implemented a system that requires pet sitters to leave “report cards” that show parents how their pets are doing and the activities they engaged in during the day. Integrating technology into the business, many of the brand’s pet sitters also text message pet parents to provide them with instant updates on their pet.

“It’s the combined effect of everything we do that leaves the customer knowing their pet is getting the most attention possible,” Mann said. “With a 92 percent referral rate to friends and family, we know we’re doing something right. Our goal is to continue to refine our systems, processes and procedures, so we can provide an even better experience for our customers as we go forward.”

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 pet professional possible. Whether you need a daily dog walker or last-minute pet sitter, Fetch! Pet Care has got your tail covered! In 2011, Fetch! Pet Care ranked top of its category, making Entrepreneur Magazine’s Best of Best List. It also ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Low-Cost Franchises, Top New Ranking, Top Home-based Franchises and Fast-Growing Franchises in addition to 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.

PET TITLE BOUT: Animal Lovers Vie for ‘Best Pet Ever’ Through Social Media Application

In the world of social media, two topics rule the universe: Children and pets. With plenty of parents vying for the title of “Best Child Ever” with their frequent photo and status posts, Fetch! Pet Care, the largest pet sitting and dog walking franchise in the United States, figured the 72.9 million U.S. households with a pet would do the same via Facebook — especially since there are 500 million users on the social site.

Together with Milk-Bone®, a leading dog biscuit company, Fetch! built a Facebook application where pet owners (dogs, cats, birds, fish, etc.) can pronounce why they have the “Best Pet Ever.” Through the application, pet owners will first submit a photo and description about why they have the best pet, which will then be put up for voting. The winning submission will receive a year of Fetch! Pet Care services, plus a prize package from Milk-Bone®.

“As a brand, it was important for us to find more ways to interact with our current and future customers,” said Paul Mann, founder and CEO of Fetch! Pet Care. “Through the power of social media, we can learn more about our customers while interacting with them in their personal space. The value of this process to both the brand and our franchisees is priceless. We want to know our customers, fans and pets by name.”

From June 13 through Aug. 5, pet lovers around the nation can enter their pet via Fetch!’s Facebook Fan Page’s “Best Pet Ever” application (www.facebook.com/FetchCorporate). With Facebook users spending more than 700 billion minutes a year within the social network — plus more than 50 percent of users logging in daily — Fetch! is preparing to let the rumble begin.

“The beauty of Facebook is anything can go viral,” said Elyse Marks, director of marketing for Fetch! Pet Care. “Just imagine the entries that may come through.”

The foundation of the contest was built from founder Mann’s passion for pets. An avid dog lover himself, Mann started the business when he needed a pet sitter while he was traveling. After tirelessly interviewing local pet sitters in his search for someone to entrust his furry babies and his house to, he had an "Aha!" moment. It wasn't a simple problem at all — it was really hard to find someone reliable and loving to care for his pets the way he did, and was a common problem experienced by most pet parents.

Today, 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. Fetch! Pet Care pet sitters are experienced, highly trained professionals who are pet parents themselves, intuitively and professionally understanding what pets and pet owners need. The sitters care for all types of pets, no matter the size or species — they’re dog, cat, bird and even snake and spider people.