Allen Will Foster the Dog Training Gym Franchise’s Growth
Zoom Room, a dog training gym franchise, has named Don Allen vice president of operations. Allen spearheads the company’s operations and fosters growth across the franchise system. He has 30-plus years of franchise operations experience on the franchisor and franchisee sides of health and wellness brands.
“Zoom Room has enormous upside potential and no real similar competition at this time,” Allen said. “It was created based on aspirational beliefs. This gives me a unique and passion-based model to be involved in. My energy level is high for this brand.”
Part of his passion derives from the love people have for their pets, Allen said. “Talented, well-behaved dogs only create a world where more people are interested and feel capable of dog ownership. And that sounds like a better world to me.”
CEO Mark Van Wye said he is thrilled to have Allen take on this new challenge. “Don’s experience and passion will be invaluable as we concentrate on elevating the success of our franchisees and solidifying Zoom Room’s position as a leader in the pet industry,” Van Wye said.
The Transition from Fitness to Pet Franchising
Allen’s first experience in franchising came when he was recruited to become CEO of Tampa Fitness Partners, an area developer for Orangetheory Fitness. He built eight franchise locations from the ground up and helped develop 20 additional units before the group was sold.
The transition from fitness to pet franchising has been seamless because both are service-based and rely on memberships, Allen said. “However, with Zoom Room, we need both the dogs AND the humans to be engaged and experience the value.” He added that franchisees also play a major role in the customer experience at Zoom Room.
Allen’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is straightforward: Don’t be afraid to play inside the guardrails. “Appreciate what the franchisor does for you, but seek ways to be the best. Somewhere out there is the best franchisee. Find out what makes them the best and do it – this usually involves location, staff and culture. Work can be pretty fun if you make it a priority, and owning a franchise can free you to do what you enjoy.”
About Zoom Room
Established in 2007, Zoom Room is a California-based dog training gym franchise. The brand is on a mission to deepen the bond and communication between dogs and their human companions through its focus on socialization, positive reinforcement, human education and interactive learning.

