Why This Franchisee Left a 20-Year Health Care Career for a Woofie's Franchise

Danielle Krueger spent 20 years in health care before walking away during what was supposed to be another routine business trip. She left her executive career while sitting at the airport, without another job lined up, and eventually found her next opportunity with Woofie's, the 101 franchised units pet care franchise under Authority Brands. Today, she owns Woofie's of South Tampa in Florida.

"I wanted the autonomy to have a franchise and create a place to work in my community where people wanted to work because they were treated well and treated with respect," Krueger said. "I wanted guidance and support, but I didn't want micromanagement. Every conversation I had with the Woofie's team just felt right, and it aligned with why I was leaving corporate health care."

A year and a half into franchise ownership, Krueger says the transition has challenged her in ways she never expected, but she has no regrets. Along with growing her own business, she now mentors new franchise owners, sharing lessons from her first year and helping them navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

Health care background

Before becoming a Woofie's franchise owner, Krueger spent 20 years in health care, serving as a surgical technologist, surgery center administrator and regional director of operations. While she gained valuable experience managing operations and leading teams, the demands of corporate health care eventually outweighed the rewards.

"My kids were pointing out that I was always stressed," she said. "I had zero work-life balance. I was supposed to be flying somewhere for a meeting, and I just said, 'I'm done. I'm out. I can't do this anymore.'"

After taking time away from work, Krueger began researching franchise opportunities with the help of a franchise broker. She looked at several concepts before deciding that Woofie's was the right fit.

Franchise selection process

“Not all of the franchises I spoke to were really honest about what the financial outlook would be for the upfront cost and expected costs in the first year,” she said. “I quickly learned that Woofie’s was the only one that was super transparent from day one. You knew exactly what you were walking into.”

Krueger believes the leadership skills she developed in health care have been one of the biggest advantages in running her business. She focuses on setting clear expectations while giving employees regular coaching instead of waiting until something goes wrong.

"Professional athletes get coached every day, and I feel like employees deserve that, too," she said. “Things are never approached like a reprimand. It's always about how we can do better. We succeed together and we fail together, and I want everyone on the team to feel that.”

She also works to create a positive culture where employees support one another. That starts during the hiring process and continues through daily communication with her team. Her South Tampa location is staffed entirely by women. Krueger says she takes pride in fostering an environment where her team feels empowered both on and off the job.

"I'm really proud of the team I have today," Krueger said. "The friendships they've built outside of work mean a lot to me because it shows we've created a community within our own business. I want people to enjoy coming to work and know they'll be treated with kindness and respect."

Mentoring and growth

As Krueger gained experience, she became a mentor for new Woofie's franchise owners. She enjoys helping them avoid some of the mistakes she made early on while offering encouragement during difficult moments.

"I always tell my kids to learn from other people's mistakes instead of your own," she said. “That's how I approach mentoring. If I went through something that can make another owner's journey a little easier, I want to share it.”

She recently spoke with a new franchise owner after a particularly difficult day and reminded her that setbacks are part of running a business.

"I told her, 'The good news is tomorrow we get the chance to get up and do it all over again,'" Krueger said. "You can feel sorry for yourself for a little while, but tomorrow is a new day. As business owners, we have to learn from those experiences and move forward."

Krueger says the support she receives from the Woofie's leadership team has made a difference throughout her ownership journey. Whether she has an operational question, wants to share an idea or needs help solving a problem, she knows someone is available.

"I've never been short on support," she said. "Whether it's Founder and Brand President Amy Addington or someone helping with an issue on the van, everyone is willing to help. Nothing is about pointing fingers. Every conversation is focused on finding a solution."

That support also influences the way she mentors others. She regularly shares feedback and ideas that she believes can improve processes for future franchise owners while continuing to learn from others across the system.

As her business grows, Krueger remains focused on serving clients, supporting employees and building relationships in the South Tampa community. She says it's easy to become distracted by competitors or outside challenges, but she has learned to stay focused on the things she can control.

"I always come back to doing the right thing," she said. "I'm doing the right thing by my clients and I'm doing the right thing by my employees. People can copy what I do, but they can't copy why I do it. At the end of the day, that's what lets me sleep well at night."