2011 Small Business of the Year
After noticing a lack of complete canine experiences in the area, Amber Burckhalter offered the first K-9 Coach training class in the spring of 2001. The program began in the Powers Ferry Animal Hospital parking lot and now has grown into a 25,000-square-foot, industry-leading facility in Smyrna. Along with dog training and behavior modification services, K-9 Coach offers a comprehensive range of boarding, day care and grooming. Her original ideas and goals have quickly impacted from around 650 clients at its inception to nearly 1,900 clients in only three short years. This incredible growth has not only led to over $1 million in revenue and national recognition, but also the creation of a subsidiary, Bed and Bark, offering lodging and playcare operations for their growing number of clients.
Aside from the K-9 Coach’s indisputable success, employees have completed over 2,500 hours of community service each year for various animal-specific non-profit organizations. Client Lisa Brodhead described this success and dedication when stating, “K-9 Coach truly gives back to the community through donating their time and expertise to provide education and assistance to people and their dogs.” Following their mission to enrich lives and ensure a lifetime of reward, K-9 Coach has been able to impact many Cobb County residents and their beloved pets. Amber Burckhalter’s strong leadership and approach to be trustworthy, creative and enterprising while always putting the customers’ best interests first has earned K-9 Coach the title of 2011 Small Business of the Year.
Business Snapshot
Owner: Amber Burckhalter
Industry: Pet/Animal Specialty
Company Description: Provides a comprehensive range of boarding, day care, grooming, retail and dog training and behavior modification services to ensure that customers experience a lifetime of reward with their beloved pups.
Number of Employees: 13 full- and 10 part-time
Percentage of growth from 2010: 57.5%
Location: Smyrna
Contact Info: http://www.k-9coach.com/
The Cobb Chamber Small Business of the Year winner will participate in the Georgia Small Business of the Year competition.
Congratulations to the 2011 Top 25 Small Businesses of the Year. This year’s recipients are:
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- Kelly Construction Company, Inc.
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- LOUD Security Systems, Inc.
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- Casteel Heating and Cooling, Inc.
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- Mopdog Creative + Strategy
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- Nolan Transportation Group, Inc.
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- Ed Voyles Automotive Group
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- ShelfGenie Franchise Systems, LLC
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- Sundial Plumbing Services
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- Unique Cleaning Service, Inc.
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- Fulfillment Strategies International
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- The Investigative Accounting Group, LLC
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Thank you to our 2011 Sponsors
Presenting
Gold
Silver
For more information on Small Business of the Year or to become a sponsor, contact Tya Dawson at 770-859-2341 or tdawson@cobbchamber.org