The pet waste removal concept has become a key player in the “pooper scooper” market.
Scoop Soldiers, the pet waste removal franchise that aims to help pet owners and their four-legged friends by taking on the dirty work of pet ownership, had a great year in 2022.
Rounding the year out with 22 new signings, the brand is on track to nearly double its footprint in the coming years.
With 36 franchised territories and 12 corporate territories nationwide, 22 new franchises will serve to grow the concept even further. Thanks to its strong business model, systemwide revenues have also surged. In 2022 alone, the concept increased its customer base by 30%, driving revenue up by 30%, as well.
“2022 has been an exciting year for Scoop Soldiers, and we’re just getting started,” said Josh Cahill, CEO of Scoop Soldiers. “If we’ve learned anything over the past several years, it’s that people are still willing to invest in their pets and homes during times of economic uncertainty. The time has never been better to join the Scoop Soldiers system, and we are very excited about the next phase of growth.”
In recognition of its strength, Scoop Soldiers was recognized by Inc., placing 3573rd on its annual Inc. 5000 list, a compilation of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. “As a still-emerging franchise, we are thrilled to be recognized by Inc. this year,” said Cahill. “Ranking 61st in such a competitive field as consumer services is truly remarkable and is a testament to our team, our franchisees and our clients.”
A Key Driver of Its Growth, Scoop Soldiers Purposefully Invested in Its Franchisees Last Year
One of the most crucial steps Scoop Soldiers took this year was to invest in franchisees more intentionally. For a mobile business like Scoop Soldiers, it is important that owners have appropriate vehicles and are able to maintain the equipment and inventory necessary to run operations. “Truck inventories have been down for example, and we’ve been very proactive,” said VP of Franchise Development Scott Oaks. “We were adamant about working with our local contacts and give franchisees opportunities to acquire trucks from our own fleet if they were not available locally.”
In addition to the practical supplies, Scoop Soldiers’ leadership works diligently to support its owners over the course of their entire business ownership journey. With daily billing and invoicing support, as well as a Command Center that handles all customer service calls and service inquiries, franchisees are able to focus more intently on communicating with clients, building a strong local management team and finding employees who meet the Scoop Soldiers standard. As franchise owners work less in the business and more on the business, they are able to develop a team and model that can execute the differentiated pet waste removal services that the concept is known for.
Scoop Soldiers provides the option for franchisees to take advantage of additional support on the front end of their ownership journey by purchasing an enhanced territory. This is a market that has previously been operated by the corporate team, meaning that brand awareness and a strong customer base have already been established, and the franchisee will have an opportunity to avoid the challenges associated with entering a market for the first time.
“A critical differentiator for us is that our prospective franchisees can opt to purchase corporate-owned locations,” Cahill explained. “We are the only brand in our segment currently doing that. Our corporate locations have an existing client base, which means franchise owners will see revenue from day one.”
Startup efforts within an enhanced territory can also be catered to the unique circumstances of each franchisee and territory. Depending on the performance of the existing location, a new franchisee may be able to waive marketing fees and divert those funds toward securing existing customers even when the business transfers to new ownership.
“If a candidate is looking to bring Scoop Soldiers to Oklahoma City, for example, we can look at how many clients are already in the territory and convert the business into a franchise for an additional charge per client, along with the typical franchise fee and the other start-up costs,” said Oaks. “If there is a significant amount of customers, we can waive traditional marketing spend and also give them the option to hire employees in the area and acquire the vehicles in the area. This is really a hybrid of a start-up and the purchase of an existing business, which is why it is called an enhanced territory.”
Scoop Soldiers Is Conscious of Its Larger Community Impact
Beyond the customer experience, Scoop Soldiers delivers value through community partnerships and a mission-driven focus, as well. Employing veterans like Brandon and Valerie Howe, the concept supports prior service members in pursuing their dreams of business ownership. “We wanted a service-based franchise that didn’t require a brick-and-mortar location. Scoop Soldiers made sense because we are dog owners and see the benefits of a service like this,” said Brandon Howe.
The concept has also partnered with Valor Service Dogs, a non-profit organization that supports wounded veterans and first responders as they rebuild or maintain independence with the help of mobility assistance and PTSD support service dogs.
With a monthly donation to the organization, Scoop Soldiers sponsors service dogs for 20–24
months of training and boarding as they prepare to go to their forever home. Once that dog has been sent to its handler, Scoop Soldiers also offers the family free pet waste removal services for life. In 2022, Scoop Soldiers graduated two service dogs to their forever homes.
The Future of the Market and Scoop Soldiers
Scoop Soldiers has carved out its niche in the ever-growing pet-related services market. Pet owners spend billions of dollars on their furry friends each year, and the industry is expected to reach $350 billion by 2027. With this, Scoop Soldiers is continuing to push expansion, working to secure an additional 30 franchise territories in 2023 and targeting new markets such as Seattle, DC, North Carolina and Salt Lake City, Utah. “The demand for services in pet waste removal has significantly increased — people want their time back,” said Cahill. “People are putting a value on time like I’ve never seen before, and the Scoop Soldiers team is ready to reach even more customers so they can spend time with their family and friends.”
About Scoop Soldiers: Scoop Soldiers was established in 2010 to give pet parents a break from the dirty work of cleaning up after their pets. Not only does Scoop Soldiers help to keep yards clean, but it also saves clients’ time. Pet waste removal services are available at residential and pet-friendly commercial clients such as apartment complexes, pet care centers, hotels and more. Clients can opt for service packages that range from three visits per week to a one-time cleanup for a special event. Scoop Soldiers helps to eliminate odor, germs and unsightly appearances from private and commercial properties. For more information on franchising with Scoop Soldiers, please visit https://scoopsoldiersfranchise.com/.