Paws & Purpose: Building Community in Pet Franchising with Michelle Sandonato
In this episode of The Bliss Business Podcast, Michelle Sandonato, co-founder and president of Bowie Barker Bath + Groomerie, shares how building community in pet franchising helps dog grooming feel less transactional and more like trusted, joyful neighborhood care as the brand expands nationwide.
Building community in pet franchising starts with a simple idea: a dog is family, and the business that grooms them needs to earn real trust, not just book appointments. In this episode of The Bliss Business Podcast, Michelle Sandonato, co-founder and president of Bowie Barker Bath & Groomerie, joins hosts Stephen Sakach and Tullio Siragusa to talk about scaling a modern dog grooming brand through franchising.
In this episode we explore:
• Why trust and empathy matter in the pet care industry
• How Bowie Barker is modernizing dog grooming and wellness
• Why pet businesses can become powerful local community hubs
• How franchising can help bring high-quality pet care to more neighborhoods
• What it takes to scale a service brand without losing personal connection
• Why community-centered experiences are the future of pet care
A Bad Grooming Visit Became the Business Idea
Bowie Barker was born out of a stressed dog, a six-week wait, and a transactional grooming visit that never felt like anyone was truly connecting with the pet. "We hire dog lovers first," Michelle says. "If they are dog lovers first and the parent sees that love, the parent's going to trust us, the dog's going to trust us, and the experience is going to be much better."
Emotional Safety, Designed on Purpose
Every dog gets a treat on arrival, and every groomer greets the dog before the appointment starts, a ritual Michelle calls the Bowie Warmup. "We want the parent to see that dog is comfortable with our team member," she says, "before we bring them back."
Using AI to Free Up the Human Touch
Bowie Barker rolled out an AI phone assistant so the front desk never has to choose between answering calls and greeting a dog. "That's where I think the systems help us be more present with the dog," Michelle says, calling it one of the clearest examples of AI used to strengthen human connection instead of replacing it.
Franchising Built Around Local Trust
Corporate calling a rescue from another state doesn't carry the same weight as a local owner walking in the door. "Freedom within a framework is kind of what franchising is," Michelle says, describing how Bowie Barker keeps national brand consistency (Instagram, most retail products) while giving local owners real room (their own Facebook pages, a share of locally-sourced retail) to build real neighborhood relationships.
It's a reminder that even the most systemized brand still grows through real local relationships, the same authentic, community-first marketing approach Zero Company helps franchise brands build.
Scaling a service business doesn't mean losing the personal touch, Michelle says, it means designing systems that protect it for every dog and every neighborhood. Learn more about Michelle Sandonato and Bowie Barker's franchise opportunities at bowiebarker.com or on LinkedIn.
Key Takeaways
• (2:16-3:51) The COVID-era, six-week-wait grooming visit that became the origin story for Bowie Barker
• (4:09-5:03) Why every hire, franchise partners included, has to be a dog lover first
• (11:32-13:33) The Bowie Warmup ritual, and designing emotional safety for both dog and pet parent
• (13:33-15:21) Using an AI phone assistant so the front desk can stay present with the dog in the room
• (16:22-18:16) Why the self-serve wash tubs exist: customer research found embarrassment, not cost, was the real barrier
• (25:35-26:46) Franchising and local rescue partnerships a corporate call center could never replicate
• (28:35-30:24) “Freedom within a framework”: the 80/20 split between brand-wide and local-owner control
• (32:11-33:14) The Love Question: hiring dog lovers first, as a business strategy
FAQ
Why did Michelle Sandonato create Bowie Barker’s self-serve wash stations?
Customer research found many pet parents avoided grooming because they felt embarrassed about how their dog would behave in public. The self-serve tubs give owners a lower-pressure way to bond with their dog while still getting professional-quality care.
How does Bowie Barker use AI without losing the human touch?
A new AI phone assistant handles routine calls so the front desk can stay present with dogs in the room. “That’s where I think the systems help us be more present with the dog,” Michelle Sandonato says.
What is Michelle Sandonato’s philosophy on franchise freedom versus brand consistency?
“Freedom within a framework,” she says. Centralized standards, like Instagram and most retail products, protect brand consistency, while local owners get room, like their own Facebook pages, to build real community relationships.
🎙️ Hosted by Stephen Sakach and Tullio Siragusa
🎧 Produced by Martha Huerta
Read the full recap on Stress-Free Grooming Is a Community Strategy, meet another pet-franchise founder building trust at Paws, Trust, and Franchise Growth with Nicole Peel, or explore the Featured Guest Series.
Co-Founder + President
Michelle Sandonato is the Co-Founder and President of Bowie Barker, bringing more than 18 years of experience building and growing brands consumers love. Throughout her career, she has led strategy, guest experience, operations, and innovation for high-growth brands including Cold Stone Creamery, Sky Zone, Massage Envy, and The NOW.
In 2022, Michelle co-founded Bowie Barker alongside Jeff Platt, founder of Sky Zone, and Post Investment Group, with a vision to create a modern pet care brand rooted in hospitality, wellness, and community. Since launching franchising in 2023, Bowie Barker has grown to eight open locations with additional shops in development nationwide.
A passionate advocate for rescue animals, Michelle is a proud dog mom to two rescue pups and serves on the board of My Dog Is My Home, a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to shelter and housing for people experiencing homelessness with companion animals. That passion for strengthening the bond between people and pets continues to shape the heart and mission behind Bowie Barker.
