PetWellClinic, a franchisor of walk-in veterinary clinics, plans to open 25 practices in and around Washington, D.C., in cooperation with two fitness studio operators.
The new co-franchisees, Dave Ballow and Liz Overmann, are involved with Orangetheory Fitness, a national chain. Ballow is the managing partner behind 14 Orangetheory franchise locations in Maryland and Overmann is the regional general manager.
Sam Meisler, DVM, MBA, the founder and CEO of PetWellClinic, saw similarities between his business model and Orangetheory’s.
“Liz and Dave have done this before, and their experience will be paramount to replicating their previous successes,” Dr. Meisler said. “What I’m most excited about is that they share our vision and values.”
Ballow earned Orangetheory’s Top Emerging Market award in 2019.
“Although the industry is different, we feel that many of the challenges in building a brand and scaling a company are the same,” Ballow said. “Our time with Orangetheory has prepared us to be well-equipped to build brand trust and recognition in a new market and grow a team who is passionate about the mission, lives in our values, and cares for our clients.
“This begins with finding a veterinarian who shares our vision and values. Our ideal candidate has a passion for growth and development, problem-solving and an entrepreneurial spirit.”
Ballow and Overmann’s franchise territory includes Washington and adjacent areas of Maryland and Northern Virginia. Their first PetWellClinic should open in 2021.
Nearly 80 locations are under development nationwide. Other franchisees are preparing to open at least one clinic each in 2021 in Colorado, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York City, Pittsburgh and South Florida.
PetWellClinic is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, the home to four company-affiliated clinics and one franchised operation.
Ballow and Overmann aren’t the only Orangetheory veterans partnering with PetWellClinic.
“We have four areas in development that are owned by current and/or former Orangetheory franchisees,” Dr. Meisler said. “There seems to be an overlap in values with Orangetheory culture. We like their strong franchisee leadership teams.”
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