
Leading with Passion is Key to Business Success
When Hounds Town Founder & CEO Mike Gould retired from his post as the commanding officer of NYPD’s K-9 Unit in Nassau County, New York, he never expected to open a doggie daycare franchise. “As more and more people began asking me to take care of their pets, I realized the need for this service in our community,” he says.
Gould’s partner and President of Hounds Town, Jackie Bondanza, started as a client. “When I first met Mike, I just needed my dog trained; I wasn’t looking for a whole new career! When I got to know him and the business he was running, I saw an opportunity to get in on something that I anticipated was going to expand quickly,” she says. “I felt there was so much opportunity with this brand and I believed in Mike so much that I left my career to help him develop the business.”
Franchising since 2015, Gould and Bondanza have grown Hounds Town to more than 30 units. “I am very proud that so many wonderful franchisees have joined our system since that day I first opened my doors,” says Gould.