My franchise story: from dog carer to franchise owner

Sarah Evans was a Wagging Tails Oxfordshire carer before deciding to buy her own Coventry franchise in February 2013

Sarah Evans previously enjoyed a successful career in the city before deciding to relocate to the countryside to raise her family.

She was a Wagging Tails carer for the Oxfordshire franchise before deciding to buy her own business and launch the Coventry franchise in February 2013. This allowed her to earn an income working from home while continuing to raise her family.

Sarah says: “Having three school-aged children my hours very much work around the school day and the pressure of after school events and family commitments. As my own boss, I can manage my diary to work for me. I can monitor calls, emails and texts from my mobile when away from my office and respond to them accordingly. I sometimes will process a booking or talk to an owner in the evenings as many of them will be at work during the day so are unable to talk to you about their dogs.

“Setting up my franchise has allowed me to utilise my professional background in a customer-facing industry and apply it to a business that I can work around my family life giving me a great work-life balance.

“I can honestly say that running my own business is the best thing I have ever done career-wise. I wish I had done it years ago.”

Sarah was also a finalist for the New Franchisee of the Year at the 2014 EWIF Awards.