Doody calls ... and alumni answer. A simple idea becomes a national franchise

Jacob and Susan D’Aniello may have quit their day jobs to scoop poop, but don’t call their lives "crap."

The couple’s unusual company, DoodyCalls, is the first pet waste removal franchise in the world. In 2007, it brought in $2 million in revenue, cornering the canine cleanup market. It now boasts 30 franchises across the U.S.

The D’Aniellos started the business in 2000, developing it at night and on weekends while they worked full-time—Jacob (Col ’99) as a technology consultant and Susan (Col ’98) as a nurse. They thought the best way to explore their entrepreneurial spirit was through a unique business idea that hadn’t been attempted before. They also figured that they could ensure success by offering a service to help with something undesirable.

Dog poop provided the answer.

"We always had the desire to run our own company, and ultimately be in charge of our own future and destinies," Jacob says. "We wanted an opportunity where we would be allowed to run as fast as we possibly could, and where our success and failures were directly dependent on our own actions."

The D’Aniellos also envisioned a simple business that didn’t have too many moving parts. They started DoodyCalls in Northern Virginia and eventually moved their headquarters to Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall.

"To us, it’s an exciting business," Susan says. "We don’t think about the fact that we’re talking about poop."

Much of the company’s growth has occurred recently. In early 2003, Jacob and Susan were scooping about 40 yards each weekend. Today, the franchise owners clean up after thousands of dogs in backyards across the nation. They hadn’t initially planned to expand the company throughout the country, but inquiries started pouring in from all over, so the couple began providing services in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

One of the rewards of running the company is the opportunity to mentor franchise owners, Susan says. The business also does its part to promote environmental sustainability. If left uncollected, dog feces can have a significant impact on the environment and human health. Depending on local regulations, DoodyCalls deposits its product in landfills or incinerators.

Within the next five years, the couple aims to have 275 DoodyCalls franchises nationwide. Ironically, their dog, Rusty, won’t be a client. The canine, spurning the couple’s success, goes deep into the woods, far from his scoop-wielding owners.

By Melanie Mayhew - Article from University of Virginia Magazine Website
http://www.uvamagazine.org/site/c.esJNK1PIJrH/b.3809099/