Colorado Springs Couple Turns Their Dog’s Health Journey Into a Mission-Driven Pet Wants Business

When Ruby, their lovable pit bull, joined their household, Kariann Harker and Jerrod Bohannon had no idea her food and environmental sensitivities would lead them down a whole new career path. Like so many other pet parents, they struggled to find answers and solutions for Ruby's food sensitivities at the big box stores. After years in the health care and automotive industries, they decided it was time to do something that aligned with their values and lifestyle. In June, they opened a Pet Wants location serving Colorado Springs  — not just to sell fresh, nutritious pet food, but to be the kind of trusted resource they wish they’d had six years ago. Now, they’re attending markets, meeting pet lovers face-to-face and building a business with purpose — one bowl at a time.

1851 spoke with Kariann and Jerrod to learn more about their backgrounds, what drew them to Pet Wants and their plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Kariann Harker: Dogs have always been a huge passion of mine — they really bring life to me. What got us started in this was Ruby, our pit bull. She has a lot of sensitivities, and we were always looking for something healthy that she could eat.

Jerrod Bohannon: When we adopted Ruby seven years ago, we had been lucky with our previous dogs — they didn’t have health issues like she did. But with her, we really struggled. We didn’t have anyone who could help guide us. It was a lot of trial and error, and the big box stores weren’t much help. About a year ago, I was laid off, and that pushed us to start exploring new paths. We knew we wanted to do something of our own, and when we found Pet Wants, it lined up perfectly with what we wished we had had back then.

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Kariann: I’ve always been in the health care industry, working front desk in various clinics.

Jerrod: I was in the automotive industry for about 15 years on the corporate side. That meant a lot of moving around, but we were looking for a way to stay in one place and finally put down roots again.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you’re in it?

Kariann: Even starting with a franchise, it felt overwhelming at times. I can’t imagine trying to bring something like this to life without the support system we’ve had. That support has made all the difference.

Jerrod: Yeah, I don’t even know where we would’ve begun trying to bring our own product to market. Especially with how busy our lives are, building something from scratch just wouldn’t have been feasible.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Jerrod: We looked at a few different brands before we found Pet Wants. What really stood out was the business model — being able to start mobile without having to wait on a physical location meant we could start building our customer base immediately. That was huge. Also, the difference in working with the Pet Wants team was night and day. They made sure we were ready and that this was the right fit — it wasn’t just a quick sale. The process was clear, and the support has been great.

Kariann: Their focus on pets — really putting the animals first — was huge for us. That’s exactly what we were looking for.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Kariann: We had a really successful first month, and now we’re setting goals for the future. Right now, we’re focused on getting out there as much as possible. We’ve got 20 events lined up just this month. This area is super pet-friendly, and people here are always looking for ways to improve their pets’ lives — and that makes their own lives better, too. They’re looking for solutions, and not all the big box stores can offer those.

Jerrod: The community has really welcomed us. There’s a market downtown we do every other Sunday, and just yesterday there was so much foot traffic we actually wore out a patch of grass. We’re seeing real momentum.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Kariann: I want people to know they can come to us and trust us to help find a solution — whether it’s for healthy treats, stress issues or anything in between. And if we don’t have the answer right away, we’ll do the work to find it.

Jerrod: We got into this because we love animals. We want to help as many as we can — even if we’re not the right solution, we’ll help you find the one that is. That’s the kind of people we are.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Kariann: Believe in yourself, and write down your questions. Don’t assume you’ll remember everything in the moment — there’s a lot of information coming at you, and you want to make sure you’re asking the right things to make yourself comfortable. It’s definitely worth it.

ABOUT PET WANTS:

Pet Wants is a pet health and wellness company that strives to improve the nutrition, health, vitality, and well-being of pets. Founded in 2010, the brand’s specially crafted, private-label pet food formulas are made in small batches with fresh, natural ingredients complete with vitamins and minerals for a complete and balanced diet in every bowl, all made in the USA. Pet Wants has set a new standard in what you should expect in your pet food through their 140+ locations across the United States. To learn more about Pet Wants, visit https://www.petwants.com/ or follow Pet Wants on LinkedIn, @petwantsusa on Facebook, @petwants on Twitter and Instagram.