Scoop Soldiers Builds Daily Flexibility for Frisco, Texas Franchisees

Scoop Soldiers, the pet waste removal franchise with 40-plus units and counting, is an attractive business opportunity for entrepreneurs seeking a flexible, low-overhead service model. While some owners leverage the flexibility of Scoop Soldiers ownership to devote time and attention to other pursuits, the model also works well for entrepreneurs looking to build a strong business then step into a more absentee or semi-absentee ownership structure.

“Ron [Battaglia] is my partner in Scoop Soldiers,” explained John Amaroufi, an owner of the Frisco, Texas Scoop Soldiers. “We had worked together prior to Scoop Soldiers, and I just brought up the idea of the concept to him one day. I never knew it existed, but he said he was going to Discovery Day in a few days, so I decided to join him.”

As a former lawn care, ATM and salon business owner, Battaglia was no stranger to building a business, and he had already learned the ropes of the service industry. Amaroufi was “the numbers guy,” and he saw the strength of the Scoop Soldiers model, too. The two started their journey with Scoop Soldiers with two Dallas-area territories. They later expanded to two more territories in the state, bringing their territory count to four. When Battaglia decided to retire in Florida, the duo invested in four Sunshine State territories.

The team has seen strong success with the brand since launching their first two territories.

“I’ve built a concrete company, a real estate investment company and some other things,” said Amaroufi. “It has always been a pretty big uphill battle before you start making money. Sometimes it takes two to three years to become profitable. We were able to buy an enhanced territory with Scoop Soldiers, and it was quite surprising — in a good way. We were profitable at the end of the first month.”

As the two have grown with the brand, they have been able to build a team of reliable technicians and territory-level leaders. 

“John and I really rely on our two field managers to oversee the technicians,” said Battaglia. “With the initial training from Scoop Soldiers and the ongoing mentorship from our local managers, our technicians stay on the right track. It’s this combination that has really allowed John and I the flexibility we have.”

Amaroufi and Battaglia also rely heavily on Amaroufi’s wife, Elizabeth.

“John is the ‘wizard behind the curtain’ whereas I have been the ‘feet on the street,’ steering the ship on a daily basis. John’s wife, Elizabeth, is a direct line overseeing the two area operations,” explained Battaglia. “She is instrumental in managing the day-to-day activities of our entity and is the catch-all for synchronization for both our Tampa and Frisco franchises. She is the direct conduit that keeps John and I ‘on the rails’ while processing, tracking and overseeing the execution of all business activities.”

While they are not entirely separated from the business and still check in to make sure everything is running smoothly, they are able to trust that daily operations will be handled, and they can devote their energy to other pursuits.

Amaroufi continues to work in construction and lending, and he serves on the Board of Directors for the Scoop Soldiers corporate organization. After coming to a mutual understanding of the value that Scoop Soldiers brought to his life, Scoop Soldiers approached Amaroufi to join the Board of Directors. With a strong belief in the business model and a dedication to protecting and elevating the ownership experience for many franchisees to come, he chose to join the team.

He is also the Vice President of the Board of Directors for Camp Gilmont, a nonprofit kids camp and conference center in East Texas.

“If I chose to, I could have a great work-life balance, but I’m still working on a few other projects,” said Amaroufi. “I do have a pretty good balance, still. I don’t work every weekend; I might work a Saturday once a month, and I never work a Sunday. I do pretty well in that regard. I have been very fortunate to build a good team around me so I don’t have to dedicate a lot of time to doing daily sets of tasks like payroll or billing. I can just focus my time on the big picture — steer the ship and answer the tough questions.”

While Battaglia’s day-to-day looks a bit different, it’s that same team that allows him to embrace his current lifestyle. He still checks Scoop Soldiers emails on his phone and steps in with customer service questions when necessary, but he is also able to sit back and relax a bit.

“What has the flexibility allowed me to do? I’m talking to you from South Tampa, and I have another place in St. Petersburg if I ever want to visit that area,” said Battaglia. “I have had a lot of hobbies over the years. I used to be an amateur magician, a snow skier and a scuba diver. I did all of those things, but I’m not an adrenaline junkie anymore. As I get older, I like to wake up and say, ‘What do I want to do today?’ Then I'll go do it.”

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