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Growing up, brothers Jason and Steven Parker loved dogs. The problem was, they weren&rsquo;t allowed to get one. In 1999, being the innovative entrepreneurs that they are, the 12- and 14-year-olds started a dog walking business. Their passion for pet care only grew from there.

Today, with ten locations and a strong positioning, what started as a dog walking service by two kids has grown into a top rated, multi-award winning brand. Offering high end luxury daycare and hotel accommodations for dogs, their quality care and state of the art facilities has garnered accolades from consumers and industry professionals alike.

Since first opening their doors in 2005, the company has experienced year over year growth and are on the verge of growing their brand nationwide. K9 Resorts has been able to take their business model and successfully franchise it, thanks in part to their relationship with SMB Franchise Advisors, <a href="https://smbfranchising.1851franchise.com/details/10283/From-Sales-to-Consulting-How-Steve-Beagelman-Leveraged-his-Experience-and-Connections-to-Become-One-of-the-Franchising-Industry-s-Leading-Resources?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-childhood-dream-to-franchising-reality-how-smb-franchise-advisors-helped-position-k9-resorts-to-become-a-national-brand-12323#category" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">industry leading franchise consultants</a>.

In 2010, the Parkers knew they wanted to expand beyond their initial locations, but being so young and having no franchise experience their attorney recommended they contact <a href="http://smbfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-childhood-dream-to-franchising-reality-how-smb-franchise-advisors-helped-position-k9-resorts-to-become-a-national-brand-12323" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SMB Franchise Advisors</a> for help.

&ldquo;They had developed a company and a brand that had potential, but didn&rsquo;t know how to transition to developing a franchise company.&nbsp; They needed to attract the level of franchise owner essential to a brand like K9 Resorts to expand and continue on their success,&rdquo; said Dawn Abbamondi, Marketing and Brand Development Consultant with SMB Franchise Advisors.

After contacting SMB, K9 Resorts&rsquo; business model was thoroughly assessed to see if it was viable for franchising in the first place. Looking at their financials and performance metrics, SMB saw opportunities for growth and in 2011, K9 Resorts launched the franchising aspect of their business.

Steve Beagelman, President and CEO of <a href="https://smbfranchising.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-childhood-dream-to-franchising-reality-how-smb-franchise-advisors-helped-position-k9-resorts-to-become-a-national-brand-12323" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SMB Franchise Advisors</a> added, &ldquo;when I first met them they were adamant about what they wanted their brand to be. That remains true today and they have a clear vision of where they want to go and we continue to work, helping them to get there. In the last 6 years they have grown, learned and accomplished a lot, but there is still a tremendous amount of potential in K9 Resorts.&rdquo;

Under SMB&rsquo;s guidance, a plan was formulated to develop the K9 Resorts brand responsibly. SMB helped to develop all aspects of their franchising system from their Financial Disclosure Documents (FDD) and policies to their royalty structure and operations manuals. They even attended the first meetings with franchisees to help walk them through the process down the road, which was a key element in awarding their first franchises.

&ldquo;Unlike other consultants that just advise, they really become part of our team. We view them just like internal members of the team. Their level of engagement is what sets them apart. They have a&nbsp;team member dedicated to every area that we may need help in,&rdquo; said Jason Parker.

And the feeling is mutual.

&ldquo;They really listened to us and looked to us as part of their team, not as outsiders. They were very accessible and made the time for us. They also allowed us to make suggestions, particularly about when it was time to make change,&rdquo; Beagelman said.

In the beginning, SMB suggested that they focus their growth regionally until the brand built up equity. Even though they were eager, the brothers heeded the advice and limited their focus on regional growth.&nbsp;

&ldquo;If it were up to me we&rsquo;d be going 100 miles an hour 365 days a year, which wouldn&rsquo;t maybe be the best thing,&rdquo; Jason added. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Their patience paid off. In 2016, SMB let the Parkers know that the time had come to grow their brand beyond the New Jersey area. To do this, they needed to look into securing private equity. Walking them step-by-step through the process, SMB helped find and interview potential investors. Under their guidance, K9 Resorts teamed up with Navigator Partners for a multi-million dollar&nbsp;infusion of capital that would help take them to the next level in their development, this investment was recently recognized on <a href="http://www.franchisetimes.com/April-2017/Plus-nine-more-award-winning-dealmakers/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-childhood-dream-to-franchising-reality-how-smb-franchise-advisors-helped-position-k9-resorts-to-become-a-national-brand-12323" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Franchise Times&rsquo; Annual Dealmaker list</a>.

Today they have ten locations open and in development, the company is continuing their growth, now with their sights set on markets outside their regional stronghold. They have a strong franchise sales pipeline and expect to see tremendous growth in 2017.

&ldquo;I encourage anyone considering franchising your business to do it with the help of SMB. They will assist you and help minimize mistakes along the way. What franchisors offer to their franchisees is essentially what SMB provides to franchisors,&rdquo; Jason said.

With invaluable franchise expertise and an experienced and attentive team dedicated to helping franchisors succeed, it is clear why SMB is a leader in franchise consulting. Their specialized care and hands-on approach was instrumental in helping K9 Resorts gain traction when starting out and then transitioning to expanding their network on a larger scale. The company has positioned itself to become a national brand, and it has done so with the expert guidance of SMB Franchise Advisors.&nbsp;

From childhood dream to Franchising Reality: How SMB Franchise Advisors Helped Position K9 Resorts to Become a National Brand

1851 Franchise

From selling their first franchise to securing private equity, SMB Franchise Advisors have been guiding K9 Resorts’ growth.

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How much can franchisees make? It’s a question many prospective owners ask before investing in a franchise. While earnings tend to be driven by variables such as industry, location and general management skills, a proper understanding of the key factors driving profitability can help franchise owners develop expectations that are realistic.&nbsp;Multi-unit franchisee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mangesh-patel-9368569/">Mangesh Patel</a>, who’s readying the launch of six&nbsp;<a href="https://www.beefobradysfranchise.com/">Beef ‘O’ Brady’s</a> restaurant locations in the Macon, Georgia area, shares insights from his franchising experience.<h2>Understanding Franchise Income</h2>Keeping operational costs in check can have a major impact on overall earnings. Taking a proactive approach to expenses such as food and labor, as well as payroll and scheduling, can help align actual franchise income with general expectations for the business.“I just had a meeting with a couple of people, and they said, ‘You talked about a 25% profit margin, but I’m only doing 12%.’ So, I looked at the figures they sent me,” Patel said. “Their&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/calculate-restaurant-franchise-profit-2730476">restaurant</a> food cost was running at 37%, which should be around 30%. The national average is about 32%. If I do things correctly, my average food cost needs to be at or below 30%. And payroll should run around 18%. But many people run 25 to 28%.”So,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/unraveling-franchise-earnings-how-much-can-you-really-make-2723935">how much can franchisees make</a>? Here are five areas to consider.<h2>Practical Tips for Prospective Franchisees</h2><ol><li>Control Costs From Day One:&nbsp;It’s important to monitor payroll, food and supply costs closely. Overstaffing and inefficiencies can quickly reduce profits.</li><li>Plan For The Opening Surge:&nbsp;Traffic within the first few months of opening is likely to be higher. It’s important to adjust staffing and inventory accordingly, and pay close attention to how those levels change as time goes on.</li><li>Invest In Training:&nbsp;Properly trained workers can help reduce waste and improve overall service, which has a direct effect on net income.</li><li>Understand Your Market:&nbsp;Each market is unique and revenue potential will vary depending upon location, demographics and competition.</li><li>Track Metrics Regularly:&nbsp;Food cost percentages, labor ratios and weekly sales data act as key indicators operations may need to be adjusted.</li></ol><h2>What Profitability Really Comes Down To</h2>Patel notes that if franchise owners manage labor and costs properly, it’s not impossible to achieve strong cash flow even in the first year, bucking some franchising trends.So,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-much-can-you-make-as-a-franchise-owner-2724761">how much can franchisees make</a>? While results tend to vary, careful planning, disciplined operations and a proactive approach to assessing initial costs are essential. But by grasping and guiding the elements that drive franchise profitability, franchise owners can maximize overall business earnings, scaling a business that’s sustainable financially over the long term.Want to learn more about franchise opportunities on 1851 Franchise? Be sure to visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/power-rankings">Power Rankings</a> to read more on brands making moves.

How much can franchisees make? This guide explains what drives franchise earnings and how to manage costs, with expert tips from multi-unit owner Mangesh Patel on maximizing your franchise income.

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<a href="https://hardeesfranchising.com/">Hardee’s</a>, a 65-year-old burger chain best known for its Thickburgers and breakfast biscuits, is facing a fast-moving round of closures driven by a franchise dispute rather than a bankruptcy filing.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inc.com/ava-levinson/hardees-shutting-dozens-restaurants/91282586">Inc. recently reported that</a> 77&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchise-deep-dive-hardees-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2721286">Hardee’s</a> restaurants are expected to close within two weeks as one of the brand’s largest franchisees exits the system.&nbsp;According to the report, Hardee’s is suing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.arcburger.com/">ARC Burger</a> — a franchise operator owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.highbluffcap.com/">High Bluff Capital Partners</a> — alleging the company fell behind on required payments and other contract obligations. Twenty-eight locations had already gone dark as of late December, with remaining sites scheduled to shutter across eight states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina and Wyoming.&nbsp;At the center of the complaint is the franchising “stack” of ongoing fees and pass-through costs that keep a system running. ARC Burger allegedly owes more than $6.5 million, including royalties, advertising fund contributions, technology and training fees, rent and taxes, and that payments stopped in December 2024. Hardee’s also argued in the lawsuit that the franchisee’s cash flow was not being used to bring accounts current.&nbsp;Hardee’s, for its part, is framing the shutdowns as a contractual enforcement issue, not a brand-wide retrenchment. “These closures are a result of ARC Burger’s failure to cure its defaults under its franchise agreements, despite solid sales,” a Hardee’s spokesperson said.&nbsp;The situation highlights a familiar franchising pressure point: unit economics. Inc. reported that Hardee’s operates more than 1,800 U.S. restaurants and that average annual sales per location are less than $1.2 million, well below averages cited for&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchise-deep-dive-wendys-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2722520">Wendy’s</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-buy-a-mcdonalds-franchise-2724654#stories">McDonald’s</a>. Lower volumes can leave franchisees with less room to absorb higher labor, food and occupancy costs while staying current on fees.&nbsp;Hardee’s said it is working to limit fallout for workers and communities and is looking for ways to reopen closed restaurants. For franchising, the next chapter will likely involve finding replacement operators, transferring sites and rebuilding compliance — a reminder that franchise growth depends as much on franchisee solvency and execution as it does on consumer demand.Read the original article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inc.com/ava-levinson/hardees-shutting-dozens-restaurants/91282586">here</a>.Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.1851growthclub.com">www.1851growthclub.com</a> and start your journey.

Hardee's Franchise - ARC Burger Lawsuit - 1851 Franchise

The closures stem from alleged unpaid royalties and missed franchise obligations by a major operator, not a broader chainwide collapse for the Hardee’s system.

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The linear sales funnel is dying. Prospective buyers are no longer filling out a form at first glance and waiting for the phone to ring. They’re doing the majority of the heavy lifting before they even make themselves known to the franchisor. For franchisors, this means one key thing: you must know exactly where candidates spend their time. No guesswork. And you have to adjust your strategy accordingly.And, in today's buyer world, the biggest buzz term is 2026's ride or die for franchise brands – Ai.&nbsp;If you are trying to sell a franchise today, you must meet candidates where they are (four walls, Ai, website, social advertising).&nbsp;Focusing on a strong digital footprint first and then lead generation will help the brand with validation and will lay the foundation for trust before the first conversation even happens. Still, franchisors must know where to find their candidates and be confident the candidates are being sent to the right place.“We consistently see the strongest lead performance from Google Search (paid and organic), social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and our franchise development website,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlsnyder">Erin Snyder</a>, head of franchise development at&nbsp;<a href="https://handelsicecream.com/handels-franchise/">Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream</a>. “Because all awareness and advertising efforts ultimately funnel candidates to our development site, maintaining a highly optimized, mobile-first web presence is critical for conversion.”<h2>The "Hidden" Channels: Authentic Research via AiSEO</h2>While Google and major portals are often where a candidate might start a broad search, the deep research happens in the shadows. This is where candidates scroll, mindlessly or otherwise, simply observing rather than clicking “apply” immediately; or, ask Ai chatbots about the best franchises to buy, the blind spots, the why nots, and, of course, the whys.Right now, Ai plays a key role in this research stage. Buyers want the truth.&nbsp;For franchisors, this means your content strategy must pivot. It is no longer enough to post stock photos of happy business owners. You must document the journey, showing the behind-the-scenes reality that proves your concept has staying power.<h2>The Pivot From Print to Digital Interactivity</h2>While print media has been a channel for franchise development in the past, its static nature has made it less effective as the buyer’s journey has shifted to digital. Buyers are generally looking for channels that will allow them to click, read and continue the search immediately.“Traditional print media has largely become a thing of the past for franchise development,” Snyder said. “What has been encouraging, though, is seeing many of these publications successfully pivot to digital formats that offer greater interactivity, stronger analytics and far better linkability than print ever could.”This creates a more dynamic experience for the candidate. In addition to a digital article, franchisors can embed a “day in the life” video, for example, or hyperlink a deeper dive on costs and profits for instant validation.This shift also allows franchisors to track return on investment more effectively. Instead of guessing if an article or ad worked, digital publications allow you to see exactly who clicked through, allowing for retargeting and smarter budget allocation.<h2>The Conversion Hub: Your Mobile-First Website</h2>Once a candidate has discovered you on Google, watched your videos on TikTok and read about you in a digital publication, they finally arrive at the destination: your franchise development website.This is the bottom of the funnel, where you will win or lose a candidate. Because all other channels point here, your website cannot just be a digital brochure. It has to be a conversion engine. And crucially, it must work perfectly on a smartphone.The question can’t just be “Do we have a website?” Questions about the website should surround usability and readability. Is navigation easy on a smartphone? Does the site load quickly? Is it readable? If a prospect has to pinch-and-zoom to read your investment costs and financial performance, they will leave.An optimized, mobile-first presence is critical because it serves as the collection point; all other awareness efforts funnel potential franchisees to the site. The user experience here should validate the trust built on other channels. However, accessibility is only half the battle; the content itself must be unsparingly open. The website is the channel where you must prove your value proposition with hard data.“Across all channels, the messaging needs to be clear, concise and consistent,” Snyder said. “Candidates should be able to easily find transparent investment ranges and financial requirements, a clear value proposition, compelling franchisee success stories, key differentiators from competitors and straightforward next steps for how to inquire.”When you treat your website as a transparency engine rather than a gatekeeper, you change the dynamic of the eventual sales call. A candidate who has already consumed your financial data and success stories arrives at the inquiry stage educated and qualified. This allows the development team to skip the basic fact-finding and move straight to strategy and fit.“When a candidate submits an inquiry, the first conversation should build on what the candidate has already learned,” Snyder said “ensuring they understand the opportunity they are considering, clarifying details, personalizing the discussion to their goals and moving them into a structured education process rather than starting from scratch.”<h2>Allocating the Budget: The "Ideal Candidate" Approach</h2>While a presence across multiple channels — from search and social to digital publications — is key, understanding exactly how much to invest in each option is the next hurdle. There is no single, magical approach to budgeting; a brand selling multi-million-dollar franchises needs to develop a presence in different places than a low-cost, mobile franchise will.To spend effectively, you must deeply understand your ideal franchisee profile. Once you know who is investing, you can begin working on where to find them. For example, a high-net-worth investor might be on LinkedIn and reading digital trade journals, while a first-time investor or someone seeking an owner-operator model might be influenced by local Facebook ads.“Franchisors should start by understanding their ideal franchisee profile and then allocate budget toward the channels where those prospects spend the most time,” Snyder said. “The mix will naturally look different for a high-investment, multi-unit candidate than for a first-time owner-operator. Beyond that, it’s critical to consider overall brand awareness and invest in channels that consistently get both the brand and the franchise opportunity in front of qualified prospects. A balanced approach that supports both awareness and lead capture tends to produce the strongest results.”<h2>Key Takeaways and Next Steps:</h2>Make sure you have a content footprint that answers the top 25 questions asked about your brand in Ai and Google searchs.Review your mobile experience: Open your franchise development site on your phone. If it takes more than three seconds to load or if the "Apply" button is hard to find, fix it immediately.Embrace "lo-fi" video content: You don't need a production crew. Use a smartphone to record "day in the life" videos with your franchisees and post them to social to build authentic trust.Ensure transparency and continuity:&nbsp;Candidates need to be able to find the information they’re looking for, and the experience should be consistent between a social page and a franchise development site. Make sure your value proposition is clear across all channels.Embrace innovation, but don’t count out the classics:&nbsp;Look at the whole picture. Many candidates are exploring opportunities on supplemental platforms like social media or in the results of a Google search, but they’re still looking at the franchise development site, too. Don’t confine yourself to the “old reliable” methods, but don’t leave them behind, either.Budget by persona, not platform: Don't just "do Facebook ads." Define exactly who your buyer is, and spend your money only on the channels where that specific person consumes content.For more information on franchise growth channels, check out these related stories on 1851 Franchise:<ul><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-to-use-social-media-marketing-to-promote-your-franchise-2727185#stories">How To Use Social Media Marketing To Promote Your Franchise</a></li><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/building-a-franchise-website-that-converts-key-features-and-best-practices-2727363#stories">Building a Franchise Website That Converts: Key Features and Best Practices</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlfduHqGy7I">How to Sell Franchises | The Buyer Persona</a></li></ul>

To succeed in the shifting landscape, franchisors must understand the buyer’s journey, identify the ideal franchisee profile, and build a digital presence that meets candidates where they are.

From childhood dream to Franchising Reality: How SMB Franchise Advisors Helped Position K9 Resorts to Become a National Brand

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