---
title: "A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FRANCHISEE: Pet Butler"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/6ce43aec-e1e0-4cf3-ad07-54e05f9ff691
source: "Franchise Dictionary — Pet Care"
original_url: https://franchisedictionarymagazine.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-franchisee-pet-butler/
author: "Paul Zboichyk"
category: "Pets"
industry: "Pets"
published: 2025-12-31T08:48:42.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T22:32:08.743Z
image: https://franchisedictionarymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/PetButler-_Jan26.jpg
---

# A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FRANCHISEE: Pet Butler

**TL;DR:** Steven Chmielewski, a former T-Mobile employee, became a Pet Butler franchisee after being laid off and has since tripled his customer base and boosted revenue by 200% in his first year. Chmielewski's day as a franchisee involves managing his business, servicing clients, and spending time with his family.

*By Paul Zboichyk, originally published in Franchise Dictionary — Pet Care on 2025-12-31. [Read the original](https://franchisedictionarymagazine.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-franchisee-pet-butler/).*

## Story

When Steven Chmielewski was laid off after 10 years at T-Mobile, he decided to take a year off to be a stay-at-home dad. It wasn’t long before he started wondering what came next – and whether it was time to build something for himself. By Tamara Rahoumi

When Steven Chmielewski was laid off after 10 years at T-Mobile, he decided to take a year off to be a stay-at-home dad. It wasn’t long before he started wondering what came next – and whether it was time to build something for himself.

A friend who owned a fitness franchise encouraged him to look into franchising for the built-in structure, tools and brand recognition. That advice led him to Pet Butler, a pet waste removal and pet care service.

> “I didn’t even know this was a thing,” Chmielewski said. “But when I saw the opportunity, I realized the market in my area was really underserved.”

He purchased an existing franchise in Tacoma, Washington, and nearly tripled his customer base and boosted revenue by 200% in his first year. Chmielewski said the key was being hands-on – building relationships with local veterinarians and groomers, calling every customer who canceled and staying involved in the day-to-day work.

Pet Butler’s personal support also helped early on. The brand sent a business consultant to his market to help him develop a growth plan and partnership strategy.

Today, Chmielewski has two part-time employees and still scoops a few routes himself each week. It’s busy, but the flexibility is worth it.

> “I might be working just as much as I did in corporate, but it fits into my life,” he said.

Here’s what a typical day looks like for Chmielewski as a Pet Butler franchisee:

- 7 a.m. Chmielewski opens his garage workspace, preps the trucks and meets with employees to review routes and new customers.

- 8:30 a.m. He drops his kids at school before heading home to handle emails, billing and customer calls.

- 10:30 a.m. He heads out for his own manager route, servicing clients, visiting local veterinarians and groomers, and taking photos for social media.

- 1 p.m. Chmielewski takes a break and checks in with returning employees to review performance and daily notes.

- 4:30 p.m. He reviews contact center and route data, plans schedules for the next day and drafts upcoming social media posts.

- 5:30 p.m. He shifts gears for family time, cooking dinner and spending the evening at home.

## Entities

- franchising (topic)
- Pets (sector)
- Franchise Dictionary Magazine (publication)
- Paul Zboichyk (person)
- pet care (topic)
- career change (topic)
- Pet Butler (company)
- T-Mobile (company)
- franchisee life (topic)

---
Originally reported by Paul Zboichyk, Franchise Dictionary — Pet Care (https://franchisedictionarymagazine.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-franchisee-pet-butler/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/6ce43aec-e1e0-4cf3-ad07-54e05f9ff691).