Wellness Startup Founder and Turkish Immigrant Unleashes Passion For Dogs with Dog Training Elite Franchise

Jon Atilgan moved from Türkiye to the United States four years ago to pursue his master’s degree. During his time of study, he also started his own wellness-focused business and, although he found success in the industry, he continued to seek new challenges and opportunities to make a mark.

Around the same time, Atligan adopted his dog, Snowball. While he always had dogs growing up, Snowball is the first dog he has trained on his own.

"I really enjoyed training her and watched a lot of videos of training. This led to me helping my friends train their dogs," he said.

He soon started searching for an opportunity that combined his desire for a greater sense of community and his newfound passion of working with dogs. This time around, he decided to opt for an established franchise concept: Dog Training Elite*.

"The franchise system makes a lot of sense because you are not by yourself; you have a community of franchise owners and we post when we are stuck and help each other out," he said.

Atilgan has enjoyed the support and training offered by Dog Training Elite and hopes to provide the best dog training services in the Los Angeles area. 

1851 Franchise spoke with Atligan about his journey into franchising and his plans for the future.

FEATURE QUESTIONS

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

Atilgan: I moved to the United States about four years ago from Türkiye and did my master’s, during which I started an e-commerce business. I got my dog, Snowball, during that time and I started training her. She was my first dog; although I grew up with dogs, she was the first one I trained myself. I really enjoyed training her and watched a lot of videos of training. This led to me helping my friends train their dogs.

After a while working in e-commerce, I was missing interacting with people. I was so passionate about training my dog, so I thought about franchising with a concept that allowed me to explore that further.

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?

Atilgan: Being a person who started his own business and an entrepreneur, I know the difficulties that come with starting a business from scratch. There are a million things to figure out and it is difficult to get your name out there.

I wanted to either buy an established business or a franchise. The franchise system makes a lot of sense because you are not by yourself; you have a community of franchise owners and we post when we are stuck and help each other out. I have a mentor with the brand and get a lot of support and advice. It’s a much easier process being part of a franchise.

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

Atilgan: I love the system they offer. Commuting in LA is not very pleasant. As a client, you don’t want to take your dog to a facility that’s far and deal with traffic. We offer in-home training, which is very convenient for people in this area. 

Dogs are in their own environment, so training a dog in their own home, you fix 99% of the problems.

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

Atilgan: I have agreed to grow my territories up to six, serving LA and the surrounding areas. I hope to offer the best dog training services in LA.

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

Atilgan: I love working with dogs. Training dogs is not always easy because they don’t always want to be trained. They want to lay down and play games. But when you see progress, it’s the best thing in the world. There is a tipping point where the dog understands, and you can see that change in behavior; it’s very fulfilling. 

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

Atilgan: It has to be the right fit. Make sure the culture is right for you and the job description is right for you. It all needs to align with your ambition, personality and skills. Take some time to figure out the right match for you. 

ABOUT DOG TRAINING ELITE

With more than four decades of experience in dog training, Dog Training Elite is one of the country’s leading obedience and specialized training franchises. Offering a comprehensive suite of customizable training programs, Dog Training Elite works with dogs and owners to meet any and all training needs, including therapy dog training and advanced service dog training for PTSD support, psychiatric support, mobility support, autism support, diabetic alert training and an array of other services. In addition to the wide breadth of services offered, Dog Training Elite differentiates itself from competitors through a uniquely human-focused approach to dog training, which focuses on helping owners and their families learn to effectively and consistently support their dog’s training needs. To learn more about franchising with the Franchise 500 Dog Training Elite, visit https://dogtrainingelite.com/franchise.