Father and Son To Open 7 K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Units

Mike and Thomas Esposito, a father-son duo with a passion for franchising, signed a multi-unit agreement to bring five K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel locations to Denver and two to the Clearwater, Florida, area.

The Espositos are both Brown alumni and followed the same path of working on Wall Street at Goldman Sachs after graduating. Mike spent 28 years at the firm—20 of those as a partner—before deciding to personally invest in multiple franchises in the restaurant industry. Thomas always knew that he wanted to break into franchising, and in seeing K9 Resorts' franchise opportunity, he knew the time was now.

"After finding K9 Resorts and meeting with Jason and Steven Parker, there was no doubt that this was a franchise I wanted to be a part of," Mike said. "K9 Resorts checked off all of the boxes that I was looking for in a franchise: K9 is a market differentiator in the pet care industry, and the business model not only gives franchisees a blueprint for success and a strong return on investment, but the company has plans to build out a huge footprint. I am excited to co-own seven K9 Resorts locations with my son and contribute to that growth while teaching him the ins and outs of franchising."

Pet boarding is on a trajectory to become a $35.8 billion industry by 2031 with an expected compound annual growth rate of 6.4%.

"I worked with the pet care industry during my time at Goldman Sachs, and I have never seen a business model quite like K9 Resorts," Thomas said. "From a business perspective, it's an attractive franchise opportunity that's founded by two brothers who are extremely passionate about the industry, and we're excited to bring K9 Resorts' high standard of pet care to new communities. As a pet owner myself, I know that dogs are true members of the family, and K9 Resorts is a place where I would want to send my dog."

Both Colorado and Florida have growing economies and dog-friendly natures.

"The Espositos are the ideal franchisees for K9 Resorts. Their collective business backgrounds and passion for pets and Mike's history in the franchise industry will serve as a solid foundation for quick success," said Jason Parker, co-founder and CEO of K9 Resorts Franchising. "K9 Resorts is expanding exponentially, and we are eager to see their businesses foster a culture of care and provide a home away from home where the dogs of Denver and the greater Clearwater area will love to stay and play."