Barking Mad franchisees share their ingredients to a successful pet sitting franchise
“Happy dogs, happy customers, happy hosts.”
That’s the trio of ingredients for a successful business, according to Barking Mad franchisees Amanda and Alan Hartley. They’ve enjoyed 10 years at the head of their network in Leeds, with – they say – the hard work associated with running a business made easier thanks to the flexibility and freedom the role allows.
Having originally launched their franchise looking for an alternative to their previous day jobs – which were pressurised and impacted on family time – Barking Mad worked around Amanda and Alan’s desire to spend more time with their two teenage children and enabled them to deliver on their commitment to support a local Scout and Beavers group.
The nature of the Barking Mad business, teamed with the duo’s penchant for organisation and order, means that they’ve never had to sacrifice their parental duties, and are able to pin point the opportunity for prolonged breaks from the business. As a result, the pair regularly enjoy three week-long holidays around the world.
“Typically, our customers book months in advance so we can plot out exactly where we each need to be and when, and how many hosts we’ll need at any one time. When we spot that a personal appointment might clash with a booking, we’re honest with the customer and simply offer to pick their dog up earlier than they originally requested. They get an extended break, and so does their pet! It works brilliantly.”
Barking Mad franchisee Amanda
The couple now care for elderly parents, and are grateful that their business model still works around their needs outside of work.
For Amanda and Alan, the flexibility and opportunity offered by running a franchise is a bonus on top of doing what they love – and feels an even greater achievement when they know they’ve worked for it.
Alan said: “Running a business requires a lot of hard graft, and a lot of commitment, but we went into this hoping we could manage our professional and personal lives equally well. We achieved that very quickly and will continue striking that perfect balance until we retire.”
