Jennifer Burk, owner of Woofie's San Antonio location, worked in finance for 10 years and as a special education teacher for 15 years before joining Woofie’s this spring. Her grandmother was the person she could count on for anything in life, and when she passed away, Jennifer realized that life was too short to not pursue your passions, and it led to her starting her own business.
Her favorite thing about being a Woofie’s franchise owner is meeting new people in her community and caring for their pets. One of her team’s recent achievements she is most proud of is winning third place in Wag’n Tails’ 'Mobile Grooming for a Cause’ campaign this past October for Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Jennifer’s groom tech, Michelle Fuller, donated 32 grooms to shelter dogs and received a $500 certificate for Lalas Shampoo. “Giving back to the community is so important, and I know the shelter pups were so appreciative of being pampered,” Jennifer said.
Jennifer and her team also regularly give back to their community through their local Meals on Wheels program, which promotes the dignity and independence of seniors who need nutritious meals and companionship. For many of their clients, the lunch-time delivery they receive may be the only meal they eat for the day, and it may also be the only source of daily human interaction.
Woofie’s helps by delivering “animeals”, which are supplemental pet food for companion pets. “Many of our homebound seniors struggle to feed themselves, but they still want to feed and care for their companion pets,” Jennifer said. Her team also offers free transportation to and from the veterinarian for qualifying Meals on Wheels clients so their pets can receive necessary vaccinations and flea/tick prevention.
Her team celebrated their Howl-O-ween Grand Opening Event at a local brewery, complete with a pet costume contest. Their local TV station, Great Day SA, featured Jennifer and our Franchise Groomers Trainer, Natalie Charlston, on a morning segment promoting the event, and Jennifer was also featured in the San Antonio Woman’s magazine.
Jennifer continuously encourages and incentivizes her team by verbally praising them for jobs well done, sharing positive customer feedback with them, and posting on social media, sending them small tokens of appreciation like Sugarwish, or buying a meal.
Her future goals include continuing to grow the business, and of course, ultimately joining the Goldendoodle Million Dollar Club! Her advice to her fellow franchisees is to “Know your own weaknesses in business and hire someone that has the skills that you lack. Don't be afraid to ask for help! It's okay to not know everything!”
