Owning a business in the pet industry can be both rewarding and demanding. For franchisees with Pet Wants, the fast-growing pet wellness franchise, success comes from a combination of purpose, partnership and persistence.

The brand’s mission of providing fresh, high-quality nutrition for pets attracts owners who genuinely care about the animals and families they serve. But passion alone isn’t enough. Pet Wants franchisees also benefit from an extensive support system and a business model that rewards those who commit to learning, growing and working hard in their communities.

For Pet Wants franchisee Valerie Steinmetz, for example, those three ingredients have been essential to building her business.

Passion for Pets and Their Health

Many Pet Wants franchisees first discover the brand as pet owners searching for better nutrition options for their own animals. That personal connection often becomes the spark that leads them to entrepreneurship.

For Steinmetz, the journey began when her own dog developed health issues. “She was five years old and started getting allergies,” she said. “The more research I did on what could be causing it and what we could do to help her, the more it pointed to food and nutrition.”

As she dug deeper into the pet food industry, Steinmetz found the experience frustrating. That search eventually led her to Pet Wants and its franchise opportunity — a concept that immediately resonated with her.

“I loved what the brand was about – from the products and high standards for pet wellness to the owners’ community involvement and local presence,” Steinmetz said. “It checked a lot of boxes for me.”

Today, that personal passion still drives her business. Steinmetz says the most successful Pet Wants owners are those who genuinely care about helping pets live healthier lives.

“You have to have that passion for pets and animals,” she said. “Our clientele's pets are family members. Most Pet Wants owners really have that passion for what they are doing.”

That authenticity matters to customers — especially those who are looking for solutions to their pets’ health challenges. “Our passion stems from our own personal experience with our dog,” Steinmetz said. “It’s nice to be able to help pet parents because we’ve been there ourselves."

A Support System Built for Growth

While passion provides the motivation, franchise success also depends on having the right support structure behind the scenes.

Pet Wants provides franchisees with comprehensive training, ongoing coaching and a collaborative network of fellow owners. New franchisees begin with onboarding support and training focused on pet nutrition, marketing and business operations. From there, they continue working closely with franchise business coaches and the brand’s marketing and operations teams.

That level of support allows franchisees to focus on building relationships with customers and growing their local presence.

The brand’s unique two-phase model also helps owners get started quickly. Franchisees typically begin by operating a mobile store, selling at community events such as farmers markets and pet-focused events. This allows them to build brand awareness and develop a customer base even before opening a brick-and-mortar location.

Steinmetz followed a similar path when launching her business. “We started the business in November of 2022 and opened in April 2023,” she said. “We were only mobile for about five months.”

Although the mobile model helped introduce the brand locally, Steinmetz and her husband knew they wanted to open a storefront as soon as possible. “We were the first franchisee required to have a store open within a year,” she said. “We knew that was the path we wanted to go. Opening a store made a big difference for us because we could tell people where we were located. It gave us some more validity.”

Hard Work, Consistency and a Willingness to Learn

Even with passion and support, building a successful franchise still requires dedication and a willingness to put in the work. For Steinmetz, one of the biggest lessons she has learned is the importance of consistency.

“It’s hard to get started, but you have to show up every day,” she said. “You can’t close early just because no one is there. You have to be there for people when they need you.”

Reliability builds trust with customers, especially in a community-focused retail environment where relationships matter. “People’s time is valuable,” she said. “You have to respect that and make it as easy as possible for them to shop with you.”

Continuous learning is another key part of the process. Steinmetz says listening closely to customers has helped shape the way she runs her store. And because Pet Wants operates as an education-focused pet business, understanding customers’ needs can also drive referrals and long-term growth.

“We are a solutions-based business,” Steinmetz said. “We’re trying to give customers another option and provide a solution for people whose dogs may have something like a sensitive stomach or skin issues. If you stay true to that and bring in products that help people, the word spreads.”

Building a Business With Purpose

By combining passion for pets, strong franchisor support and the willingness to work hard and keep learning, Pet Wants franchisees can create businesses that grow steadily while making a difference in the lives of pets and their owners.

As Steinmetz’s experience shows, those three pillars often go hand in hand. “It hasn’t always been easy and there are, of course, challenges,” she said. “But that’s part of the joy and reward of owning your own business. If I could, I would do the whole thing over again every single time.”

Ready to build a business rooted in purpose, passion and pet health and wellness? Visit https://1851franchise.com/petwants/info to learn more about franchising with Pet Wants.