- December 4, 2025
Launching a franchise can be a daunting challenge, even for a successful and retired corporate executive.
Jackie Rector, the now proud owner of Hounds Town Palm Coast – Bunnell, experienced this for herself and knew that she needed support to make her new dream a reality. That’s when she turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) in Palm Coast. As she looks forward to celebrating her new business’ one-year anniversary, she is glad she did.
Hounds Town is a fully interactive doggy daycare, boarding, and pet spa facility. Designed like a town for dogs, it features expansive play areas, luxury overnight suites, and a pampering doggie day spa.
“What makes Hounds Town special is that the dogs are not caged or crated,” Rector said. “We pride ourselves in the care we give our dogs."
Rector said when the dogs come in, they make sure they can play interactively "in a natural pack environment with dogs of the same size, temperament, and play style." It helps socialize the dogs and make them happy, she said.
"And that’s what it’s all about: Doing it for the Dogs,” she said.
Rector’s professional background as a retired corporate executive from a Fortune 200 company brought significant advantage to her new venture. She said it gave her the foundation to be a business owner, but she also knew she needed support in terms of developing a business plan and getting funding. That is when she found the Small Business Development Center in Palm Coast.
“I was fortunate enough to get the support I needed and that’s why I am sitting here today," she said. "I couldn’t have done any of this without someone by my side coaching me.”
That someone was Michael Oppenheim, a consultant with the FSBDC at UCF. Rector worked closely with Oppenheim, leveraging the FSBDC’s no-cost consulting services. There was a lot of discussion and brainstorming, she said, so she could properly evaluate her decision to make this investment.
Oppenheim also helped Rector secure the capital she needed to launch her business. He guided her through preparing a loan package, identifying lenders, and facilitating the transaction. The SBDC helped her get the funding she needed, Rector said.
Today, the FSBDC supports Rector with marketing strategy and financial management best practices.
“Working with the SBDC is a no brainer,” she said. “I was really amazed and actually surprised that these resources are available to individuals looking to start their own business. And it doesn’t cost me anything. It is the way to go to make sure you have everything you need in your toolkit to be successful.”
