Woofie's Franchise System Demonstrates Women's Leadership Impact in Pet Care Industry

Woofie's, the pet-care franchise known for its mobile pet grooming spa, dog walking, and pet sitting services, is celebrating its women-owned franchises nationwide in honor of National Women's Small Business Month. More than half of Woofie's franchise owners are women, and the corporate team is led by a strong female leadership bench, demonstrating the significant role women play in the company's operational success and strategic direction.

Adding to the celebration, Woofie's Co-Founder and President Amy Addington was named a "Woman of Wonder" by Franchise Dictionary Magazine in its October issue. Nominated by the publication's readers—which number more than 450,000—honorees are recognized for their impact on franchising, ability to rise above challenges, and commitment to giving back to the community. Addington co-founded Woofie's in 2004, launched franchising in 2018, and has since grown the brand to 67 locations nationwide, with 43 of those locations owned by women.

The franchise's commitment to women's entrepreneurship extends beyond corporate leadership to individual franchise owners making significant impacts in their communities. Crystal Witt, who opened Woofie's® of Greater Jacksonville with her husband, Neil Dakake, pursued business ownership after being diagnosed with breast cancer, demonstrating to her children the importance of building a life rooted in joy and fulfillment. "We have frequent interactions with local pet owners and feel like business ownership has deepened our relationship with our community," Witt says. "The icing on the cake is getting to surround ourselves with pets just about every day!"

Another success story comes from Tanya Lee, owner of Woofie's of Reston-Herndon, who has grown her operation to include 10 office staff, 12 groomers and about 100 dog walkers and pet sitters. "All of them come from our local community so they know the people. They know the neighbors," says Lee, who was recently featured in the International Franchise Association "Franchise Means Local" campaign and covered in Franchise Wire. Her expansion demonstrates how women-owned franchises create substantial local employment opportunities while maintaining strong community connections.

In 2022, Woofie's was ranked by Entrepreneur as a top franchise for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and promotes diversity throughout the company and its franchise system. To help lower barriers to ownership, Woofie's offers a $5,000 Diversity Discount on franchise fees for qualified minority-owned, women-owned, and LGBTQ+-owned businesses. This initiative reflects the company's broader commitment to creating inclusive opportunities within the franchising industry.

The brand's female leadership extends throughout the organization with key team members including Lydia Best as Vice President of Operations, Jill Devlin as Franchise Development Manager, Gabby Loielo as Franchise Business Consultant, Jessica Koenig as Franchise Relations Specialist, Caroline Murphy as Onboarding Operations Manager, Jenises Negron as Lead National Talent Partner, and Kellie Notman as Marketing Manager. This comprehensive female leadership structure supports the growing network of women franchise owners.

"Helping women realize their dreams of entrepreneurship is really important to us at Woofie's," says Addington. "Every woman who steps into Woofie's ownership strengthens our communities, creates jobs, and elevates the standard of care for pets and their people. We're proud to foster a culture where women lead, innovate, and support one another—because when women thrive in business, everyone benefits." The company's approach demonstrates how supporting women in business leadership roles creates ripple effects that benefit local economies, community engagement, and industry standards.