Franchise Times visits Zoom Room Dog training to examine this most “expertly designed approach” to pet franchise opportunities.
Tom Kaiser, the assistant editor of Franchise Times, interviews Zoom Room CEO, Mark Van Wye, about this fresh approach to pet franchises. The article focuses on some of the key differentiators in the Zoom Room business model.
Pitfalls of Pet Franchises
The article also discuss several of the traditional pitfalls of pet franchises. Zoom Room piqued Kaiser’s interest when he learned that this franchise opportunity is engineered specifically to address and eliminate these historical problem areas.
Liability issues, large staff and payroll, endless regulations and limited zoning are but some of the hurdles dog daycares and pet hotels face. Injuries, lawsuits and trips to the vet are all-too-common in such pet businesses.
A Different Kind of Dog Business
Leading gently away from the pitfalls of kennels, groomers, spas and hotels, Zoom Room is designed to give dog owners something fun to do with their dogs, while mingling with like-minded dog owners and teaching their best friends to master obstacle courses – agility for serious competitors – in a sport that’s grown increasingly popular and has even been featured in ESPN’s Great Outdoor Games.
Tom Kaiser, Assistant Editor Franchise Times
One key differentiator of Zoom Room is that owners are present with their dogs at all times. They participate in every activity. This includes classes as well as social events for dogs and humans alike.
We use the word socialization. It’s a technical word in animal behavior. But we have Doggy Disco® nights and fair trade coffee parties and movie nights—it’s really people having fun with each other in the company of their dogs.”
Mark Van Wye, CEO Zoom Room
A Franchise Opportunity with Agility
Van Wye describes how in the 1970s, yoga was an esoteric practice. But today it is widespread, to say the least. In dog agility he saw a true opportunity for a pet franchise. Instead of focusing on the highly competitive contests limited to a few breeds, the Zoom Room could popularize it for every dog. It could be recreational, fun, and with fantastic overall benefits for the dog and owner alike.
Agility is not something your dog does, it’s something you do with your dog. The dog learns it quickly, but you the handler have to learn to communicate with your dog more subtly through gestures, and people go home and say I took an agility class for fun, but it’s like the best obedience class I’ve ever had.
Mark Van Wye, CEO Zoom Room