Nicola Hughes, who joined Pets 2 Places just six months ago, has achieved amazing success, smashing targets and reaping the rewards, having already earned back her full franchise fee.
Fifty-one-year-old Nicola, who lives in Solihull, West Midlands, with her husband and four children, stumbled onto the opportunity purely by accident.
"My friend is a franchisee of a cleaning business and saw an article about Pets 2 Places in a magazine. Knowing how I was looking for a challenge and my love of animals, she thought it would be the kind of service I’d really enjoy running," she said.
"I launched my business in January 2022 and it’s been a crazy journey ever since. I can’t believe how much the local community value the service. From vets recommending me to even being stopped in the street for a leaflet, I really couldn’t ever have imagined the business would be so successful so quickly.
"Six months in and I am so thrilled that I made the decision to buy my franchise. I love my customers and being able to help them with their pets, they are full of so much praise it really is amazing to go to work every day and feel so valued."
This is what one of Nicola's customer had to say: "What a find! My car is out of action and I can’t get a local taxi to take my dog to the vets and as she was poorly I didn’t want to walk her. Willows gave me Nic’s number and I gave her a call. What a wonderful service. She picked us up in a lovely air conditioned vehicle and strapped us in properly. We were taken to the vets while Nic waited until we had finished then took us home again. Nic is a lovely chatty person with dogs and cats of her own so is very empathetic. Good value for money as she waited until we were finished so there was no hanging around waiting for the taxi to arrive back from somewhere else to take you home. Highly recommended for any sort of domestic pet."
Pets 2 Places was established in 2014 in Milton Keynes by its founder Claire Harris who saw a gap in the market.
"There really isn’t anyone doing what we are doing, people who don’t drive need to get their pets to places, like the vets and groomers. When I started, I didn’t quite appreciate all the services we could offer to support our client base. The service grew and grew locally and customers were calling form all over the UK who needed to get their pets to places. I have a growing database with over 600 people waiting for the service to start in their area with Manchester and London topping the table.
"A franchise model seemed the obvious answer. I love being my own boss and I want others to love what they do."
Even the vets are on board with the praise too, with one saying: "Having Nic to bring our customers who don’t drive to the vets has really helped us out, the amount of calls we used to get from distraught customers whose pets need to get to the vets, but we just couldn’t help them, we didn’t have any suggestions before other than asking friends or family. Its so much quicker and easier for us to give out Nic’s number now.
"She’s been bringing pets without customers too, so it’s good to know we can recommend her. The customers love Nic and have been singing her praises to us, so we know she’s doing a great job helping people."
If running a pet taxi in your area sounds like something you would love to do, the only requirements for the role, other than being able to drive of course, is being kind and loving animals.
Here’s what Claire had to say on the success of her first franchisee: "I’m honestly over the moon, I always knew a pet taxi would be a success based on the number of enquiries I get on a daily basis, but Nic’s success has even surpassed my expectations."
For more information visit https://pets2places.co.uk/
