For more than 20 years, Justin Wagnon dedicated his life to serving his country. From joining the Army just weeks after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, to serving in the invasion of Iraq and later spending years in Special Forces and diplomatic security, Wagnon built a career defined by discipline, accountability and leadership.
When he retired from the military, however, he wasn't planning to become a business owner. That changed after he began exploring civilian career options through the Special Operators Transition Foundation. While the program introduced him to corporate opportunities, he quickly realized that path wasn't for him.
"I was going through that process and became very disenfranchised with corporate America," he said. “I pulled out of that program and, by happenstance, I got a random email from Vetrepreneur. I connected with them and started learning about franchising.”
After researching several concepts, one brand immediately stood apart: Woofie’s, the fast-growing pet care franchise. "I narrowed it down to three or four brands and noticed that the Woofie's team had a different mentality than everyone else," Wagnon said. "It felt like a family and they cared about what they were doing. After talking with the team and going through the process, I decided to take a chance because I liked the company and it seemed like a good business model to me."
After decades of following someone else's directives, Wagnon says he was ready for a change.
"I wanted to be able to control how the business was run," he said. “I wanted to do things my way. When you are in the Army, you don't have as much autonomy as a business owner. I was psychologically prepared for the amount of work that was going to need to go into it. I wanted something that was my own and I also wanted to give back to the community.”
Woofie's checked every box. As a lifelong dog lover, Wagnon appreciated the brand's mission and community-focused culture first and foremost, but he also believed the mobile pet care model was aligned with changing consumer expectations.
"I'm a huge dog lover and they were very keen on community engagement and doing grassroots events," he said. "Also, the services market is moving more toward that doorstep delivery model. People are so accustomed to things coming to them, so that may be the future of most of the service industry. That is the future of dog grooming as well."
Wagnon opened his Woofie's business in Huntsville, Alabama, in March 2025 and says one of the biggest advantages has been the support he continues to receive from the franchise system.
"It's been going great so far," he said. “It's very easy for me to get support when I need it. There is a host of different people that I can call and they help facilitate any questions that I have. It didn't change once we signed on.”
For veterans, Wagnon believes many of the leadership qualities developed during military service naturally translate into business ownership.
"For someone who has spent an extended period in the military, it is instilled in you to take ownership and hold yourself accountable," he said. “Any business owner would bring those kinds of leadership skills into business ownership. We also have an all-in-together mentality. We still communicate with the owners we came through with, and there is a lot of mutual support. There is also a lot of support from the headquarters as well.”
That combination of peer collaboration and franchise support has reinforced the same team-first culture Wagnon experienced throughout his military career.
While Wagnon has ambitious plans to continue growing his business, including adding a second mobile grooming van, he says sustainable growth starts with investing in people.
“We are in a good spot right now and I've built a great team,” he said. “Focusing on the personnel is now paying dividends because I have two very talented managers. The plan is to expand. You have to build a team of good people. I can't do 95% of what is required to run the company, but I can hire the right people who can. The people really make the business.”
For veterans considering entrepreneurship, Wagnon's journey demonstrates that the qualities developed through military service, such as leadership, accountability, resilience and teamwork, can provide an ideal foundation for franchise ownership. Combined with Woofie's family-oriented culture, community focus and ongoing support, those skills have given him a new mission centered on building both a successful business and a strong local team.
For more information on franchising with Woofie's, visit https://1851franchise.com/woofies.
Woofie's
SPONSORED
After 20 years in the U.S. Army, retired Special Forces sergeant Justin Wagnon found the leadership, autonomy and community impact he sought in civilian life through owning a Woofie’s franchise.
For more than 20 years, Justin Wagnon dedicated his life to serving his country. From joining the Army just weeks after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, to serving in the invasion of Iraq and later spending years in Special Forces and diplomatic security, Wagnon built a career defined by discipline, accountability and leadership.
When he retired from the military, however, he wasn't planning to become a business owner. That changed after he began exploring civilian career options through the Special Operators Transition Foundation. While the program introduced him to corporate opportunities, he quickly realized that path wasn't for him.
"I was going through that process and became very disenfranchised with corporate America," he said. “I pulled out of that program and, by happenstance, I got a random email from Vetrepreneur. I connected with them and started learning about franchising.”
After researching several concepts, one brand immediately stood apart: Woofie’s, the fast-growing pet care franchise. "I narrowed it down to three or four brands and noticed that the Woofie's team had a different mentality than everyone else," Wagnon said. "It felt like a family and they cared about what they were doing. After talking with the team and going through the process, I decided to take a chance because I liked the company and it seemed like a good business model to me."
After decades of following someone else's directives, Wagnon says he was ready for a change.
"I wanted to be able to control how the business was run," he said. “I wanted to do things my way. When you are in the Army, you don't have as much autonomy as a business owner. I was psychologically prepared for the amount of work that was going to need to go into it. I wanted something that was my own and I also wanted to give back to the community.”
Woofie's checked every box. As a lifelong dog lover, Wagnon appreciated the brand's mission and community-focused culture first and foremost, but he also believed the mobile pet care model was aligned with changing consumer expectations.
"I'm a huge dog lover and they were very keen on community engagement and doing grassroots events," he said. "Also, the services market is moving more toward that doorstep delivery model. People are so accustomed to things coming to them, so that may be the future of most of the service industry. That is the future of dog grooming as well."
Wagnon opened his Woofie's business in Huntsville, Alabama, in March 2025 and says one of the biggest advantages has been the support he continues to receive from the franchise system.
"It's been going great so far," he said. “It's very easy for me to get support when I need it. There is a host of different people that I can call and they help facilitate any questions that I have. It didn't change once we signed on.”
For veterans, Wagnon believes many of the leadership qualities developed during military service naturally translate into business ownership.
"For someone who has spent an extended period in the military, it is instilled in you to take ownership and hold yourself accountable," he said. “Any business owner would bring those kinds of leadership skills into business ownership. We also have an all-in-together mentality. We still communicate with the owners we came through with, and there is a lot of mutual support. There is also a lot of support from the headquarters as well.”
That combination of peer collaboration and franchise support has reinforced the same team-first culture Wagnon experienced throughout his military career.
While Wagnon has ambitious plans to continue growing his business, including adding a second mobile grooming van, he says sustainable growth starts with investing in people.
“We are in a good spot right now and I've built a great team,” he said. “Focusing on the personnel is now paying dividends because I have two very talented managers. The plan is to expand. You have to build a team of good people. I can't do 95% of what is required to run the company, but I can hire the right people who can. The people really make the business.”
For veterans considering entrepreneurship, Wagnon's journey demonstrates that the qualities developed through military service, such as leadership, accountability, resilience and teamwork, can provide an ideal foundation for franchise ownership. Combined with Woofie's family-oriented culture, community focus and ongoing support, those skills have given him a new mission centered on building both a successful business and a strong local team.
For more information on franchising with Woofie's, visit https://1851franchise.com/woofies.
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