Happy Dogs, Happier Owners, with Stacy Fotos, The Happy Dog Hotel

Happy Dogs, Happier Owners, with Stacy Fotos, The Happy Dog Hotel (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 849)

In this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray interviews Stacy Fotos, co-owner of The Happy Dog Hotel. Stacy shares insights about her dog-centric business that offers daycare, boarding, and grooming services for dogs. She emphasizes the importance of cleanliness, staff who genuinely love dogs, and the difference between owner-run and investor-run dog care businesses. Stacy also discusses the unique features of The Happy Dog Hotel, such as large kennels, a dog ice cream shop, and various community events. Additionally, she outlines her future goals, including acquiring a farm to expand her services and creating a non-profit to help homeless dogs.

John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Stacy Fotos, Co-Founder, The Happy Dog Hotel

Stacy Fotos is a dedicated entrepreneur and community leader who has been an integral part of the Metro Atlanta area for over three decades. As a mother of two grown children, Courteney (29) and Joseph (25), and a grandmother to Jaxson (4) and Chandler (21 months), Stacy has deep roots in Alpharetta, where she raised her family. Her personal interests include spending quality time with her grandchildren, traveling abroad, and indulging in her love for reading.

Throughout her career, Stacy has demonstrated a strong commitment to both community service and business leadership. From 1998 to 2002, she served on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Restoration Network, eventually holding the position of Chair. In this role, she was instrumental in media relations, acting as a spokesperson across various platforms, and led successful fundraising initiatives, including chairing the fundraising committee and organizing annual auctions. From 2008 to December 31, 2024, Stacy founded and managed Synergy HomeCare of North Atlanta, a home care company where she oversaw daily operations, employee management, and ensured compliance with state regulations.

**Stacy Fotos and Christopher Zimmerman, Co-Founders, The Happy Dog Hotel**

The Happy Dog Hotel is a premier dogboarding and daycare facility co-founded by Stacy Fotos and her childhood friend Christopher Zimmerman. Opened in March 2024, the hotel offers a unique “home away from home” experience for canine guests, providing services such as boarding, daycare, grooming, and even featuring an organic doggie ice cream parlor. The facility prides itself on its spacious, climate-controlled suites, supervised playtime sessions, and personalized care tailored to each dog’s individual needs.

At The Happy Dog Hotel, Stacy oversees comprehensive management, including human resources, marketing, networking, social media, and all operational aspects of the business. What sets the hotel apart is not only its commitment to exceptional pet care but also its dedication to giving back to the community. The founders have set a five-year goal to use proceeds from the hotel to build their own homeless shelter and support dogs in need. This mission-driven approach, combined with their family-owned status and trained, dog-loving staff, has quickly established The Happy Dog Hotel as a top-rated choice for pet owners in the Johns Creek and Alpharetta areas of Georgia.

The Happy Dog Hotel is located at 11895 Jones Bridge Rd., Johns Creek, GA 30005.

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Stacy LinkedIn

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction and Welcome to North Fulton Business Radio
01:35 Meet Stacy Fotos of Happy Dog Hotel
01:55 Services Offered by Happy Dog Hotel
02:41 The Story Behind Happy Dog Hotel
04:29 Importance of Cleanliness and Quality Care
05:46 Owner-Run vs. Investor-Run Facilities
14:25 Community Involvement and Events
17:38 Future Plans and Goals
21:51 Conclusion and Contact Information
22:42 Final Announcements and Thank You

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $17 billion in assets and more than 180 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from each banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way to better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

With over 850 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!

The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their market, community, and profession. There’s no discrimination based on company size, and there’s never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates business by sharing positive business stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.

**John Ray, North Fulton Business Radio, and Owner, Ray Business Advisors**

The studio address is 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.

John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.