Salty Dawg Pet Salon and Bakery Co-founders Winn Claybaugh and John Kanski, along with partner Gary Ratner have a combined 75-plus years of experience in franchise and retail industries. After working together in different businesses, they now have two of their children involved. By Nancy E. Williams
Families Coming Together for Success
Salty Dawg Pet Salon and Bakery Co-founders Winn Claybaugh and John Kanski, along with partner Gary Ratner have a combined 75-plus years of experience in franchise and retail industries. After working together in different businesses, they now have two of their children involved.
When Kanski, Claybaugh and Ratner came together to create Salty Dawg Pet Salon and Bakery, it already felt like family due to their work on previous businesses.
“We’ve known each other for over 20 years and through that, we’ve built trust. That time together allowed us to focus on building systems around nurturing relationships. This includes problem solving and how to handle anxiety,” shared Ratner. “It’s also important to listen! Sometimes you’re eager to influence others’ thinking, but you need to sit back and listen so that everyone is aligned.”
Kanski has a unique relationship with his son, Tyler, because he became one of the first franchisees of Salty Dawg Pet Salon and Bakery.
“In our case, I’m not just Tyler’s father but also his franchisor. The benefit is that Tyler has had a front row seat to me building the business. As the franchisor, my job is to create every possible scenario that could happen in the business and provide a solution,” explained Kanski. “With Tyler I know I’m getting honest and constructive feedback.”
Working with family presents its own set of challenges, but Kanski believes that the culture of the business can address any concerns.
“Culture is extremely important. Winn Claybaugh, founder, co-owner and dean of Paul Mitchell Advanced Education, created a culture that has proven extremely beneficial. We wanted to bring that to Salty Dawg. This required us to build a system of appreciation that we incorporated into our overall brand, meetings and communications. We have a specific structure that we follow even when we may not feel like it, which keeps us on track,” explained Kanski.
“Using this system allows us to address business-related issues during work hours so that we can set aside time after hours to honor our family time. You must work at it because when money and stress are in play, something every entrepreneur experiences, things can get very complicated.”
Nancy E. Williams