Overnight success is a myth. Layamon Bakewell knows this better than most. The rapid growth Pets in the City is experiencing right now — new franchises signed, new sites opening across Auckland — is the visible tip of more than five years of quiet, relentless foundation-building.
A Sailor’s Second Act
After 18 years serving in the New Zealand Navy, Layamon was ready for a change. He wasn’t sure what that looked like — until Pets in the City crossed his path in 2020. He did his due diligence, analysed global and local industry trends, and saw something genuinely exciting: a growing sector, meaningful work, and a real opportunity to build something significant in New Zealand. Together with his partner Laura, he acquired the Silverdale franchise.
What started as a single site has since evolved into something far larger. In October 2022, Layamon took over the entire franchise management company and the corporate headquarters, embarking on a full restructure of the brand — rewriting systems, modernising sites, launching a new website, and developing a 10-year strategic plan to expand to 18 sites across New Zealand by 2035, with intentions to enter the Australian market beyond that.
Build the Foundations First
One theme runs through everything Layamon talks about: you cannot scale without solid foundations. Businesses that try to grow too fast, before their processes are truly ready, tend to fall apart. The visible growth of Pets in the City over the past 12 months is actually the result of five or more years of work happening beneath the surface.
“It’s impossible to scale effectively without first establishing robust processes,” Layamon says. “Try to grow too fast before the foundations are ready, and the whole thing falls over.”
This philosophy shapes how he runs the business, how he selects franchisees, and how he thinks about long-term success.
Growing the Network
Pets in the City is currently in a rapid growth phase. Three new franchise agreements have been signed in the last four to five months alone, and lease negotiations are underway in several strategic, underserved Auckland locations. Layamon is keeping the specific sites under wraps until lease agreements become unconditional — but the momentum is real.
The long-term vision is 18 New Zealand sites by 2035, followed by expansion into Australia. With 118,000 dogs estimated to be living in the Auckland region alone, the addressable market is enormous — and largely underserved when it comes to high-quality care options.
What Makes a Great Franchisee
Layamon is deliberate about who joins the Pets in the City family. Skills can be taught — culture can’t. He looks for four core values in every prospective franchisee: professionalism, integrity (specifically the willingness to give honest feedback to both clients and staff), teamwork, and a commitment to continuous improvement — what he calls the “1 percenters.”
Beyond values, he’s looking for a specific kind of motivation. He wants people who are driven to work for themselves, not for a boss — people who want the freedom to manage their own schedule, pick their kids up from school, and build something of their own. That, he says, is what business ownership is really about.
The 1% Philosophy
The idea of continuous improvement runs deep in Layamon’s thinking. Like an athlete who adds one more rep each week rather than attempting a record lift on day one, he believes sustainable growth comes from compounding small efforts — not dramatic, one-off changes. Show up, improve by one percent, and repeat. The results take care of themselves.
The Hardest Part: Getting Through the Door
If there’s one challenge that has repeatedly slowed Pets in the City’s expansion, it’s securing commercial leases in Auckland. Landlords are often initially resistant to the idea of a dog-related business — concerns about noise, odour, and liability are common. Winning them over takes time, persistence, and a professional presentation.
The practical consequence is that sites open later than planned. The Westgate location launched six months behind its original target date — not due to any operational failure, but purely because of lease negotiation delays. It’s a frustration Layamon now tries to anticipate and communicate clearly to franchisees from the outset.
Advice for Aspiring Franchisors
For pet business owners thinking about franchising their own operation, Layamon has three clear recommendations. First, document everything — your knowledge needs to be transferable, not locked inside your head. Second, invest in a specialist franchise lawyer to create a solid franchise agreement. Third, join the Franchise Association of New Zealand, which provides independent auditing of your systems and documentation.
An Untapped Market
While daycare is the core revenue driver for Pets in the City, Layamon sees a significant, largely unaddressed opportunity in premium boarding. With 118,000 dogs in the Auckland region and very limited high-quality boarding options available, it’s a gap in the market he intends to fill as the network scales.
The Road Ahead
The Pets in the City story is still being written. With a clear expansion plan, a values-driven approach to franchising, and a founder who has learned — first in the Navy, then in business — that lasting success is built slowly and deliberately, the network is well-positioned for the decade ahead.
The lesson? Build the foundations. Hire for culture. Improve by one percent, every day. The overnight success will look after itself.
