Fetch! Pet Care at the International Franchise Expo

Do you live near NYC and are you interested in learning more about owning a Fetch! Pet Care Franchise? Come visit our booth at the International Franchise Expo on June 15-17 at the Jacob Javits Center. Fetch! Pet Care will be at booth #553 and our team would love to have you stop by.  For more information, click here. 

Fetch! Pet Care featured in 1851 Online

Fetch! Pet Care's founder, Paul Mann, was recently featured on 1851 Online in an article titled, "How to Work with Gen Y."  Paul Mann expands on the topic of Gen Y within a franchising industry.  Particularly how the majority of Fetch! Pet Care's Franchisees have been under the age of 30.  Read on below to discover why Gen Y flourished with Fetch! Pet Care or click here for the entire article.

How to Work with Gen Y
By: Brian Diggleman

2012 is a tough time to be entering the work force. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment still hovers at 8.3 percent and although jobs are slowly coming back to the market, the competition is steep.

Young professionals aren’t just competing against each other. Former executives and managers with decades of experience are vying for some of the same jobs as recent college graduates.

The reality of the job market has many young people searching for an alternative means of building a future. More and more, they’re turning to franchising.
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Fetch! featured on Fox Small Business Center

Fetch! Pet Care was recently featured on Fox Small Business’ website in an article titled, "How Walking the Dog became a Franchise."  The article details the inception of Fetch! Pet Care and Paul’s original idea behind the business. Cindy goes on to write about the development markets Fetch! is looking to expand into, and discusses the fees associated with starting a Fetch! franchise. Jamie and Sandy are quoted on their experience of running a Fetch! franchise, with Sandy noting the support and training Fetch! provides its franchisees. Harry Loyle, chairman of Fetch!, is also quoted about the Fetch! growth potential.  Click here to read the entire article or begin below.

How Walking the Dog became a Franchise
By: Cindy Vanegas

With approximately 78.2 million owned dogs in America, the pet care industry is flourishing with puppy-loving entrepreneurs looking to service dog owners, who now account for 39% of U.S. households, according to the American Pet Products Association 2011- 2012 National Pet Owners Survey. In this week’s American Franchise Spotlight, we find out how one business owner scaled his pet sitting and walking service into a national franchise.

According to Paul Mann, the company’s founder and CEO, Fetch! Pet Care grew out of a simple need. “I was looking for pet care and couldn’t find someone who I felt comfortable giving the keys to my house to and entrusting with my pet,” said Mann.

Mann said his background in business process re-engineering inspired him to create a highly automated business for pets everywhere. He spent two years developing the concept and launched the first service out of San Diego in 2004.

Since then Fetch! has grown to 124 franchises in markets made up of baby boomers, young working professionals and dual-income family households. The company is looking to expand in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Ohio and from Florida up to the northeast.

Fetch!’s initial franchise fee is $15,000 for a territory of 50,000 households. Franchisees pay a 5% royalty and a 1.5% brand development fund, both paid monthly.

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Fetch! Pet Care featured in The San Francisco Examiner

Fetch! Pet Care was recently featured in The San Francisco Examiner in an article titled, "CEO of Fetch! Pet Care is looking for the best pet-rescue story." Fetch! Pet Care CEO Paul Mann discusses the mission of the best pet-rescue story search, which is to bring awareness to the pets that need homes. Paul also talks about the ways in which 10,000 meals can significantly help an animal shelter. Paul's personal experience as an animal rescuer displays his passion for homeless animals and also reinforces the point that pets can rescue their owners as well. Click here to read the full article.


CEO of Fetch! Pet Care is looking for the best pet-rescue story
By: Alexis Terrazas

Paul Mann the CEO of Fetch! Pet Care, the nation’s largest dog walking and pet-sitting franchise, is looking for the best pet-rescue story. The winner will get to donate 10,000 free meals to the shelter of their choice. The deadline is Sunday. 


What is your mission? My big mission is really to promote awareness for pets who need homes.

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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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Four Leading Pet Advocates Come Together to Award a Pet Shelter with 10,000 Meals

Right before Paul Mann founded Fetch! Pet Care, the nation’s largest dog walking and pet sitting franchise, in 2002, he rescued an abandoned and severely distressed cat from the San Francisco SPCA named Finnigan. Finnigan had multiple issues when Mann took him in, including food deprivation.  At that time, Mann resolved that he would help more than just two rescued pets (Mann later rescued a dog named Milo).  That time has come as Fetch! Pet Care has put together a campaign so that other great rescue stories could shine in the hope that more pets could be helped.

Finnigan

Together with The Bark magazine, Halo Purely forPets, and FreeKibble.com, Mann’s Fetch! Pet Care will host a nationwide contest titled The Rescue Who Rescued Me for pet owners to share their tale of how they saved a pet through rescue or adoption.  The person whose picture or video submission receives the most votes of their rescued pet will be awarded the opportunity to select the pet shelter of their choice in which FreeKibble will donate 10,000 free meals, equivalent to 2,500 pounds of pet food.

“I got into the pet industry because I wanted to help pets everywhere receive the best care possible.  I had experienced and heard of too many horror stories about pets not being treated respectfully.  This nationwide contest is a way to bring out all those great rescue stories from people who are heroes in their own right,” said Mann.  “Luckily, we have some great partners that are equally invested in the proper care for pets and are allowing us the opportunity to award 10,000 meals of Halo Spot’s Stew pet food to a deserving shelter that needs it now more than ever.”

In order for rescuers to share their stories, they can submit their photos or videos and descriptions on Fetch! Pet Care’s Facebook Fan page at www.facebook.com/fetchcorporate through the “Rescue Who Rescued Me Contest” link from Nov. 16 to Dec. 18.  The Grand Prize winner will be featured in the March edition of The Bark magazine and the shelter of the winner’s choosing will receive 10,000 free nutritious meals of Halo’s Spot’s Stew from FreeKibble.com.

“We believe that the collection of these photos, videos and stories will help promote awareness for pets that need good homes and families to love and care for them,” said Mann, “We encourage everyone to spread the word and promote adopting a rescue pet this holiday season.”

Fetch! Pet Care feature in EntrepreneurStartups Magazine

Recently EntrepreneurStartups Magazine featured Fetch! Pet Care franchisee Peggy Kennedy in an article called “How Social Media and a Sprinkle of Stardust Led to One Franchisee’s Success,” which published this month.  Peggy had made an amazing transition from the corporate finance world on the East Coast to Fetch! franchisee on the West Coast.  Since moving and starting her business, she has adapted to a great lifestyle where she does what she is passionate about and leads the lifestyle she wants. Click here to read the entire article.

How Social Media and a Sprinkle of Stardust Led to One Franchisee's Success
By: David Port

When Peggy Kennedy says she's working near capacity, she's no longer talking in terms of late nights at the office, polishing PowerPoint presentations. For Kennedy, who formerly worked in financial services on the East Coast and found refuge as a West Coast pet-care industry franchise owner, nowadays it's about the time she and her staff spend caring for clients of the four-legged variety.

"I'm working all the time--weekends, vacations, I'm always checking in. And I'm adding administrative staff just to keep up," says Kennedy, referring to the Fetch! Pet Care franchise she's been running in the Los Angeles area since 2006. Buoyed by a largely word-of-mouth clientele sprinkled with Hollywood celebs and their pets, her pet-sitting and dog-walking operation hit all-time highs this summer for monthly revenue, grossing more than $30,000, up from $1,500 in its early days.

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Fetch! Pet Care featured on BusinessNewsDaily.com

Fetch! Pet Care was featured on BusinessNewsDaily.com. BusinessNewsDaily reporter Kim Zimmermann spoke with Chief Executive of Fetch Pet Care Paul Mann on what characteristics small business owners should look for in investors. The article titled “How You Know It’s Time To Find An Investor” gives entrepreneurs some tips on when it may be the right time to find investors and what a small business may need from investors.  The article is based off of Paul Mann’s experience in finding a great partnership in Cybeck Capital Partners whose vision for growing the franchise to 500 locations by 2015 perfectly aligned with Mann’s vision.  Click here to view the full article.

How You Know It's Time to Find an Investor

By: Kim Ann Zimmermann

At some point, every young business comes to a crossroad. Perhaps the entrepreneur lacks the funding to take their idea any further. Or, maybe the business owner is good at certain aspects of running the business—such as wooing new clients and identifying areas of potential growth—but needs some assistance with budgeting and setting priorities if they want to expand.

How does a business owner know when is it time to bring in an investor?

For Paul Mann, the founder and CEO of Fetch! Pet Care, a national dog walking and pet services franchise based in Walnut Creek, Calif., the moment was when he realized his "teenager" of a business would need help in becoming an "adult" as the number of franchised units grew from 33 to 200 from 2006 to 2008.

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Fetch! Pet Care featured on Kiplinger

Fetch! Pet Care was featured on Kiplinger in an article entitled, "8 Low-Cost Franchises for Hard Times." The article highlights the number of franchises, growth in franchises, net worth in franchises, net worth requirements, royalty and franchise fee that people looking into small business ownership would be researching in their process. Additionally, the article highlights the growth of the pet care industry as American's love their pets and will pay for the pet sitting and dog walking services that Fetch! Pet Care provides. The ability for Fetch! franchisees to operate as a home-based business also allows new owners to get started quickly and reduces initial start-up costs usually associated with retail or food franchise costs. Click here to view the full article.

8 Low-Cost Franchises for Hard Times

Recession or no recession, people love their pets, and will pay good money for their care, including shelling our for walking and sitting services when they're away. Fetch! Pet Care franchisees take care of all kinds of pets - dogs, cats, birds and even spiders. They aim to have background checked walkers and sitters available whenever pet owners need them. The Walnut Creek, Calif.-based firm also provides services such as puppy training and yard cleanup.

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Fetch! Pet Care featured on FranchiseChatter.com

Fetch! Pet Care was recently featured on FranchiseChatter.com in an article called “Exclusive Q&A with Paul Mann, CEO of Fetch! Pet Care, America’s Largest Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Franchise.” Paul Mann discusses the entrepreneurial story behind Fetch!, and the attributes that make Fetch! a great franchise opportunity, and how someone can become a part of the system. Click here to view the entire article.

Exclusive Q&A with Paul Mann, CEO of Fetch! Pet Care, America’s Largest Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Franchise

By: Ambrosio

Fetch! Pet Care is America’s largest pet sitting and dog walking franchise — with over 150 franchises servicing more than 1,800 cities and towns nationwide, and over 10,000 clients in the past year alone.

Paul Mann founded Fetch! Pet Care in 2002 as a San Francisco Bay Area local pet sitting and dog walking service.  The company began franchising in 2004, after experiencing rapid growth and profitability.

Prior to Fetch! Pet Care, Paul co-founded Informative Inc., an internet software technology company and a pioneer in online survey technology. He subsequently served as its CEO and a board member.  Paul grew the business to over 70 employees with over 300 Fortune 500 customers generating $5 million annually before selling the company in February 2001 to an international software development firm.

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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.

Fetch! Pet Care Aligns with PetCareRx

If you take a look at Fetch! Pet Care’s partnerships, they are in line with the best pet product and service brand names in the industry, from Trupanion Pet Insurance to Halo, a natural pet care product provider. The booming national pet sitting and dog walking services franchise has made another strategic decision to align itself with the nation’s leading online pet pharmacy, PetCareRx, to spread the message of pet health and wellness.

PetCareRx offers the highest quality pet medications and pet supplies of most major brands at discounted prices. In conjunction of the newly-formed alliance, Fetch! Pet Care has invited its loyalty club members to take advantage of an ongoing 15 percent off their purchase as well as free shipping on orders of $35 or more on PetCareRx.com.

“We hold the health and wellbeing of pets near and dear to our hearts,” said Paul Mann, founder and chief executive of Fetch! Pet Care. “PetCareRx provides superior pet medications and supplies in addition to being a reliable and professional company dedicated to pet health.”

Since 2002 when Mann founded Fetch! Pet Care, he and his company have made it their mission to provide quality pet care to customers. Their goal is to raise the bar of professionalism in the pet services industry by providing consistent, reliable and engaging care for family pets. In every partnership that Fetch! Pet Care forms, that mission is taken into consideration for the pets and their parents.

“With the recent partnership with PetCareRx, we continue to increase the unique value we provide to pet parents as customers of our service,” Mann said. “We will continue to add additional products and services to our customer loyalty club that improve the health and happiness of pets everywhere.”