Meet Richie and Leafy owners of DOGUE Wahroonga and Zetland
Richie and Leafy joined the DOGUE Franchise network in June 2016 when they opened DOGUE Wahroonga and in August 2017 they purchased DOGUE Zetland. Richie was a Mechanical Engineer, and Leafy, an account executive. Together they bring vast experience in financial management, technical sales, project management, and customer relations.
Richie and Leafy have always shared a deep passion for dogs. As the proud and adoring owners of Chiwha and Disco, they love to pamper their furry family. Chiwha and Disco have been long-time customers at DOGUE Bondi Junction where they are spoiled every time they come in for their routine grooming sessions.
Richie and Leafy are driven by an immense desire to deliver DOGUE’s high level service experience, and extend their love and care to all pooches.
We chat to Richie and Leafy about Franchising and their LOVE for dogs!
Why did you decide to go down the Franchise route?
Both of us were professionals and had virtually zero experience in running our own business. As we were planning to start our own dog grooming salon, we had no idea where to start. We decided to find a reliable and promising franchise to be part of so we could be guided into building and running our business. We also liked the idea that we would be provided with ongoing support to avoid pitfalls and to overcome challenges that every small business could face.
What attracted you to DOGUE?
We were firstly attracted to the uniqueness of the brand which really stands out in the market. At the time of joining, there were no competitors that had the high end brand image of DOGUE. After we got in touch with the lovely staff at DOGUE HQ, we were convinced by their professionalism and enthusiasm that DOGUE is a great brand to be proud of and to be apart of.
In your opinion, what makes a successful Franchisee?
What makes a successful franchisee is dedication to the success of your business. You need to:
- Have a good relationship and good communication with the Franchisor
- Have a genuine love for dogs
- Treat your customers and staff as your family.
What challenges have you faced as multi-store Franchise owners?
Time allocation between each store is always a challenge. Since we cannot physically be in either Wahroonga and Zetland for the most part of the week, it is vital to have a reliable team who will look after the store, the clients and the customers in the same way that we do. Good staff can be hard to find, train and keep.
What advice would you give to someone looking to open a Franchise?
Our advice would be to:
- Have a sound business plan
- Do thorough research in the market of the prospect area and choose your site wisely.
Your very own Disco is modelling in our 2018 A/W LookBook, how do you keep your two pups stylish?
We always work with our talented groomers to achieve their best look and we have them groomed very regularly. We also receive regular updates from our suppliers on the latest apparel designs - Chiwha and Disco always model the new designs!
If you want to find out more about DOGUE Franchising?
Enquire Now >
And here's a sneak peek of Disco modelling in our 2018 Lookbook:
3 comments
Woof Sarah! So glad you enjoyed reading Richie & Leafy’s story. They both split their time between each store working behind the scenes. However we do have Franchisees who have kept their full time jobs and have hired passionate employees to run the day to day store operations. I hope this answers your question! Licks and Sniffs
Thanks so much for sharing and congratulations on the success! It’s mentioned that both Richie and Leafy are unable to physically be in either Wahroonga and Zetland for the most part of the week. Does this mean both kept their full time professional jobs? It would be great to know. Thanks!
A really enjoyable article to read and congratulations to both Richie and Leafy for everything they are achieving!