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Camp Bow Wow: The Accidental $40 Million Franchise
After losing her first husband in a plane crash and divorcing her second, Heidi Ganahl decided to dust off an old business plan for a pet day care facility. Today, Camp Bow Wow boasts some 200 franchises and $40 million in revenue.
Posted 5/ 11 10 at 10:30 PM | Entrepreneur Spotlight, Franchises, Money, Leadership, Starting a Business, Consumer Products & Services
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With some 200 franchises spread among 40 states and Canada, Camp Bow Wow has become one of the fastest-growing pet services companies around. But the company almost never came to be. Faced with the loss of her first husband, a divorce from her second, and a series of poor investments, founder Heidi Ganahl found herself at rock bottom until her brother convinced her to dust off the business plan for a doggie day care and boarding facility in her hometown of Denver. Now, Ganahl, who has written a book about her life called Tales from the Bark Side, finds herself at the helm of a company that posted more than $40 million in revenue last year.Where did the idea for your business come from?
It all started back in 1994, when my husband and I could never find enough friends and family to take care of our two furry mutts whenever we wanted to travel. The idea of doggie day care was just getting started back then, and we thought it would be a great idea, especially if you offered boarding as well. So we wrote a business plan.
And then fate intervened, right?
Yes, for his 25th birthday present, my husband got to fly in an old Navy airplane. The pilot was a friend of his. But as they did a flyby over our family's house, they crashed, and they both died on impact. That put my life in a tailspin for a few years.
What happened next?
Well, I made some poor decisions, and I found myself as a broke single mother. That was when my brother told me I needed to find my passion again, which was to start Camp Bow Wow. So, we scouted out an old VFW hall near downtown Denver. It was in rough shape, and we did a lot of work on it before opening the doors in December 2000. At the time, we were just the third doggie day care facility in the area, and things just took off from there.
When did you decide to become a franchisor?
After we opened a second location in September 2002, I had a client approach me who worked for Mrs. Fields. He told me that he didn't think there were any other pet services franchises out there and that I might want to look into it. The more I looked into it, the more I liked the idea. After making the announcement, we sold the first franchise in a week.
Was there a key turning point for the company?
There were many, like making the decision to incorporate a Webcam, but one key moment came when we were featured on the front page of AOL as "the next great franchise." We got thousands of phone calls from that and haven't looked back since.
How has the recession affected your business?
Pet services like boarding tend to be recession-proof more than the retail side of the business, which has been hit hard. What has slowed our growth has been the tightening of the capital markets and SBA lending, which has made it harder for our potential franchisees to get funding. Despite that, we did about $40 million in 2009 and expect to do about $50 million in 2010, helped by the growth of our new franchise, Home Buddies, which is in-home pet care that people can start for under $50,000 as opposed to about $500,000 to start a camp.
What happened to the original Camp Bow Wow?
I sold it as a franchise so I could focus on running the company as a whole.
Do you have any pets today?
I have two dogs -- a 100-pound black lab and a four-pound Maltese-mix.
Where do they stay when you travel?
I leave them at a Camp Bow Wow near my home in Denver. But now that I have a newborn baby, I have someone come to the house to watch the dogs and the baby.
You also run a foundation called Bow Wow Buddies?
Yes, part of our success has been because we have chosen to work closely with local dog charities and rescue programs. We want people to feel good about coming to us because some of their money is going back to the dogs.
Entrepreneur Spotlight
Name: Heidi Ganahl
Company: Camp Bow Wow
Age: 44
Location: Boulder, Colo.
Founded: 2000
Employees: 1,700
2009 Revenue: $40 million
Website: www.campbowwowusa.com
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Comments (Page 1 of 3)
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There were many, like making the decision to incorporate a Webcam, but one key moment came when we were featured on the front page of AOL as "the next great franchise." We got thousands of phone calls from that and haven't looked back since.I'm a doctor,31 ,rich but still single.It's hard to get a girlfriend in my town ,most of them like my money more than like me.I just want to find my true love.so i uploaded my hot photos on meetwealthy.c o m under the name of hot561.u dont have to be a millionaire,but u can meet one there. ..if you girls see this comment,i hope you will check my photos out there.maybe you are the one who i'm looking for!!!
i wonder who had the idea for "whipped and beaten culinary works".. you gotta check it out.. it is hilarious..
I own a Camp Bow Wow and owe my happiness and my love of my work life to Heidi Ganahl. Thank you!
Great idea, but how about a Camp Meow Meow for us Kitty owners? We want to do some traveling, but hate the idea of leaving our 2 cats alone. And we don't have family who can take care of them. Is it already in the works? Thanks,
Cathy
Yes, it's called Home Buddies. They will send a pet sitter to your home and will also leave a video camera to monitor your pet. They also have a Camp Meow Meow at the Bridgewater NJ Camp Bow Wow as well.
YEP,you can make millions off the rich , i have!
I considered buying a franchise but the high cost of start up deterred me so I started a Health and Wellness Business and haven't looked back. It cost me $19 to start and I have the support of a billion dollar leader in wellness, help people lose weight and get healthy as well as a lucrative residual income. http://bovawhitehead.isagenix.com if you'd like more information
This is a great story and shows how you can live your dream. Heidi has done a great thing!
Good for you Heidi. I know how hard it is to pick yourself up after a tragic loss such as yours. What a great idea and you've done such a wonderful job. Best wishes to you always Bonnie from Venice, Ca.
I almost invested in that venture, but instead I invested in Anthony Morrison's internet marketing scam. I purchased his book, then paid $200.00 for the mentorship program. That is when the mentor takes you by the hand and shows you exactly how to earn money. They mentor insisted I pay $100.00 per month for Yahoo advertising. Well, so far I've invested $450.00 in two months and I have not earned any money at all. I was scammed!!!! Their mentor should be put in prison!!!!! I am so gosh darn angry!
I purchased information on the internet called MULTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME through Robert Allen and a company associated with Robert Allen named Prosper. Can anyone tell me if this is a legitmate home based business or is it a scam. Will someone tell me if they are having any major success with MUlTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME or not? I will appreciate your feedback. Thank you. Have a good day.
I fixed a window in a mobile home and one thing led to another.
I also did A.C work
I started making money most others dream about.
Then I got hurt in an accident and now i'm disabled and broke.
Good for her and well deserved!
I've been working at Camp Bow Wow the past few months and I have to say it is the greatest place on earth for a dog! I take my dog to work every day and it's so great to watch all of the dogs run around and go crazy all day, it makes me wish I could understand what they were thinking! I can understand how a business such as this could not be affected by the recession. People really care about their pets and Camp Bow Wow is a real "treat" for dogs, every dog and human that walks through the doors is always happy with wagging tails :)
Camp Bow Wow sounds great. I train animals for a living and have also started a line of clothing for small dogs. Heidi's maltese would look great in one of our hoodies. Check it out at http://smalldogday.com
I am going to look for one in my area.
My kennel donates a pup per litter to the handicapped to be trained as a service dog. Recieptants must show they are disabled by Dr. letter, and have the ability to have the dog trained. Check out our website at WWW.Airedaleblack.com
i think a few people are full of dog doo