---
title: "Paul Pickett"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/7dd35b48-d3af-41ba-9376-59ba359651cc
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/franchise-influencers-paul-pickett-chief-development-officer-and-executive-vp-of-franchising-wild-birds-unlimited-2721486
category: "Specialty retail"
industry: "Retail"
segment: "Specialty retail"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2023-03-14T14:09:01.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T01:14:39.257Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/dd0caf1ba605a65608134d1f97a38e828081.jpg
---

# Paul Pickett

**TL;DR:** Paul Pickett has worked with Wild Birds Unlimited for nearly 32 years, serving as the chief development officer. Wild Birds Unlimited is a 300-plus-unit backyard bird-feeding franchise with over 350 locations across the U.S. and Canada.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2023-03-14. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/franchise-influencers-paul-pickett-chief-development-officer-and-executive-vp-of-franchising-wild-birds-unlimited-2721486).*

## Story

Paul Pickett has a masters degree in ornithology, the study of birds, but when it came time to work in a lab, he hated it. A stroke of luck had him meet Jim and Nancy Carpenter, the founding family of Wild Birds Unlimited, the 300-plus-unit backyard bird-feeding franchise, at a party.

Nearly 32 years later, Pickett still works closely with the Carpenters and his chosen field of study: birds.

As the chief development officer of Wild Birds Unlimited, Pickett knows what to look for in a potential franchisee. Under his watch, birds of a feather have flocked together as the franchise continues to grow.

- About Wild Birds Unlimited:
- They are the largest specialty retailer of backyard bird feeding supplies and products.
- They have over 350 franchised locations across the U.S. and Canada, all owned by people who are passionate about the hobby of backyard bird feeding.
- Their owners are passionate people; they’re passionate about the hobby of backyard bird feeding and their businesses.
- They love nature. They love wild birds, and they love sharing their enthusiasm about both with their customers.
- Wild Birds Unlimited owners are their local communities’ backyard bird feeding specialists and a premiere source for nature information, as well as quality products.
- But who they are goes far beyond the items they sell.
- It’s their owners’ commitment to their customers that distinguishes them from other retailers, a fact that makes them very proud.
- They enjoy helping their customers understand birds and nature, swapping stories about the latest bird sightings, and seeing other people share their excitement.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- franchise growth (topic)
- franchise development (topic)
- Retail (sector)
- Wild Birds Unlimited (company)
- Paul Pickett (person)
- wild birds unlimited (topic)
- backyard bird feeding (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/franchise-influencers-paul-pickett-chief-development-officer-and-executive-vp-of-franchising-wild-birds-unlimited-2721486). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/7dd35b48-d3af-41ba-9376-59ba359651cc).