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Pet franchises are a franchise sector that confounds many people. It’s remarkable to see all of the franchised businesses that have grown around our love for our pets. But given the situation that the economy is in, many people are unsure if there will be new restrictions on Americans love for their pets.

With statistics on the industry pending, we are reliant primarily on the first-person experiences of franchisees.

But thanks to the magic of media, we have just learned of a heartening experience on the industry from one pet franchisor in particular.

The Wall Street Journal has one of the most exciting franchise success stories we’ve read in a long time. It’s a profile of Amy Nichols. Ms Nichols, like most Americans loves animals, but she never thought she would make a living working with them. A great saleswoman, Nichols was successful with a number of companies but she found that the work itself didn’t fulfill her. And she wanted a job where her dog Griffin could accompany her. So she started Happy Trails Dog Spa.

Not that it was easy. Banks were skeptical, to say the least, and doggie day care businesses were hardly mainstream back at the beginnning of the decade. But Nichols eventually got a break, and with a small team and a brilliant concept, her business took off.

I take a few key lessons from this exciting article. Firstly, there is still huge potential in the pet franchise sector. The challenge is discovering, or even creating, the next growth industry.

People not interested in working with pets will also find much inspiration in this story. Ms Nichols was driven to opening Happy Tails, which later became Dogtopia, by the simple desire to work on her own terms. Even franchising was something of a second thought, but once the business took off, it was inevitable that it would spread. There are now 18 Dogtopia’s in 10 states and a number of competitors, such as Preppy Pet Suites. Franchising has helped Amy realize her business dreams and it can do the same for you.