Hounds Town USA held its annual Franchisee Conference at their dog daycare headquarters in Ronkonkoma, Long Island on Saturday, January 26 and Sunday, January 27. It was a chance for everyone involved in the franchise to finally meet…off leash!

Here are the highlights of this year’s conference:

1. Highest Attendance Ever.

Over 25 franchisees and managers attended this year, making 2019 the highest year for attendance on record yet. Attendees got to meet fellow owners, trouble shoot pup problems, get tips and hacks (and snacks!) …all while learning how to run a successful doggie day care.

2. New Marketing Initiatives.

Hounds Town announced a strategic partnership with social media marketing and content development company PowerHouse Marketing. PowerHouse launched a system-wide brand marketing campaign Feb. 1, which includes a new 90-day social media branding campaign for franchisees opening in new markets. Hounds Town also unveiled a new seasonal marketing campaign, complete with newly designed materials for in-store use and social media, and shared plans to expand video content.

3. Launch of a Hands-On Dog Training Seminar.

For the new pups in the pack, the corporate team launched a hands-on dog management seminar, designed to help new franchisees learn the basics of dog management. Founder Michael Gould led the class, with assistant dog trainer and corporate team member Ashly Tew. Attendees spent three hours working with dogs, visiting the playrooms, and learning the basics of dog training and management, gaining valuable skills to make their businesses successful.

4. Focus on the First 90 Days.

On Sunday, franchisees Steve Garibell and Anthony Mitchell (Hounds Town Bergen) delivered a powerful presentation on the best practices for the first 90 days in business. The best practice tips were designed to provide insight into what it’s like during the first 90 days in business, running and operating a top-notch doggie day care. They shared their best strategies for reaching KPIs, launching marketing, and jump starting the business.

5. Drilled Down Strategies on Running a Successful Business.

The 2019 conference featured dynamic presentations designed to cover all aspects of running a successful pet care business, from social media marketing to insurance and customer service. Travis Wilson of Martial Arts University presented “Small Business Management Strategies,” and Todd Harris of PowerHouse Marketing presented the “Five Strategies for Increasing Your Social Media Imprint.” Attendees were encouraged to identify areas of their businesses that could use improvement, and be strategic about creating avenues to address those areas.

6. Franchisee of the Year Award 

Hounds Town announced a new annual Franchisee of the Year award, which will be awarded each year at the annual conference. This year’s winners were Hounds Town Farmingdale, a location that is owned by two former employees of the corporate location and a former customer. They won for best overall performance in the following five areas: customer service, marketing and branding, facility maintenance, compliance, and gross revenue. They win an all-expenses-paid trip to next year’s conference, which will be held in Nashville or Atlanta.

The 2019 conference was such a success that the pet care franchise is setting up a committee to discuss plans for the 2020 conference. “The conference is a great opportunity for franchisees to share their ideas, hear about our new initiatives, meet new franchisees, and finally figure out exactly who ‘Super Dave’ is (this is an inside joke)!” says President Jackie Bondanza.

Hounds Town USA 2019 Franchisee Conference