Pets Mean Business

By Christopher Conner

It all started with a franchise that picked up dog poop. The Pet Butler was successful at creating a business and also in scaling it through franchising. This revealed that the pet business was officially a big business and the market segment was here to stay.

This comes as no surprise when you consider the statistics: People spend big money on their pets. According to American Pet Products, in 2018 Americans will spend $72 billion on their pets. That’s big money. Many pet owners would spend to feed their pets before they would spend to feed themselves. We’ve all heard it by now, and the numbers speak louder than ever, pets are part of the family.

The good news is this colossal expansion in spending gives rise to an amazing array of pet service franchise brands, which do everything from sell specialty pet items and food to provide unique pet services like picking up poop for clients. Some have literally defined entire market segments with great branding, innovative marketing, and outstanding business models. For example, Dogtopia, a dog daycare, boarding, and grooming center, has set the standard for the luxury dog spa and made a $1 million investment in the worthwhile facility. With almost 100 units in operation, Dogtopia is quickly becoming one of the most significant pet service franchise brands in the world. Dan Barton brought modern marketing and fitness industry business techniques to the pet industry with the Splash and Dash franchise. Designed from years of experience with Gold’s Gym, the concept demonstrates a keen understanding of the value of monthly membership models. Splash and Dash has opened units everywhere from Australia to Canada and throughout the United States, proving once again that some of the world’s best business techniques are already in play—they just need to be redeployed in new environments.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Some of the categories in pet services that are the most intriguing are those that fit specific niches within the pet market. Finding specialties within markets lets you become an industry leader and not “lumped in” with the competition. One brand that caught my attention is

Farewell, an in-home pet euthanasia service. The brand was founded by a medical professional and pet lover. She saw a glaring need for better, more caring services for a pet owner faced with the difficult decision to put her pet down. She created a service that could provide this in the comfort of home.

PetMassage is a true market innovator in the pet massage and wellness services segment. Mr. Jonathan Rudinger has developed incredible techniques to help pets feel their best, deal with health ailments, and in some cases, just relax. PetMassage training programs have been implemented and used in training thousands of students in the U.S. and around the world. Mr. Rudinger has cornered the market with books, classes, teaching segments, and incredible publicity for the service offering.

As a consultant for Franchise Marketing Systems, I get to see creativity, innovation, and fun business take place on a regular basis. The pet service franchise industry is proof of that. Franchising is the vehicle that lets these creative pet service entrepreneurs take their models to the masses, and the amazing creativity should be admired and praised. Franchising allows “normal” guys like me to benefit from other people’s great ideas. As the pet service industry proves, with the right business system, brand, and guidance, anyone can be a successful business owner.

For more information, contact Chris Conner at Chris.Conner@FMSFranchise.com