For Kim Rode and her daughter Cassie, running their Pet Wants franchise in Cape Fear, North Carolina, has been a true family affair. As a mother-daughter duo, the franchise has not only allowed them to use their experience in retail and customer service to provide high-quality, fresh pet food to their community, but it has also brought them closer together. 

Kim Rode comes from a corporate background in retail management, working for major department stores like Macy’s and Circuit City, but her current career is in clinical research working as an executive assistant for one of the largest CROs in the world. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kim’s nephew introduced her to the Pet Wants franchise opportunity. “He was looking to expand his portfolio and get into business, and he thought that my daughters and I would be a great fit for Pet Wants,” she said. "It was really on a whim — we had no business experience, but the more we looked into it, the more we thought it sounded like a great opportunity.”

Cassie Rode, a full-time student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, had previous customer service experience from her time working as a group coordinator and front desk supervisor for a local arcade and fun park when she was younger. Her studies in communication, marketing and advertising also proved to be valuable in the entrepreneurial venture. 

“Through our research, we really liked how the Pet Wants business was started to help with pet issues and the founders tracked it all down to diet,” Cassie said. “We've noticed the changes in our own pets — two cats and we had a Beagle — by feeding them Pet Wants food, which is really cool.”

Since opening their Pet Wants of Cape Fear franchise in September 2021, Kim and Cassie have expanded their business from operating out of two small rooms to three large office spaces, one of which now serves as a showroom for their growing product line. Cassie has also taken the opportunity to learn carpentry, building everything in their showroom herself. 

Over the past year-and-a-half, both Kim and Cassie agree that working together as a family has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the business. 

"It has been fun, especially from somebody who came from having to work for other people and managers,” Cassie said. “Now, we get to spend a lot of quality time working together, which is nice since we don't live together anymore." 

"I didn’t even pay her to say that!” Kim added. 

And as a mother, Kim says she loves watching her daughter thrive in the business. “The experience that Cass is currently getting is something you could never buy,” she said. “You always want to teach your kids things, and they don’t always want to listen. This franchise is a great way to learn not only business lessons, but also life lessons.”

Pet Wants franchises, like the one run by Kim and Cassie, provide a flexible and proven business model for dedicated and passionate entrepreneurs. With the support of the Pet Wants franchise system, franchisees can make a meaningful impact in their communities by offering high-quality, convenient nutrition for pets.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/petwants/info