Amy Addington of Woofie’s: How To Grow Your Business In A Challenging Economy
An interview with Kage Spatz, CEO at Spacetwin
I recommend being clear with your team on the path forward and staying open to suggestions.
Inflation is taking its toll on us and there is talk of a potential recession, while the tech industry is currently shedding tens of thousands of jobs. Is it possible to grow a business in these conditions? What steps should an entrepreneur take to grow their business during unpredictable times?
As part of our Strategy Series, Kage talks with fellow successful business owners and growth experts to help you discover new ways to grow your business during challenging economic times. Today, we had the pleasure of interviewing Amy Addington.
Amy Addington has been President of Woofie’s since January 2022 — Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer from Woofie’s inception until then, which merged into Woofie’s Ashburn. She was also Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Woofie’s Mobile Pet Spa Services, since its inception January 2017.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved animals and admired the joy they bring to those around them. As lifelong pet and animal lovers, my neighbor (and eventual business partner), Leslie Barron, and I were repeatedly asked by family and friends to pet sit.
During this time, we also realized the lack of pet care services within our community that we and others could rely on year-round. This void in the industry is what motivated us to launch Woofie’s in our hometown of Ashburn, VA in 2004.
We left our corporate jobs behind to pursue our passion for pet care and elevate the level of professionalism in the industry. Fast forward to the current day and what started with pet sitting and dog walking services has now turned into one of the leading franchises in the field — operating 18 franchises nationwide.
Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you were able to grow your business during a challenging economy?
When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, we needed to quickly pivot. To no one’s surprise, we saw a significant decline in our pet-sitting business during the early days of COVID since pet owners were home.
At that time, we decided to add new pet-sitting services to our portfolio like Adventure Walks, giving pets the chance to explore outside of the house and providing an opportunity to give pet owners peace and quiet when stuck inside.
We also strategically launched our WAGS grooming school to meet pet owners’ demands for mobile grooming services as many brick-and-mortar salons were forced to temporarily shut down. With WAGS came our convenient, contactless curbside services giving pets mani-pedis, teeth brushing, and brush-outs. Introducing these reimagined pet services was a big hit amongst clients and proved lucrative for us as well.
Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?
No, giving up was never an option. Though it’s difficult, I find it’s unproductive to have a negative mindset in unprecedented times and it’s important to stay focused and as positive as possible.
As a leader, your entire team looks up to you and feeds off your energy, so it’s vital to remain confident and professional. My motivation and drive to stay in business have always been my franchise owners, team, long-term clients, and pets. Not only was my team relying on me, but I knew the responsibility I had to take care of them.
At the end of the day, pets still need to be cared for regardless of a recession, pandemic, or government shutdown. I knew I operated an essential business in the eyes of pet owners and I didn’t want to disappoint them.
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?
It’s important to stay optimistic and positive in front of your team. In 2019 when Leslie and I had started franchising Woofie’s, we were relatively new to the industry. We were only a few months in when the pandemic hit, which was a challenge in itself.
Not only did we have three new franchisees and a plethora of employees who relied on us, but we needed to look out for our long-standing corporate location as well.
At the onset of the pandemic, we were determined to figure out how to best take care of our staff and new franchise owners while keeping morale high during a very stressful, unpredictable time.
When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate, and engage their team?
I believe the best way to boost morale is to encourage collaboration and remain transparent with your team and customers. A few of our best ideas on how to pivot operations came from our pet sitters and groomers who spoke up during the pandemic.
For instance, our Adventure Walks concept was created and introduced as a result of team member ideation. Separately, I think being honest goes a long way. As the famous saying goes, ‘honesty is the best policy’ and I couldn’t agree more! I recommend being clear with your team on the path forward and staying open to suggestions.
How can a business leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?
Navigating an unpredictable future can be extremely challenging. Like most business leaders, I experienced this firsthand amidst the pandemic.
My best advice is to remain agile, responsive, and open to change. Regularly update your plans and be prepared to pivot when necessary. Instead of trying to predict a single future, create multiple scenarios based on different potential outcomes.
These scenarios should encompass a range of possibilities, including best-case, worst-case, and middle-ground scenarios. While you can’t predict the future with certainty, you can position your business to thrive in a variety of scenarios by being proactive and adaptable.
Leaders should also aim to identify and assess potential risks to your business, both internal and external. Being prepared for unexpected events can help you respond more effectively.
What can a company do to avoid losing clients or customers who say, “I just can’t afford it now”?
Take a customer-centric approach to your business. By building and maintaining strong client relationships, you’ll stay closely connected with your customers and seek their feedback regularly.
Building strong customer relationships can provide stability even when acquiring new customers is challenging and understanding their needs and preferences allows you to adjust your products, services, and marketing accordingly.
Woofie’s entire business model is predicated on client trust and the convenience we offer them. Once we established trust in the community, our team quickly grew and built a great reputation for customer service, reliability, and compassion.
This was primarily through word-of-mouth recommendations, which were much more cost-effective and are particularly powerful during challenging economic conditions when trust is essential!
What lead generation strategies work best during a difficult economy?
During a difficult economy, effective lead generation strategies become even more critical as businesses strive to maintain or grow their customer base. Based on my experiences, I see the power of referral programs, networking events, customer reviews and testimonials, social media engagement, and community involvement.
Encourage satisfied customers to refer your brand or leave reviews and testimonials, as positive feedback can help build trust with potential leads. You can also use social media platforms to connect with your audience, share valuable content, and engage in conversations.
Additionally, collaborate with complementary businesses and the community to help your brand reach a broader audience all while supporting local businesses and causes. This can enhance your brand’s reputation and attract leads who value socially responsible brands.
Are there specific marketing approaches that work best when times are tough?
Introducing multiple revenue streams can not only prove lucrative, but desirable for clients looking for a one-stop-shop.
At Woofie’s, our clients were constantly asking for referrals for other services such as vets, trainers, and mobile groomers. No one was doing mobile grooming in the community, so Leslie and I bootstrapped the first van, hired a groomer, and launched grooming services shortly after. This proved to be a success, as we now have a fleet of 10 mobile grooming vans offering pet spa services and 24-hour care nationwide.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
- People Giving Up — When things get tough, people become hopeless and lose faith. Nothing is ever permanent and there is light at the end of the tunnel!
- Lack of Acknowledgment — A lot of people deny when times are difficult — they claim it’s a phase or minor setback. However, some things are more long-term than others and it’s important to acknowledge that. Entrepreneurs put their entire souls and savings into their businesses and don’t want to see them fail, which is completely understandable. However, I believe when you deny times are tough, you only make your business more vulnerable.
- Lack of Willingness to Change/Pivot — It’s easy to get stuck in the everyday routine. While the old ways work, you should stay open to new ideas in turbulent times. You can’t always stay with status quo and you should make room for change as necessary.
Now to the primary question of our discussion: Based on your experience, what are the five most important things a business should do to grow during a challenging economy?
- Take a Solution-Oriented Approach — It is incredibly important to get creative and think outside of the box in times of adversity. That’s how Leslie and I were able to keep Woofie’s afloat. No matter how big or small the circumstance, having a solution-oriented mindset doesn’t help you just solve problems, but helps you identify the root of a challenge and find a better way of doing things.
- Adapt to Customer Needs — In difficult economic times, customer needs and preferences may change. Be flexible and ready to adapt your products, services, or messaging to meet these evolving demands. For this reason, Woofie’s added new pet sitting services like WAGS and Adventure Walks to its portfolio during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Keeping an Open Line of Communication — Be honest with your customers and team. I always kept my team in the loop on how things were going and what pivots were being made, as I didn’t want anyone to feel in the dark.
- Remind Yourself How and Why You Started — It’s important to not lose sight of the reason you started your company and all the good you’ve done for your team, clients, and community. I constantly remind myself of this when things get tough. Use your vision and mission to help guide you through turbulent times. If operations have become too difficult, I also recommend going back to the basics.
- Stay Open-Minded — This is another thing that can be incredibly challenging. Although Woofie’s faced challenges during the pandemic and a rocky economy, business has still been there. I recommend staying open-minded and try to keep the business moving forward. As I’ve continuously mentioned, a negative mindset will get you nowhere.
We are blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world who you would love to have a private lunch with?
Yes! I’d love to sit down with Martha Stewart. Not only is she a powerful businesswoman in myriad industries, but she is a fellow animal and pet lover. She recently started her own pet food line and I’d love to work with her someday.
Plus, she’s close friends with Snoop Dog — clearly another pet fan! I think we’d all have a great time during breakfast, lunch, or Yappy Hour.
Thank you for sharing your insights with our audience today!
Kage Spatz is a Forbes-ft Entrepreneur, Strategist, & CEO — growing national companies and franchises since 2012. Grow your revenue faster with Fortune 500-exp marketers who guide your marketing team or do it all for you.
