Building a Modern Franchise Brand in 2026 — Recruiting and Retaining Talent

At DOGPerfect, preparations for franchise growth began before the company had an established franchise network. The pet nutrition and wellness franchise opened in 2019 and grew to six stores in Sarasota and Manatee counties in Florida before it began franchising in 2025. Much of that preparation has centered on developing the people and systems that will eventually support franchisees.

"We're investing in people before their roles even exist," said Rob Emery, founder and CEO of DOGPerfect. "We're training employees before they're serving franchisees."

Build the Training System First

DOGPerfect is documenting its existing operations so future franchisees have the resources to train employees and maintain consistent standards without relying on the founders.

"Everything starts with the documentation we're creating today,” Rob said. “The operating manuals. The training systems. The smallest procedures. We're documenting every little thing because everything has to become repeatable.”

That investment also shapes the company's approach to franchise recruitment. Rob wants to establish the systems and support needed to give franchisees an opportunity to succeed, and he's selective about who enters the network.

"We don't want the wrong franchisees. Franchising is an expensive undertaking," he said. "If I didn't truly believe a franchisee could succeed with it, I simply wouldn't sell it.”

Hire for Work People Already Want to Do

While DOGPerfect prepares to support franchisees, its existing stores offer a look at how the company approaches employee recruitment. Rob said the opportunity to work with dogs attracts a substantial pool of applicants, allowing the company to be selective when filling positions.

"When we put an ad out for a store associate or dog bather, we get so many quality resumes because people love working with dogs," Rob said.

At the brand's newest store, DOGPerfect received 30 applications for bather positions and 50 for store associate positions within a day or two. Rob and his co-founder handled the hiring themselves, scheduling interviews throughout a single afternoon.

"We just booked interviews every 20 or 30 minutes at the store one afternoon, and we had the whole staff within that day," he said. “It hasn't been hard if you take a disciplined approach to it.”

As DOGPerfect expands through franchising, Rob is looking for owners who can take a similarly hands-on approach to building their teams and establishing relationships in their communities.

"You need to be someone who is out in the community, loves dogs and knows how to build teams," Rob said.

Set Clear Standards for the Store

DOGPerfect's approach to training extends beyond product knowledge. Rob considers the customer experience one of the brand's biggest differentiators, making employee interactions an important part of its operating standards.

"We've tried to make every part of a visit to our stores feel intentional," he said. “Our team members wear professional uniforms. They wear name tags. Every customer is greeted with, 'Welcome to DOGPerfect.'”

Those standards establish expectations that can be taught from an employee's first day. They also provide a foundation for the more personal interactions that DOGPerfect wants its employees to develop with customers.

"We coach our teams to have those conversations and work to remember each dog's name, too," said Brianna Dunn, director of franchise marketing at DOGPerfect.

Give Store Employees a Bigger Role

DOGPerfect also encourages employees to represent the brand outside its stores. Rather than limiting their responsibilities to in-store customer service, the company wants its teams to develop relationships with the people and pets in their communities.

"We encourage our store employees and managers to be the ones out there in the community so they can talk to customers and put a face to the brand," said Linda Emery, co-founder of DOGPerfect.

Those relationships are particularly important in a business where customers may need guidance when choosing products for their pets. Employees have an opportunity to develop their knowledge while helping customers make decisions about their dogs' nutritional needs.

"Pet nutrition isn't an impulse purchase. We have to build trust over time," Rob said.

For DOGPerfect, the work of preparing for franchise growth includes establishing the expectations future employees will be trained to meet. Documenting operations, developing store standards and defining the qualities the company wants in its franchisees give the brand a foundation for recruiting and training as it expands.

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