Woofie's
About the Company
Woofie’s is a professional pet care services company based in Northern Virginia, co-founded by Amy Reed and Leslie Barron in 2004. The company focuses on providing high-quality, personalized care for pets, including dog walking, pet sitting, and mobile pet grooming. The business has grown significantly since its inception, now operating with multiple mobile grooming vans and serving a client base of over 8,000 people. Woofie’s operates with a focus on customer service and local community engagement, making it a well-loved brand in its area. In 2018, Woofie’s expanded into franchising, creating opportunities for others to replicate the success of the business in different regions.
Idea Behind Company
The idea for Woofie’s was born out of the founders' frustration with the lack of reliable, personalized pet care services in their community. Both Amy and Leslie were full-time workers at the time and struggled to find trustworthy pet sitters for their animals. Realizing the demand for upscale pet care, they decided to create a business that would provide pet owners with top-tier service. The business initially began with a simple dog walking service, but after realizing that their clients wanted more, the founders expanded their offerings by adding mobile pet grooming in 2011. This allowed Woofie’s to stand out in the competitive pet care market, providing an all-in-one solution for pet owners' needs.
Creating the Company
Woofie’s started with a $10 dog walk, with Amy and Leslie providing the services themselves while maintaining their full-time corporate jobs. They bootstrapped the business by investing in a mobile grooming van in 2011, which marked a major expansion of their services. This investment allowed them to offer grooming without requiring pet owners to take their pets to a brick-and-mortar salon, solving a significant pain point for many clients. In 2018, they launched Woofie’s Pet Ventures, a franchising program, enabling others to open Woofie’s locations in other regions. They also created Woofie’s Academy, a professional pet grooming school, to train new groomers and support their growing business.
Launching the Business
The early days of Woofie’s were marked by grassroots marketing and a commitment to exceptional customer service. Their first clients were local pet owners who appreciated the personal touch and reliability of the services. Word of mouth played a crucial role in attracting new clients, and the business steadily grew. The launch of mobile grooming in 2011 was a game-changer, allowing the company to scale. By 2019, Woofie’s was generating over $3M in annual revenue, operating with eight mobile grooming vans and employing a team of groomers, pet sitters, and back-office staff. With the introduction of franchising in 2018, Woofie’s has expanded beyond its original location, growing into a regional brand with plans for nationwide expansion.
Earnings
Woofie’s has seen consistent growth in both revenue and brand recognition. In 2019, the company reached $3M in annual revenue, with a significant portion of that coming from mobile grooming services. The mobile vans, which cost between $80,000 to $100,000, serve as a central part of the business model. With around 8,000 clients, the company generates revenue from a variety of services, with grooming appointments ranging from $90 to $120, depending on the pet's breed and the services required. In addition to their core business, Woofie’s expanded their revenue streams by launching a franchise program, with four locations in Northern Virginia and plans for growth in the Mid-Atlantic states. Woofie’s now earns $250K per month, and despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, they have seen a rebound in their pet sitting revenues and continued success with their mobile grooming service.
