Carolyn Franks is A Dream Big Story Herself
Like Gillie on his Journey to GuineaPigVille, she too has overcome many challenges. But through it all, she never even let her allergy to animals stand in the way of a life built around them.
Best In Show
Remember the school assignment you dreamed about making real someday? Well, Carolyn did just that when she jump-started her career with a college project called BARKERSVILLE. The storybook-based dog toys not only won her a job with Multipet International, but the industry’s best new product award! After that, the prestigious American Kennel Club in NYC sniffed her out to become the first female VP of Marketing in their 115-year history. Tasked with cultivating a younger audience, she created a children’s educational program and developed breed-specific plush toys for the iconic, FAO Schwartz. Carolyn then launched INSTINCT, a pet-focused marketing and design firm. Her clients included major pet toy companies and retailers like WalMart, who hired Miss Franks to create a kid-friendly pet department. Pet Product News named Carolyn one of the Top Ten Most Powerful Women in the male-dominated industry.
Spreading Her Wings
Moving to California, Carolyn built a chain of cageless bird stores and the first-ever parrot breeding facility, modeled after a five-star resort. It featured free-flight enclosures, tropical music and gourmet meals. Passionate about conservation, Carolyn visited local schools with her endangered macaws and traveled to South America to protect their wild counterparts. Raising awareness to save the species, she threw a wedding for her pet Hyacinths at the West Hollywood location. The event created such a buzz, it was televised on Animal Planet.
A Zoo? Who Knew?
In 2005, Carolyn turned an 1800s animal farm into a highly-prized petting zoo that featured 100 guinea pigs. One in particular, inspired her to make the furry favorite the zoo mascot and write a children’s book about him titled, The Tale of Gillie Guinea Pig. A plush toy and music album soon followed. Because of Gillie, the zoo’s attendance jumped from 300 visitors a week to 3,000! With it’s top-notch animal care, educational camps, holiday happenings and philanthropic events, Parenting Magazine named ZOOMARS Petting Zoo the best place to take to preschoolers in Southern California. The attraction’s industry was more than a little surprised when Gillie took home the ‘Brass Ring Award’ for best souvenir plush character, winning against mascots from Disney and SeaWorld.
Dream big guinea pig
With this David-and-Goliath win, Carolyn knew it was time to share Gillie with the world. She packed up her guinea pigs and headed to Hollywood to create a Gillie book series and an animated children’s show. Today you can find Carolyn bouncing between Los Angeles, California and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, alongside her creative team, guinea pig pals, and allergy pills.
