A Franchise for the Dogs

Love pets? Mobile pet-grooming brand Zoomin Groomin is growing fast, and could be the ride you've been waiting for.

- KIM KAVIN

John Hewitt is amazed by how much money people will spend on their dogs.

That's saying something, given that Hewitt has some experience with high-net-worth enterprises. Hewitt cofounded Jackson Hewitt, the tax preparation services empire, and sold it for $483 million. Today, his company Loyalty Brands has 10 franchise brands, offering everything from construction and tax and accounting services to, yes, pet services-which he says is the "fastest-growing [category] by far."

"I love my tax-preparation industry, but it only grew by 1% a year," he says. "The amount spent on pets has doubled, and it's expected to double again in the next five years."