Congratulations! You Bought a Pet Franchise

The bubbles have settled from the toasts of investment. You invested your money wisely and your franchisor has given you the skills to succeed. (This should be an going dialogue with a good franchise, but unfortunately this is not always the case). You have completed your homework–due diligence. You have hired employees. You have You have opened the doors.

 

You have had a soft open, then a grand opening. Now your business is up and running. Now what?

 

Mistakes are bound to happen, they are inevitable. And with all business pursuits, this inevitability is something entrepreneurs need to strive to control. Hindrances like the 2008 recession happen. This will effect your business and is out of franchisees’ control. What is in your control, is how hard you work, learn, and adapt. Interestingly enough, the pet franchise was the only industry to see growth during the recession. But in every industry, dedication is what produces results.

Assuming the Hard work is Over

Many franchisees sit back after opening and think the job is done. The illusion is thinking all they have left to do is monitor sales. This is far from true. Whether you’re a franchisee, independent business owner, or a start-up, the work is continuous. Fortunately those invested in franchises have help where the the latter won’t.

 

Due diligence and opening the doors may be the easiest task. Good franchisors assist the whole way through the process well after the doors are open. But an owner’s direct success is going to be a product of their own merit.

 

Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique aims to have new store locations break even after six months. This is a challenge in the pet franchise industry, but a norm for Splash and Dash. The model used is one where owners treat their shops like a work in progress. It is going to take ongoing dedication, supplemented with corporate help, to gain success.

 

Failure to Act

A pet franchise opens up in Orlando Florida. This city is one of the top rated places for pet owners and entrepreneurs. The shop opens in a high volume area that receives countless foot traffic, and signs a three year lease. Variables for establishing a lucrative pet franchise are in the shop owners favor. The shop opens and business is good. The neighborhood around the pet franchise blossoms, and surrounding business also profit exceedingly. Three years go by and the rent goes up 35%. What does the pet franchise owner do?

 

Negotiating leasing, finding a new location, and marketing that new location is hard work. Hard, but necessary to keep fiscally succeeding. An ideal pet franchise shows how to avoid these blunders. Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique uses a model that has been proven to work. Service, marketing, products, are all solidified. Still, the company is constantly updating and making things even better. Shop owners are invited to participate in “working on the company, not in the company,” a term coined by Entrepreneurial author Michael Gerber.

 

Splash and Dash has the competitive edge but will not compromise their values. This gives customers a service with the “mom and pop” feel paired with the excellent service customers trust.

Approaching Business as a Learning Endeavor

Financial success is never an accident. Achieving results is an outcome of tenacity. Entrepreneurs need to be constant learners that can adapt quickly, and innovate naturally. Industry and circumstantial changes happen and will impact your market. How one reacts to these changes is what determines the success.

 

It takes an open-mind to learn, especially in today’s business world. Technological convergence and marketing trends effect the industry rapidly. Adaptation is key. Opening a pet franchise is a journey, and the journey has lots of twists and turns. Owners should actively seek out franchisor assistance. Business coaches, consultants, and accountants all offer a different perspective owners will find helpful.

But don’t sell yourself short. Your own perspective is valuable and your own insights need to be taken into consideration too. Afterall, it is your shop. Combining the wisdom of others fortified with your own, is a good formula for success.

 

Trust your franchisor. If you feel you can’t, this is a bad sign. A good franchisor will have an open door when it comes to educating. If a pet franchise does not have a training workshop, or is dubious about workshopping new owners, this is also a bad sign.

 

Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique is here to inform both franchisees and customers. The education never stops, and if everyone works hard, so will the business.

Final Thoughts, and a Little Pep Talk for Motivation

No matter where you are in the business world it takes dedication to succeed. One can buy a popular burger franchise–one with minimal risk. The brand is the most recognizable in the world. The location is not saturated. The burgers can practically sell themselves. A franchise owner uses the same product, the same service, and the same system as every other shop.

 

Holistically, the franchise is seeing huge growth. Sales are good across the board. Franchises scenarios like this happen everyday.

 

But, franchises like this still fail. A shop owner can have every factor set in their favor–have lightning in a bottle–but will not succeed. A polarizing disparity exists within the business world between success and failure.

 

What makes the difference is how hard you work.