Startup Weekly 05/16/11 - Interview with Corey and Casey Murry of Sniff

When you poke your head inside this dog hotel and take a sniff, you are more likely to smell coffee, pizza or wine and not, well, dogs. Welcome to Sniff Dog Hotel, the brainchild of brothers Casey and Corey Murry. But don't forget sister Jamie, Mom and Dad, because this is a real family operation: Casey and Corey on the frontline, Jamie providing the stunning graphics, Dad the mentorship and Mom the faith to see it through.

How do you survive in this "dog-eat-dog" environment of dog care? Sniff delivers a high-end experience for both dog and owner. Glass everywhere, so you can see your dog playing or relaxing. A café where you can have a glass of wine, a meal and watch your dog being cared for. Knock-out hotel rooms when Fido is staying overnight; the best having a TV to keep him/her entertained and a cam in the corner so you can log on anytime to make sure Fido is happy. There's even Happy Hour if you want to stop off and let puppy play while you relax before heading home. And talk about great branding. Everywhere, attention-getting colors, a great logo that is placed everywhere appropriate. Ultra-clean surfaces, contemporary furniture, sophisticated interior design and smiling people to help you at every turn. They are tech-savvy too, just put in your email and you'll be kept up to date on the latest canine issues.

How did they hit it out of the park on the first try? The brothers offer these pearls of wisdom: Do your homework; ask the people who are in the business already. Ask the customers what they want (we've heard this before!), they'll tell you. Come up with great ideas but then zero in on a few and GET IT DONE; at some point you have to open the door and test your theories. At the end of the day, they both really love dogs and that's their real franchise. Oh yes, the name? As the brothers say, "People shake hands -- dogs sniff".

From their web site: TRUE HOTEL FOR DOGS. We're a state-of-the-art hotel built from the ground up for what we call the three S's: squeaky-clean, safe and super-comfy. We also maintain a high staff-to-dog ratio, so our guests get plenty of one-on-one attention.

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