Tucson, Arizona Attorney To Bring Scoop Soldiers Franchise to the Community

With six dogs and three horses, Marian LaLonde, director at Fennmore Craig law and a two-territory Scoop Soldiers owner, has always been an animal lover. When she began brainstorming potential investment opportunities with two friends, the group came across Scoop Soldiers, the pet waste removal franchise with 40-plus units and counting. 

After meeting with the team, LaLonde was confident in the company culture and respected how the franchise took advantage of a high-demand service model to scale. In addition to the strength of the model, LaLonde was attracted to the fun investment opportunity that spoke to her passion for pets. With plans to begin operations on October 2, LaLonde and her partners aim to become model franchisees within the system while giving back to the local Tucson community.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

LaLonde: I’m an attorney, and I was looking for a fun side hustle. After talking with some good friends of mine, who run a couple of different businesses, we brainstormed and commensurated on something that would be fun for us to invest in together. We’re all dog lovers; we own nine dogs between us. When they came to me earlier this spring and suggested Scoop Soldiers, we all had a good laugh. You can’t take yourself too seriously in a business where you pick up dog poop! For us, the idea was perfect. Finding a business that we all can be involved in as dog lovers… the pet industry made total sense. 

I’ll still continue to work as an attorney, and they’ll continue to work at their jobs as well. We are hopeful that this will be a fun investment opportunity for us to pursue in addition to our careers.

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 are in it?

LaLonde: I have had several clients that I’ve either helped franchise their business or purchase a franchise over the years. I knew what to look for in the franchise agreements. One of the things I really liked about Scoop Soldiers in particular, is that they are very transparent. That’s not something you generally see from franchisors. Many of them will try to hide some aspects of the business or emphasize just the pieces of information that make them look good.

Scoop Soldiers early on in the process gave us the names and numbers of other franchisees and told us to feel free to give them a call. The process ran smoothly and Scoop Soldiers was always responsive to our requests and questions.

I would want someone to know that all franchise agreements are written to be very franchisor-friendly. It’s so important to read and understand how all of that works, and if you can, get an attorney to review it with you, as well.

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

LaLonde: The brand represents the pet industry and service industry. Certainly after COVID, no business is entirely pandemic or recession-proof, but the service industry in general and Scoop Soldiers actually grew during the pandemic. This is indicative of the fact that there truly is a need for this service. This service represents one of those obvious but not-so-obvious business models. So many people have dogs, and all of them have to pick up poo. Scoop Soldiers were the ones to actually capitalize on going into people’s yards and doing it for them.

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

LaLonde: Our franchise covers all of Tucson and the surrounding areas, so we’re really excited. One of the first things we’re going to do is get a booth at the home show, which is happening the first weekend after we launch. One of my business partners, Christian, is a super-motivated individual. He said that he wants our franchise to be the standard for new launches. He wants to be the example that leadership can say, “You need to do it the way they did it in Tucson.”

We all have big plans to get this launched and grow very quickly. We’re hoping that we can market and leverage retirement communities and commercial contracts to bring in more business, including apartment complexes and HOA run dog parks.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

LaLonde: Growing up in Tucson, I was on my own at a young age. Homeless and in foster care. This community really took care of me. I’m successful as a result of this community rallying around me as a young person, and helping me achieve college and law school. I’ve been very fortunate to have so much support from this community, and this gives me an opportunity to engage with my community in a different and fun way to give back.

I do quite a bit of nonprofit work, and have helped form and advise quite a few tax exempt organizations. Aside from the shelters, I also help advise an organization dedicated to the support of retired law enforcement and military dogs. I know that Scoop Soldiers does quite a bit to help with and sponsors service dogs with Valor Service Dogs, so it is a natural connection.

The horses and dogs in my life growing up are one of the main reasons why I made it through some toughest times in my life. Animals are therapeutic and helpful. Everyone I know with a pet can relate. 

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

LaLonde: Get the legal advice. Ultimately, taking a risk and doing something that you’re passionate about is important. There are a lot of benefits to franchising versus starting something from the ground up because you have support and market data. You have a model, and you have folks who have already tested what works and what doesn’t.

You just have to be careful that all of it’s a good fit. One of the main things I wanted to make sure of when we were talking to the Scoop Soldiers leadership team was that we would get to know and work with the people that would be our team members. It was important to us to find a franchise where we didn’t just feel like a number — that we were actually people. Think about what your values are and how they will interact with the business. Then, find a franchise that fits those values.

The total initial investment to begin the operation of a Scoop Soldiers franchise is $68,300-$118,300. To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/scoopsoldiers/info .

About Scoop Soldiers:

Scoop Soldiers was established in 2010 to give pet parents a break from the dirty work of cleaning up after their pets. Not only does Scoop Soldiers help to keep yards clean, but it also saves clients’ time. Pet waste removal services are available at residential and pet-friendly commercial clients, such as apartment complexes, pet care centers and hotels. Clients can opt for service packages that range from three visits per week to a onetime cleanup for a special event. Scoop Soldiers helps to eliminate odor, germs and unsightly appearances from private and commercial properties. For more information on franchising with Scoop Soldiers, please visit scoopsoldiersfranchise.com.