DoodyCalls franchisee Jason Heimberg's career has been anything but ordinary. He graduated from George Washington Law School with dreams of joining the FBI, but life had other plans. Instead, he followed a creative calling to Los Angeles, where he spent several years writing comedy screenplays with his brother.
“We sold eight or nine scripts from about 1999 to 2005,” Heimberg said. “Only one actually got made — Ace Ventura Jr.”
After years in entertainment, Heimberg wanted to return to Maryland and build something stable. When he came across pet waste management franchise DoodyCalls, the idea clicked. "I thought it was a great idea," he said. "It's a thing people hate to do. It's a great service. People with kids who work all day, the last thing they want to do when they come home is scoop poop."
With pet ownership on the rise and busy families seeking more convenient solutions, Heimberg saw DoodyCalls as the kind of essential, service-based business that only grows in demand year after year.
Heimberg opened his DoodyCalls franchise in 2008 and quickly realized it was more than just a clever concept. “I love dogs. I’ve always had dogs,” he said. “And honestly, I’m an immature dude — I can make poop jokes all day. It came together as the perfect storm."
His law background came in handy for contracts and business operations, while his creative side helped him connect with customers and build the brand locally. Over time, he expanded into a full-time operation serving hundreds of households and businesses across Frederick, MD and the surrounding area.
When Heimberg first started, most people didn’t even realize pooper scooper services existed. “We had to explain that it's just like someone coming to mow your lawn or coming to clean your house. It's just a service that helps you save time and do a chore that you don't want to do."
Today, Heimberg also focuses on educating clients about the environmental impact of pet waste. “Some people think it just washes away in the rain, but it doesn’t,” he said. “It carries parasites and bacteria that end up in the waterways, especially the Chesapeake Bay.” His team emphasizes the health benefits for both families and pets, helping customers understand that DoodyCalls is about more than convenience — it’s about keeping the community clean.
Heimberg credits DoodyCalls’ support team with helping him grow from a one-man operation into a successful business.
"One of the appeals of this was not starting from scratch and totally having to do it myself," he said. "There was a dedicated franchise and the headquarters for this. They had the website, a call center and the marketing."
Having the franchise manage key marketing and administrative tasks has made it easier for Heimberg to focus on customer service and expansion.
After 17 years in business, Heimberg knows what it takes to make it in franchising. “People think they’ll be millionaires in a year,” he said. “It takes time. Being an entrepreneur, it's great because the more you hustle, the more events you do, the more door-to-door you do, the better you're going to do."
Heimberg’s business now serves nearly 500 clients — about 450 residential and 50 commercial. But for him, success goes beyond numbers. “We’re starting to do more community work,” he said. “We sponsor the Frederick Keys minor league team — we’re the hot dog toss sponsor, which is perfect for us.”
DoodyCalls of Frederick also partners with local parks, including maintaining pet stations at Monocacy Battlefield and organizing cleanups. “Every poop we pick up is less bacteria and disease going into the waterways,” Heimberg said. “We’re proud of that."
For more information, visit https://doodycallsfranchising.com/.
DoodyCalls
SPONSORED
After years in law and screenwriting, Heimberg built a thriving business picking up after pets, and discovered a new way to serve his community.
DoodyCalls franchisee Jason Heimberg's career has been anything but ordinary. He graduated from George Washington Law School with dreams of joining the FBI, but life had other plans. Instead, he followed a creative calling to Los Angeles, where he spent several years writing comedy screenplays with his brother.
“We sold eight or nine scripts from about 1999 to 2005,” Heimberg said. “Only one actually got made — Ace Ventura Jr.”
After years in entertainment, Heimberg wanted to return to Maryland and build something stable. When he came across pet waste management franchise DoodyCalls, the idea clicked. "I thought it was a great idea," he said. "It's a thing people hate to do. It's a great service. People with kids who work all day, the last thing they want to do when they come home is scoop poop."
With pet ownership on the rise and busy families seeking more convenient solutions, Heimberg saw DoodyCalls as the kind of essential, service-based business that only grows in demand year after year.
Heimberg opened his DoodyCalls franchise in 2008 and quickly realized it was more than just a clever concept. “I love dogs. I’ve always had dogs,” he said. “And honestly, I’m an immature dude — I can make poop jokes all day. It came together as the perfect storm."
His law background came in handy for contracts and business operations, while his creative side helped him connect with customers and build the brand locally. Over time, he expanded into a full-time operation serving hundreds of households and businesses across Frederick, MD and the surrounding area.
When Heimberg first started, most people didn’t even realize pooper scooper services existed. “We had to explain that it's just like someone coming to mow your lawn or coming to clean your house. It's just a service that helps you save time and do a chore that you don't want to do."
Today, Heimberg also focuses on educating clients about the environmental impact of pet waste. “Some people think it just washes away in the rain, but it doesn’t,” he said. “It carries parasites and bacteria that end up in the waterways, especially the Chesapeake Bay.” His team emphasizes the health benefits for both families and pets, helping customers understand that DoodyCalls is about more than convenience — it’s about keeping the community clean.
Heimberg credits DoodyCalls’ support team with helping him grow from a one-man operation into a successful business.
"One of the appeals of this was not starting from scratch and totally having to do it myself," he said. "There was a dedicated franchise and the headquarters for this. They had the website, a call center and the marketing."
Having the franchise manage key marketing and administrative tasks has made it easier for Heimberg to focus on customer service and expansion.
After 17 years in business, Heimberg knows what it takes to make it in franchising. “People think they’ll be millionaires in a year,” he said. “It takes time. Being an entrepreneur, it's great because the more you hustle, the more events you do, the more door-to-door you do, the better you're going to do."
Heimberg’s business now serves nearly 500 clients — about 450 residential and 50 commercial. But for him, success goes beyond numbers. “We’re starting to do more community work,” he said. “We sponsor the Frederick Keys minor league team — we’re the hot dog toss sponsor, which is perfect for us.”
DoodyCalls of Frederick also partners with local parks, including maintaining pet stations at Monocacy Battlefield and organizing cleanups. “Every poop we pick up is less bacteria and disease going into the waterways,” Heimberg said. “We’re proud of that."
For more information, visit https://doodycallsfranchising.com/.
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