Cindy Skocik Trades Corporate Life For a FUN Dog Training Franchise!
Cindy Skocik is ready to take on a new role: Franchise Owner. She has had an illustrious career in business leadership and corporate management, including roles as a COO and CFO. She spent time helping other owners grow and lead their businesses to successful futures. Now she wants to be the owner herself. She has waited for the right PAW-portunity to launch her business with Dog Training Elite, one of the easiest and most fulfilling franchises to own in the lucrative pet care industry.
A Dog-Lover and Entrepreneur From the Start
Cindy grew up with her family in the country and always found stray dogs to bring home. She says, “I cried when I couldn’t keep all of them!” Dogs were part of her life as a child. She has always been a dog lover and recalls always having a canine companion for hiking, road trips, play, and of course, cuddles.
When Cindy was growing up, her father was a small business owner. She says he is “too humble” to call himself an entrepreneur, but she learned the values of being an entrepreneur from watching him. To be successful, she believes a business owner must be creative, a driven problem-solver, passionate, and have a strong focus on customers.
Dog Lover or "Crazy Dog Lady?"
As an adult, Cindy remained a dog-lover. She now lives in Raleigh, NC, and spends time outdoors with her dogs, hiking, and kayaking. When she is home with her pups and family, you can find her cooking, reading, and planning her next travel destination.
Cindy has developed an appreciation for the significance of the human and canine relationship as a dog owner herself. A self-proclaimed “crazy dog lady,” she has been known to have conversations with her dogs. She believes fostering good relationships starts with setting boundaries for good behavior. “It’s such pure love and can be very joyful if the dog is well mannered.”
Making a Positive Impact
Cindy has held a life-long desire to serve others. She has enjoyed working with companies that provide assisted living for seniors and treat people with eating disorders in her past. She is eager to leave an impact on people and the world. “I have always been happiest when the company’s business was helping to make people’s lives better,” she says.
While looking to launch her own business, she read an article online about the best business for sale and saw an ad for DTE. She was immediately interested because she believed that fostering a good relationship between dogs and their families can be life-enhancing, making each of their lives richer and more manageable. “Combine the desire to have a positive impact and being a dog lover with the particulars of the business model, and joining Dog Training Elite immediately felt like what I needed to do with the next phase of my work life,” she says.
That was her ‘a-ha’ moment! She knew that combining her love of dogs with her entrepreneurial spirit could be the foundation for a very successful business. It was the right business opportunity at the right time.
DTE's Commitment to Quality
At DTE’s Approval Day in Salt Lake City, Cindy was excited to meet Founder John Mestas and CEO Kelley Rosequist, along with the rest of our executive team, and hear their perspectives on the business. “It was really significant to me,” she states. Her impression was that the entire DTE team truly loved dogs and cared about their families. Cindy notes, “Their commitment to the quality of the training is evident.”
Cindy also says that she enjoyed meeting all the dogs! We do too, Cindy!
Seeing DTE's Impact Up Close and Personal
One of the most engaging experiences for Cindy was joining a DTE trainer on a live appointment where she shadowed them as they worked with a veteran with PTSD. Seeing the impact DTE made with the veteran and their dog was inspiring to Cindy.
She also looks forward to working with the Malinois Foundation, DTE’s non-profit organization. Founded in 2013, the foundation is devoted to helping veterans, first responders, and those in need of overcoming physical or emotional barriers with the help of a service animal.
Welcoming DTE to North Carolina's Research Triangle Area
Cindy is excited to launch her own business with DTE. She believes her passion for Dog Training Elite will make her successful. We are thrilled that she brings her unrelenting focus on quality and service to our team! Her previous experience in building and leading business will help her succeed.
Being a part of the DTE family, Cindy knows that she can trust in our proven training methods, and she believes in the results that we get. As a DTE Franchise Owner, Cindy and her team will offer a wide variety of services for dogs and their families, ranging from basic obedience training to specialized training for service dogs. This training takes place in the locations where people need it most: their homes.
Are You Ready to Join Cindy?
The in-home model is something that Cindy is excited about. Not only does it meet owners where they need it most, but it also means there is no need for a facility for the business owner. The low overhead and start-up price, just $82,800, means that getting on board with DTE is both fast and easy!
Cindy is also looking forward to connecting with the entire DTE team. She has enjoyed preparing for her launch and feels like DTE is full of resources to aid her on her business journey. Life is made better with a well-behaved dog, and she wants to bring that to North Carolina's Research Triangle Area.
She hopes that you bring that to your town too and her advice is to go for it! “Take action! Make contact, ask all your questions, and don’t be afraid!” she says excitedly. Even as she prepares for launch, she is confident that she will succeed and credits the DTE team’s support. “You can do this!”
Own a Dog Training Elite
If you are inspired by Cindy’s move to own her own business and impact her community, visit our Franchise Information Page today to learn more.