Building Entrepreneurs, Not Just Businesses with Edris Yousefi

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Edris Yousefi, entrepreneur, growth strategist, and founder of Lucky Dog Mobile Groomers, to explore what it really takes to build businesses that scale by empowering people. Drawing on experience across franchising, SaaS, healthcare technology, and multi-location business growth, Edris shares the lessons he's learned from launching, scaling, and exiting companies in multiple industries. From founding a franchise analytics platform to growing Lucky Dog Mobile Groomers into a national brand with more than 100 mobile grooming vans, his journey has been shaped by one consistent belief: successful businesses are built by developing successful entrepreneurs. Edris reflects on the lessons learned from selling his first company too early, the importance of solving real customer problems, and why sustainable growth depends on people more than business models. He explains why he chose a licensing model over traditional franchising, giving business owners greater flexibility while still providing the systems and support they need to succeed. Throughout the conversation, Carly and Edris discuss leadership, company culture, scaling with intention, leveraging technology without adding unnecessary complexity, and creating communities where entrepreneurs learn from and support one another. Edris also shares how thoughtful hiring, disciplined expansion, and a relentless focus on customer experience have helped Lucky Dog grow rapidly without sacrificing quality or culture. This episode is a practical and inspiring conversation about leadership, entrepreneurship, and building businesses that create opportunities for others to thrive. Key Themes People Are the Real Growth Strategy Edris believes every successful business begins with developing great people. By investing in entrepreneurs, building confidence, and creating strong support systems, businesses can scale in ways that are both profitable and sustainable. Sustainable Growth Requires Discipline Fast growth means little without strong foundations. Edris shares why staying selective, maintaining high standards, and protecting company culture have been critical to building a brand that continues to grow without compromising quality. Technology Should Empower, Not Overwhelm With a background in SaaS and data analytics, Edris uses technology to simplify operations, improve communication, and remove friction for business owners. The goal isn't more technology. It's better systems that allow people to focus on serving customers and growing their businesses. Memorable Quotes "People drive businesses. They drive the economy. Solving people problems is usually a good thing." "I'm not just building a business. I'm building entrepreneurs." "The concept is just the framework. The person is what makes the business successful." About Edris Yousefi Edris Yousefi is an entrepreneur and growth strategist with more than 15 years of experience scaling businesses across franchising, SaaS, healthcare technology, and consumer services. Throughout his career, he has helped generate more than $250 million in enterprise value through growth strategy, operational execution, and brand development. He previously founded and exited Franalytics, a franchise analytics platform, and has led marketing and expansion initiatives supporting hundreds of business locations across the United States. Today, Edris is the founder of Lucky Dog Mobile Groomers, one of the fastest-growing mobile pet grooming brands in the country. Through a licensing model built around flexibility, operational excellence, and entrepreneur development, he is helping business owners build successful companies while delivering premium pet care to communities nationwide.