Key Takeaways
- A lifelong family bond can carry over into business partnership, as Bojangles franchise owners Dee and Ketan (KP) Patel demonstrate.
- Shannon O’Dore and Ashley Heller’s mother-daughter partnership at Bark and Mane shows how franchising can bring generations together around shared goals.
- A family legacy can take shape through business ownership, creating opportunities to carry shared values and a business forward.
- “American Dreamers” brings the people and personal stories behind franchise brands into the spotlight, celebrating the families and relationships that contribute to their ownership journeys.
Two Families, Two Paths to a Lasting Legacy
A family-owned business can give relatives the opportunity to build a lasting legacy while growing something meaningful side by side. For Dee and Ketan Patel, cousins who work together as Bojangles franchise owners, that partnership is rooted in a bond that goes back to birth. For Shannon O’Dore and her daughter, Ashley Heller, owners of Bark and Mane Tucson, it’s an opportunity to grow a business and pursue new goals together.
Their stories show two sides of franchise possibilities. One draws on decades of shared history, while the other gives a mother and daughter the chance to step into generational ownership. In both cases, family plays a meaningful role in how they approach franchise ownership and what they hope to carry forward.
A Partnership That Goes Back a Lifetime
Though they’re first cousins, Dee has always considered Ketan a brother. Born just 11 months apart, they’ve spent 45 years side by side. That closeness carries into their work as Bojangles franchise owners, where each trusts the other to handle separate roles without constant questions or oversight.
Dee explains, “If I need money, I don’t go to the bank. I go to Ketan,” reflecting Ketan’s role in managing the financial side of their business. They divide responsibilities, rely on each other to do their part, and trust the partnership they’ve built over decades.
Ketan’s take on family also extends beyond the business itself. Their mothers are sisters, and their fathers are brothers, creating a close-knit family bond that has shaped how they work together.
As Ketan shared, “If somebody has to sacrifice in the family, I’ll start first, and I’ll take care of the family above anything.”
For the Patels, a family-owned business reflects the same shared commitment that continues to guide their family.
Growing a Business Across Generations
Shannon’s journey into business ownership began with an interest that eventually led her and her daughter Ashley to franchising.
As she recalled, “A long time ago, way back in school, I was looking at veterinary school. So when I came across the mobile pet grooming business, it really sparked a great interest for me. I love pets. I’ve always had pets, and it was just an obvious [choice] for us.”
Building the business required plenty of hands-on work, especially when they first got started.
“Way back in the beginning, you have to really put in the hours and do a lot of work as you grow. It’s just all a matter of getting the right people,” Shannon explained, with Ashley highlighting the support of the Home Franchise Concepts development team that allows them to check in regularly and always receive a prompt response.
For Shannon and Ashley, setting goals and continuing to grow the business has become something they can do together.
“Success today is us challenging our own selves,” Shannon said. “We have growth, year over year over year, and we just keep setting bigger goals every year, and it’s been really fun to do it together and continue the growth.”
Her husband and son have also helped with the business over the years, making Bark and Mane a major part of family life. Their story shows how a family-owned business can bring relatives together to share the work, set goals, and build a lasting business that can be passed on.
Keeping Family Legacies Moving Forward
Dee and Ketan, along with Shannon and Ashley, have found that franchising has become part of a much bigger family story. Their experiences show how ownership can bring generations together, preserve important family values, and create something loved ones can continue to shape over time. Sharing these journeys gives others a clearer picture of the real people, relationships, and motivations behind ownership.
At Thunderly Marketing, we help franchise brands amplify their reach and connect with prospective owners ready to build something of their own, just like this month’s American Dreamers subjects.
Our American Dreamers campaign puts the spotlight on the people who give franchising its meaning, including families creating legacies together. Visit the “American Dreamers: The Stories of Franchising”© to read more stories and follow along on social media.
Through our proprietary AIM Model© (Amplified Integrated Marketing), which aligns SEO, public relations, social media, content, video, digital marketing, and AI visibility, we are able to strengthen brand presence and help franchise opportunities reach people who could carry those brands into their next chapter.
Ready to grow your franchise brand and keep pace with the future of franchise marketing? Contact us here to start a conversation.
