Article Source: Franchise Leader Spotlight Podcast (YouTube)
K9 Resorts Co-Founders Steve and Jason Parker on building 50 premium pet care franchise locations through disciplined growth and selective franchising.
From their first franchise award decision—where they turned down a candidate who couldn't commit to the brand standard—to 50 open locations and 16-18 more under construction in 2026, Steve and Jason Parker have built K9 Resorts the same way the whole time: slowly, deliberately, and with the right people. This conversation is about what it actually takes to scale a franchise brand without losing what made it worth scaling.
In this episode:
- Why K9 Resorts turned down one of their first franchise candidates, and how that shaped their entire development process
- The yin-and-yang leadership model Steve and Jason use, and how they replicated it when building out their C-suite
- What the next evolution of the pet care industry looks like, and why mental enrichment is replacing the 35-dogs-in-a-room model