It’s no secret that the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has negatively affected women at a disproportionate rate. It’s been widely reported that women have had more challenging experiences at home and work, and that their physical health and mental wellbeing have taken a significant toll. So, it’s no wonder that as a result, more women are taking risks and pursuing their dream careers.
Now, more than ever, people are realising that life is much too short to be miserable in a job that they don’t enjoy, especially when redundancies are commonplace and employment security is up in the air. Over the past year, the We Love Pets franchise network has grown in response to this. Each of our franchisees has a different background and unique set of skills, with varying journeys to franchise ownership, but all with a common thread – they’re passionate about working with animals and following a dream of being their own boss.
Last month we introduced four new leading ladies to the We Love Pets family, here are their stories:
We Love Pets Waterlooville
After completing a degree in social work, Abbi realised that it wasn’t everything she’d dreamed of. Although her work as a children and families support worker has been incredibly rewarding, it’s not been entirely fulfilling. She’s always dreamed of working with animals, and this past year made her realise that, “life’s too short to plod along,” and that, “[she] wants to look back and have no regrets!” And where the idea of starting a business on her own was scary and overwhelming, the We Love Pets franchise was ideal as it let her be her own boss, but with a proven business model and backing support network.
We Love Pets Haywards Heath
After being made redundant, Laura – a mum of two – decided it was time to find a career that she was passionate about, and one with a flexible schedule to fit around her family. She thought about setting up on her own, but knew firsthand how much time, effort and investment were required at the start, as her husband started a business a few years prior. Not totally keen on doing it all again, the franchise model stood out to her as it offered a pre-established plan and support. And We Love Pets was the right fit as it offered the opportunity to work with animals (a passion of hers), be outdoors more, and the flexibility she needed for her daily life.
We Love Pets Burgess Hill
Even pre-lockdown, Kathryn found herself stuck behind a desk for 10+ hours a day. She liked her role as a recruitment consultant, but definitely didn’t love it. Kathryn said she was, “desperate not to be tied to a desk,” and she, “liked the idea of running [her] own business.” And having an education in business studies, she was familiar with franchising. She liked the “business in a box” concept that We Love Pets offered, as it was scalable and had opportunities for expansion, as opposed to being a one-man band. After speaking to some of the franchisees in the network, Kathryn realised that We Love Pets ticked all of her boxes – working for herself, getting outdoors, and working with animals – and she was sold!
We Love Pets Wakefield
At just 19 years old, Lucy is our youngest franchisee to date! When deciding what kind of career she wanted to pursue, she knew that working with animals was a must. And, when Lucy’s dad saw We Love Pets advertised on Channel 4’s “Steph’s Packed Lunch,” he knew it was the perfect fit for her. Lucy and her mum, Elaine, got in touch to discuss the franchise opportunity and were really impressed with the warm, family feel of the network. Not being too familiar with the franchise model, Lucy did some research and liked that it offered so many resources within the support network – “it was reassuring to know that I wouldn’t be alone.” Having volunteered in kennels previously, she absolutely loves animals and is really looking forward to making bonds with her customers and their pets.
Studies show that franchising is a growing industry, and over the past three years, 37% of new franchisees have been female (ewif.org). This trend is expected to continue, and as we emerge in a post-pandemic society, the time has never been better for women to take control of their financial futures. We Love Pets alone boasts a network that is 80% female, and growing!
And if the increase in pet ownership during lockdown is anything to go by, the pet care industry is bound to grow in tandem. Our branches are seeing unprecedented numbers of enquiries and service requests even now, which indicate a bright and promising future for We Love Pets.
Interested in learning more about our franchise opportunities? Get in touch today – we’d love to hear from you!
