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"I am in the Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex, with fierce competition and have found that no one has the professional marketing products that we do. We also have something to offer that no one else does - the ability to guarantee our training for the life of the dog and to have that contract honored wherever the client may move. The competition doesn’t know what hit them!
Additionally, this is a company that really cares about the success and welfare of their franchisees. I was a Hurricane Katrina victim and afterward my territory was no longer a viable place to earn a living. Bark Busters immediately came to my aid with solutions and support, not to mention the support of all the other franchisees all over the country. This company is truly a family. They have also always been there to support you in day-to-day operations and to help you built your own great business.”
Nancy Higgins, Texas
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G'day! Welcome to Bark Busters Frequently Asked Questions
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Here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. Click on the question to view or hide the answer.
How will I know if this is the right business for me?
Initial Phone Interview:
The first step in this review is a phone conversation between you and myself. This is a chance for you to share your own personal and professional goals and for me to answer your initial questions and share some of the basics of our business. We are then able to see if the two are initially in alignment.
Bark Busters Questionnaire:
You fill out a questionnaire, which is a pretty brief document and should only take about 15-20 minutes to complete. The purpose of the questionnaire is to provide us with additional information on your background and skills and also to show you are financially qualified. There is no obligation in filling out the questionnaire and all information is confidential. Normally you would fill out the questionnaire only when you are thinking about opening the business in the next six months or less.
Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (UFOC) Review:
You receive this legal document, which is a breakdown of the financial investment, expectations, and terms and conditions of being a Bark Buster, as well as all our corporate details. It will help you to answer many technical questions about what it means to be a Bark Buster.
Validations:
You receive the latest list of Bark Busters across the country and speak to them about their experiences in day-to-day operations. Here you are really able to hear what it is like to live and work this business from a first hand perspective.
Territory Map:
We work with you to define the boundaries of your exclusive service area. Looking at figures such as dog populations, average incomes, and number of veterinarians present, we examine the demographics of the area to ensure that the business has the optimal opportunity to grow and succeed.
Marketing Information:
You receive many additional details about how we train and support you in effectively marketing and growing your business, both initially and on an on-going basis. We also provide you with a “big picture” view of our marketing strategies for the company as a whole.
Training Details:
You learn more about the training process you go through to become a Bark Buster. You will receive information on the dates of scheduled trainings throughout the year and the details of what content will be covered in the training class.
Franchise Profile:
You complete a questionnaire comparing how well your personality and our business model naturally fit together. This then provides you with additional information about how your lifestyle and disposition will fit with the business.
Shadow a Lesson:
You ride along on an actual lesson with a local Bark Buster to see first hand what is involved in the training session. This will help you to see an example of the work you will be doing as a Bark Buster. Don’t worry if you do not have a Bark Buster nearby, you will still be able to see a lesson at the next stage, Walkabout Day.
Walkabout Day:
We invite you to visit our home office in Denver for a Friday-Saturday “walkabout” (Aussie for a walking tour). Here you will meet the directors, trainers, and staff of home office and review the training process and materials you will be working with as a Bark Buster. This is a chance to finally meet everyone you have been speaking with, speak one-on-one with our CEO or COO, and answer any final questions you may have.
Decision and Acceptance:
After the steps above, you will know if Bark Busters is the right business for your future and we will know if you are right to become a Bark Buster. Together, we are then able to make a decision regarding the business.
What business model does Bark Busters use?
Our business model is meant to be a full time owner-operator model. What this means is that as the owner of the business, you are also the one to work with people and dogs to do the training. In fact, you as the owner are the only one allowed use of our proprietary training materials because you are the only one who has attended our training class. If you want to hire employees to help out in administrative functions such as bookkeeping or answering phone calls though, that is certainly allowable.
Bark Busters is also modeled to operate with one to two owner-operators, so if you have a family member or business partner you are interested in working with, that is certainly feasible as well.
One of the benefits to this type of business model is that it is a very interactive one – you will spend your time on a variety of activities both in and out of your home office, and you will never have to worry about sitting behind a computer for 40 or more hours a week! Also, this can be a very rewarding business model because you do get to see the dynamic between owner and dog change right in front of your eyes every day. Most Bark Busters express a strong sense of satisfaction as they leave a home knowing that they are leaving behind a happier dog and happier family.
The one other portion of our business model that I would like to highlight is that it is a full-time model, meaning we would expect a standard 40-hour/week commitment to the business (split between you and your partner if applicable). There is a great deal of flexibility in this – you can work any five days or forty hours a week that you want – but we would expect at least that minimum level of commitment. We also do allow for up to four weeks of vacation throughout the year.
You attend a three and a half week training course here at our home office in Denver, Colorado. Our training course is comprehensive and covers all aspects of working with people and dogs to do the lessons as well as all other parts of running a successful dog training business. We alternate between a lecture-classroom style approach and a more hands-on practical approach so that you fully understand both the theory and practice of this business. We also encourage you to bring your dog with you to training.
The costs associated with becoming a Bark Buster are as follows:
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$34,500 franchise fee |
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$17,500 training and territory fee |
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$52,000 TOTAL PURCASE PRICE OF BUSINESS |
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$12,500 start up operation capitol (for things such as obtaining insurance, starting local advertising, setting up your home office, etc.) |
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$64,500 Total minimum investment |
A detailed breakdown of these figures and all other financial aspects of the business is located in the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (UFOC).
We also require our Bark Busters to start the business with at least $150,000 in liquefiable net worth. Your net worth includes things like home equity and retirement funds, in addition to stocks, bonds, and bank accounts.
This doesn’t mean that you need to have this amount in cash, or even that you will necessarily spend this amount, but rather it shows that you would be able to access up to that amount IF NEEDED for the start up of the business.
Since our training takes place in the customer’s home, you do not need a separate storefront or office space for this business. Rather, instead you are able to operate from a home office, which tends to be a lot more cost effective.
In determining the area that you will serve from your home office, we use an exclusive territory system in which territories are designed around the geographic and zip code boundaries of the region. In designing these territories, we also look at the demographics of each zip code to be included to ensure that the territory as a whole would be able to successfully support the business on a long-term basis. We would not award a franchise to you unless we knew that the territory would be able to support you - we want you to succeed and that starts with having a sustainable territory.
Our territories are also exclusive, so our Bark Busters are never competing with each other, and instead can collaborate and support one another in the community. We really view all of our Bark Busters as one big pack, and this type of territory system allows us to work with each other and not against each other, thereby making us a stronger pack as a whole.
Where can I find additional perspectives on Bark Busters?
Our website, www.barkbusters.com, has many testimonials from clients and franchise owners. There is also a video on the site with news stories about Bark Busters and interviews of various people within the canine world. There is also a lot more information about the type of training we do and our history as a company as well. A list of rankings, awards and recognitions we have received is also featured on our website. |
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