1851

In the three years since its founding, pet-food franchise <a href="https://petwantsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisees-who-give-back-michele-hobbs-of-pet-wants-2707643" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Pet Wants</a> has seen enormous growth, establishing more than 70 stores in markets across the U.S. But it all started in Cincinnati, where the brand&rsquo;s founder, Michele Hobbs, still owns and operates her first store.

In Hobbs&rsquo;s three-plus years as a small business owner in Cincinnati, she has been an active member in a number of local nonprofits. Hobbs says her commitment to giving back to the community represents both a personal passion and a savvy business sense. We talked to Hobbs to learn more about how and why she&rsquo;s placed an emphasis on outreach.

&nbsp;

How does giving back to your local community help grow your business?

Hobbs: First off, it&#39;s incredibly important to be involved in your local community to grow your business. In the beginning, you may only be able to volunteer or be a conduit to help your community and specific outreach programs. There are many ways to give back without forking over your hard-earned profits.

What local charitable efforts have you pursued to connect with your local community?

Hobbs: Because Pet Wants is an animal-related business, we made the decision early on to only participate in animal-related nonprofit programs. We believe your fundraising and charitable donations should remain within the scope of your business. That will allow you to reach more of your prospective customers. As our business has grown, we have been able to participate in a few other nonprofit arenas that have personal importance to us as well. But especially when you first start out, you need to focus on what charitable outreach you do that can best help your business.

What are your best tips for marketing a local business?

Hobbs: At Pet Wants, we have never purchased an ad. We go to community events and set up a booth and meet folks face to face. The pet-food industry is under the complete control of mass-produced corporate-owned pet food companies. There is no way we could spend enough money to even be a blip on a radar when it comes to advertising what we do and the benefits we provide for pets and people. If you have a unique product, you need to find a way to get in front of folks who value your product and service. Traditional social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google are essential. Your Google presence is critical so that people will find you in an internet search.

How effective are charitable efforts in growing your business?

Hobbs: Even though I believe that your charitable outreach should be in your arena of business, you are not necessarily doing this just to grow your business. I believe that every citizen should participate on a personal level out of charity alone. And businesses even more so. Once you begin to give back, you will quickly see the business impact, which may generally be acknowledged either in the press or on social media. I am not sure how to measure the effectiveness, but after years of supporting nonprofit pet programs, folks know they can count on us and the feedback in our stores has been tremendous.

What advice would you give to other franchisees who are just starting their businesses to best set themselves up for success on the local level?

Hobbs: The first thing we did was to identify what we wanted to spend our money on, which was animal nonprofits. Then we decided that we would only be able to spend up to $200 a month in product or gift certificates for food. That meant gift baskets or gift certificates for donations. By setting a limit and a specific arena for us to support, it allowed us to say no. For a small business, saying no is often as important as saying yes. We are asked on a daily basis to support a fundraiser or event or to give a donation. It is absolutely impossible to say yes to everything. If a school calls us asking for contributions so they can buy new band outfits, we can tell them that all of our outreach goes to support animal nonprofits. Once we have exhausted our budget, we can tell a group to try us back in a month once our budget renews. For instance, we are currently booked through January 2019 with nonprofit donations and gifts. That is not to say, though, that we will not attend an event and pay for a booth. That gives us an opportunity to be in front of folks and support the cause. That is still part of the marketing budget and not a donation that we just give away.

Now that we are a seasoned business here in Cincinnati, we have the opportunity to spend a little more money on nonprofits that are a little more focused on our community. We are now able to donate to a fund or benefit that feeds children or helping impoverished neighborhoods as well as our traditional nonprofit animal programs.

Franchisees Who Give Back: Michele Hobbs of Pet Wants

1851 Franchise

The pet-food brand’s founder and Cincinnati franchisee actively contributes to animal-protection programs in her community.

franchisees-who-give-back-michele-hobbs-of-pet-wants

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Targets Peoria, Illinois, for Franchise Growth

caring-transitions-targets-peoria-illinois-for-franchise-growth

Caring Transitions Celebrates a Strong Start to 2025 With 19 New Franchise Sales and Momentum-Building Training Events

caring-transitions-celebrates-a-strong-start-to-2025-with-19-new-franchise-sales-and-momentum-building-training-events

Right at Home

Right at Home 30th Anniversary in Home Care with Right at Home Logo

Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence and Future Innovations in Home Care

celebrating-30-years-of-excellence-and-future-innovations-in-home-care

Why TruBlue is the Ideal Franchise for Multi-Unit Owners: Scalable Growth With a Purpose

why-trublue-is-the-ideal-franchise-for-multi-unit-owners-scalable-growth-with-a-purpose

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: Building Your Brand’s Growth Machine

ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises

franchise supplier award design with Locate AI logo and 1851 Franchise badge

Franchise Real Estate Services | Locate AI — Emerging Leaders in Franchise Support

locate-ai-emerging-leaders-in-franchise-support

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition — Point of Differentiation

how-to-position-your-value-proposition-with-a-point-of-differentiation

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Clarify Your Positioning – The “Why You/Why Now”

the-ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises-how-to-clarify-your-positioning-the-why-youwhy-now

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

Franchisees Who Give Back: Michele Hobbs of Pet Wants

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS