Dog walking service business plan
Do you want to start your own dog walking business? Dogs are the most common pet in the world, with 89.7 million dogs maintained as pets in the United States in 2017. According to a recent survey, these dog owners need the services of dog walkers who can take their pet pups for a much-needed stroll while they are away.
The majority of Americans lavish lavishly on their pets, the bulk of which are dogs. So, if you’re thinking about starting this business, you should know that with proper planning, you may earn a lot of money.
The first step in entering this field is to develop a clear plan that will serve as the basis for your company’s future operations and decisions. Despite the fact that a dog walking business is simpler and easier to start than other businesses, you will still want a thorough business plan to choose your course of action.
So, if you’re curious in how to write a successful business plan, we’ve created one for a puppy walking firm named ‘PupWalk.’
The Company
PupWalk will be located in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, approximately a fifteen-minute drive away. The American Pet Association will license the company, and it will have all of the resources it needs to provide the finest service possible.
The firm will be owned and administered by Ted Mills, a well-known dog trainer in the United States. Mills has worked as an executive at a number of prominent dog training companies around the United States. As a consequence, he knows how to start a dog walking business and generate money even after the first year.
Management
Even the most basic business, such as a dog walking service, has its own set of specifications. You may be wondering, “What do I need to start a dog walking business?” The most important thing you’ll need for your company is effective management. Mills will be in charge of the company’s overall operations and will hire just a few people at first. His niece, Lisa Mills, a financial professional, will assist him in managing the company’s finances.
Customers
The company intends to serve one of the richest and busiest cities in the United States. The region’s population earns about $400,000 per year on average and is primarily absorbed in their daily routine. That is why we are willing to assist them with our professional dog-walking services.
The Company’s Objective
Within three years of its founding, the company intends to provide the highest quality service to its customers and to become New York City’s top dog walking company. Mills plans to establish a few more stores in other cities as well.
The company’s financial experts have forecasted revenues and profitability over the next three years after its launch.
Owner of a business
PupWalk will be owned by Mills, who has spent almost his entire life among dogs. Mills has always had a soft spot for dogs, even as a child. He has spent the past 20 years working at various dog training facilities around the United States.
Why is the company being established?
Mills has long wanted to start a dog walking business since he loves dogs and had been planning for it. He believes he has thoroughly explored the area of dog training and that it is now time for him to go on to other dog-related activities. He wants to dedicate his life to assisting these vulnerable, mute creatures, and the only way he can do it is to start his own business. When compared to other dog services, the dog walking service was the most acceptable option since it requires the least amount of money and time.
How will the company get started?
Every part of Mills’ business has been thoroughly managed. Mills will make the whole first investment himself and will not need any loans, at least for the first year. Mill has worked in the pet industry and knows how to start and market a dog walking business.
PupWalk will be a licensed, bonded, and insured dog boarding facility. Mills is working on getting the company’s license and has already found a wonderful location in the city’s residential zone. With the help of specialists, the inventory cost was determined. With the help of financial experts, Mills assessed the following expenses for the Start-up: spending, assets, investment, and bank loans.
Analysis of the dog walking industry’s marketing
A comprehensive marketing analysis is the most important part of a dog walking service business strategy. Mills spent a lot of time thinking about the dog walking business plan before putting it together. He even enlisted the help of marketing experts to help him design a business plan for a dog walking service.
Market Developments
The pet industry has exploded in popularity in recent years. US families spent $60.28 billion in 2015, $66.75 billion in 2016, and $69.36 billion in 2017, according to the American Pet Products Association. These data show that if you market yourself well, you may make a lot of money in this profession.
The dog walking business has been continuously developing in the pet industry, and the number of companies providing dog services has exploded. Our experts determined that dog walking services are in great demand, especially in busy cities like New York, after doing significant research.
Segmentation of the Market
We can only build an effective and efficient marketing campaign if we understand our target audience. As a consequence, our marketing experts carried out extensive research to discover who our target customers are. The following target audiences have been identified by our experts as prospective future clients for our services and products:
Our dog walking service is mostly for clients who are unable to commit time to their dogs due to a busy schedule or who are unable to walk their pets due to medical issues.
We will walk our clients’ dogs while they are at work, on vacation, or on a weekend trip. In addition to the dog walking service, we will provide training, exercise, feeding, and medical services for the dogs.
Individual Families
Our services and merchandise will be used mostly by the community in the city’s Chelsea sector. In the residential community, there are three types of people that will need our services.
The first is the young, who do not have time to walk their dogs due to their busy scholastic and social activities.
The second category consists of working-class men and women who are unable to walk their dogs due to their demanding schedules.
The third category consists of senior citizens whose health precludes them from taking a walk.
These folks are also big fans of our dog training, exercise, and veterinary services. Furthermore, our support will be required only on official weekdays for the first two groups. We will see a decline in purchases from these groups throughout the summer, when the majority of the younger residents are on vacation.
Organizations in Business
Detective dogs are used by several companies, including police and security agencies. They need our services all year in order for their dogs to be healthy.
Dealers in Dogs
There are also a handful of dog vendors in New York City. They must also maintain the health of their dogs, but they are unable to walk such a large number of dogs. As a consequence, we will provide our services to them. We’re expecting that by working with these dealers, we’ll be able to generate a significant amount of revenue. Throughout the year, they will need our aid.
Shelters for animals
There are around 3500 animal shelters in the United States that accommodate abandoned, stray, or lost animals. We aim to concentrate our efforts on animal shelters in our near neighborhood since these shelters often lack dog walking employees.
A complete market analysis of our potential clients may be seen in the table below:
Business Objective
We intend to be the best dog walking business in New York City within the next three years. Our company’s objectives may be divided into the following categories:
We intend to establish a monthly net profit margin of $20k by the end of the first year.
Increase the profit margin by at least 15% per year.
The launch expenses and revenues should be equal after three years.
Pricing of Products
Our products and services are comparable in price to those of our competitors. The purpose of this pricing approach is to attract as many customers as possible. There will be three types of bundles available:
The cost of a day’s package starts at $15.
Weekly packages start at $60.
Monthly packages start at $500.
These packages include transportation charges as well. Training and exercise will be included in the monthly plan. Veterinary services are provided free of charge in the event of an emergency.
Strategy
Following the marketing research, the next step was to come up with a strategy for efficiently targeting them. The experts at our firm designed the following strategy:
Analysis of Competitors
Fortunately, there are just a few other dog walking services in Chelsea, New York City. As a consequence, we’ll be up against some formidable opposition. Our most major competitive advantage will be the scale of our company, as well as the additional canine training, exercise, and veterinary services we provide. Our transportation services, which no one else in the town provides, will be our second competitive edge.
Strategy for Selling
In order to increase sales, Mills got many dog walking business recommendations from sales experts. It was decided that we would offer customized transportation for our customers so that they could easily move their dogs to us. Organizations, dealers, and shelters will be eligible for special packages and prices.
Forecasted Sales
Based on market demand and the quality of our services, we expect our sales pattern to expand over time. Our experts predicted the following sales on a yearly basis, as shown in the column charts.
Employees of the company
Mills will oversee the company’s overall operations, while Lisa will oversee the finances. During the first year of operation, the firm will recruit a modest crew. Over the course of three years, the team will expand in lockstep with revenue growth. One of the first workers hired is an accountant who will manage financial records.
- 4 sales and marketing executives responsible with collaborating with businesses, dog breeders, and animal shelters.
- A total of 15 dog walkers will perform the core service.
- 5 Dog Trainers that could be able to help them with exercise
- Four drivers are needed to carry dogs from dealers, organizations, and shelters.
- 1 Front Desk Officer to operate as a receptionist in the company office.
- One veterinary doctor will provide first-aid in the case of an emergency.
To provide the best possible service, all employees will be properly vetted and trained for a month before starting work.
Employees’ Average Salary
For the next three years, the company’s financial experts have forecasted statistics for employees and their pay in the table below.
Plan your finances
With the help of the finance experts, Mills was able to establish the dog walking company rates and develop a financial plan. They devised a financial strategy that outlines the company’s development over the next three years.
