Franchising Becomes An Appealing Alternative During ‘The Great Resignation’ – Forbes

Being your own boss has its perks — for business owners and their furry friends.
More and more, folks in corporate America are jumping ship to be their own boss by opening franchised businesses. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, that charge is being led by Millennials. They’re also the largest group of pet owners in the country, with pet parenthood continuing to soar. In 2022, over 70% of households reported having a pet.
According to Franchising.com, demographics — along with Covid-19 — have accelerated trends around both pet ownership and franchising. I sat down with Joe Dent, Three Dog Bakery’s President of Franchising, to learn how these trends affect their growing dog bakery business.
At Three Dog Bakery, we’re innovating new treats daily and carrying a curated selection of the best … [+] products out there for dogs.
Jeff Fromm: What are the major marketing trends you see in the pet space?
Joe Dent: One of the biggest trends we see is the humanization of pets. Approximately 85% of households with a dog consider that dog part of the family, and they’re certainly treating them that way. From choosing higher quality foods and treats with ingredients like superfoods, exotic proteins, and probiotics to adding daily supplements to improve their skin and coat or joint health, pet parents are taking the best possible care of their furry babies. At Three Dog Bakery, we’re responsible for keeping up with those trends. We’re innovating new treats daily and carrying a curated selection of the best products out there for dogs.
Fromm: What’s the relationship between Millennials and pets?
Dent: Millennials are now the largest generation of dog owners in the country, and this exploded even more during the Covid-19 pandemic. Adoption rates went through the roof. We’re seeing this generation delay having children and buying larger homes just so they can provide a bigger yard and better life for their dogs. They’ve changed the way society treats pets in public as they tend to take their dogs everywhere they go. Restaurants are adding patios and doggie menus. Hotels are now pet friendly. Pet insurance is considered essential and some companies have even added “pet maternity leave” for when an employee brings a new pup home. It’s been revolutionary. You can take your dog to work, which most of our franchisees do. Their pups often end up being the “bakery mascot and taste tester,” greeting our customers with love. Most importantly for us, millennials are celebrating birthdays, gotcha days and every holiday or milestone in between with their dogs, which is why we’re baking cakes and cookies for every occasion. Pet parents are including us in their dogs’ lives every day, which makes our business fun and rewarding.
Fromm: Some of your most recent franchisees are Millennials. Do you see a trend of them leaving corporate America to start their own business and, if so, why?
Dent: We absolutely do. Some of our newest franchisees in Houston, Fargo, and our soon-to-open Long Island location have left their 9-5s to own their own business. For every potential franchisee, we host what we call “Discovery Day” where they learn about us and we learn about them — their background and how they would fit in our organization. We ask them what made them want to leave their career behind to start a business and the answers are almost always the same. They’re looking for independence, financial freedom, authenticity, and an opportunity to own and operate a business that fulfills them and allows them to engage in their community. And of course, they’re passionate pet lovers with dogs. Let me read a couple of quick quotes from two recent franchisees.
“I moved to Fargo almost eight years ago. I knew moving to a smaller city that is growing gave me an opportunity to use my marketing career in a way that impacts the community. That community happens to be furry and four-legged. Having been an avid Three Dog customer, I saw an opportunity in Fargo that I could bring to dog owners.” — Megan Pechin Bergseth, Owner, Fargo, N.D.
“My wife and I are from the world of finance. Holding corporate jobs provided security but we never felt rewarded. We have always discussed about becoming business owners and having something we could call our own. We are pet lovers and proud dog parents, so it was only natural that we fell in love with the Three Dog Bakery brand. Three Dog represents more than just dog treats, their recipes include human-grade ingredients on all their products, which is highly healthy for our pets. We immediately envisioned ourselves as liaisons to their products because we treat our pets like children. Afterall, pets are our family.” — John Ma, Owner, Long Island, N.Y.
We hear stories like this all the time and we love it. As America’s original dog bakery, we believe our company is one of the most unique businesses available to franchise. Comments such as these affirm just that. Adding smart, driven, diverse, passionate franchisees to our network allows us to continue to bring the ritual of celebration to more communities around the country.
Fromm: What can other leaders learn from the increased interest you’ve seen in franchising?
Dent: Keep your eyes open. Just because someone has a secure corporate career doesn’t mean they’re not open or even looking for a change. If you’ve got a great concept that resonates with people’s passions, there are endless possibilities for engagement. A wise man once wrote “Do a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Look at every situation as a potential opportunity. You never know what it might be the start of.

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