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. 

Fetch! Pet Care featured on Life With Dogs

Fetch! Pet Care was recently featured on Life With Dogs in a blog post titled, "Mugsy's Legacy: Adopted Dog Provides 10,000 Meals For His Rescue Shelter." The feature details the story of Kathy Hicky and Ryan Henderlong, who, after losing their Newfoundland named Gus, decided to adopt Mugsy through Big Dogs Huge Paws. Kathy and Ryan quickly grow a close bond with Mugsy and decided to submit their story to Fetch! Pet Care's "Rescue Who Rescued Me" Facebook search to donate 10,000 meals from Freekibble.com to Mugsy's adoption center. Mugsy's story won the contest, however, a day later, Kathy and Ryan had to say goodbye to Mugsy - they later learned he had extensive damage from bb's, trauma from a possible car accident, and osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Even though the story is a sad one, it calls out the need for older pets to be adopted and loved. Click here to view the entire post.


Mugsy's Legacy: Adopted Dog Provides 10,000 Meals For His Rescue Shelter 

In September 2011, after the sudden and unexpected loss of their beloved Newfoundland, Gus, Kathy Hickey and her boyfriend, Ryan Henderlong, were left with a 175 pound hole in their lives.As lovers of big dogs, they decided to adopt a giant breed through Big Dogs Huge Paws (BDHP), a rescue they found near their house in Colorado. After looking through the available dogs, they decided on an 18-month old Mastiff and sent in their adoption application. Sitting at her computer, Kathy continued to look through the rescue site and a thumbnail image of an older nine-and-a-half year-old Fila Brasilero, Mugsy, caught her eye.

(Read More)

Fetch! Pet Care featured in Bark Magazine

Fetch! Pet Care was recently featured in Bark's "Spotlight" section for the Rescue Who Rescued Me contest. The Spotlight details the story of Mugsy and Mugsy’s owners Kathy Hickey and Ryan Henderlong. The piece goes on to outline the 5,204 votes Mugsy received, allowing Mugsy to donate 10,000 Halo Spot’s Stew meals to the rescue of their choice. Please view the spotlight below.
Fetch.bark.March

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. 

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.
 

(Read More)