1851

When Cliff Hudson decided to start his own <a href="http://www.freshcoatfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=all-star-franchisees-cliff-hudson-of-fresh-coat-5754" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fresh Coat* franchise</a> eight years ago, he knew nothing about the franchising or painting industries. But by working with a supportive corporate team and network of knowledgeable franchisees, Hudson was able to successfully get his business off the ground. Now, Hudson continues to grow his Fresh Coat business throughout the Tracy, California area. 1851 Franchise recently spoke to Hudson to learn more about his life-changing decision to invest with Fresh Coat, as well as his advice for other entrepreneurs looking to follow in his footsteps and break into the franchising industry. What was your perspective about franchising prior to joining? Before breaking into the franchising industry, I didn&#8217;t have a good grasp of what it was all about. But because I have a MBA, I&#8217;m inclined to do a lot of research before jumping into anything new. I liked the idea of joining a franchise system because of the support system that it offered, and thought that the painting industry would be a good fit for me. My gut was definitely right&#8212;Fresh Coat brings a respectable brand name and level of legitimacy to my business that it wouldn&#8217;t otherwise have. They really helped me transition into the business, and that&#8217;s what franchising is all about. What is the top thing you think people don't understand about franchising? Even though you&#8217;re buying into a franchise, you still need to learn how to run your own business. Working as a franchisee gives you the unique opportunity to work on a business rather than in it, and that&#8217;s definitely a key to your success. That&#8217;s what stood out to me when I first bought into Fresh Coat&#8212;I didn&#8217;t want to buy a job, I wanted to buy a business. Understanding the industry and knowing my role as a local owner has made all the difference. How has being a franchisee changed your life? I really love owning my own business. And now we&#8217;ve grown to the point where that business ownership is helping other people realize their professional dreams. It&#8217;s very rewarding when I get a call from a bank or someone asking about my guys so they can buy a home or a car. That&#8217;s how being a franchisee has changed my life&#8212;it&#8217;s put me in a position to help other people support their families. Why did you decide to franchise with Fresh Coat? As I was looking at other franchises in the industry, Fresh Coat simply stood out as the best option. Its strong reputation and superior services were something I needed in order to get my business off the ground. The cost of entry was also very good&#8212;I didn&#8217;t feel like it was prohibitive. I didn&#8217;t have to spend all of my money right off the bat. And Fresh Coat&#8217;s military discount was also attractive to me. Why should other entrepreneurs buy a Fresh Coat franchise? The support from the corporate team and other franchisees in the system is second to none. Being a part of Fresh Coat is like being in a family&#8212;you can grow your business with the help of people who have come before you and experienced their own successes and mistakes. There&#8217;s no sense in reinventing the wheel when you can learn from other people in your same shoes. When I first got into franchising, I didn&#8217;t have any knowledge of the industry, so that support system has been invaluable. What advice would you have for someone looking to become a franchisee? It&#8217;s absolutely essential to learn and understand all the aspects of the business, including building it from the ground up and the numbers behind it that make it run. For Fresh Coat franchisees, this business isn&#8217;t about painting a house. Instead, it&#8217;s about getting the right people on your team and following the right business model. In order to be a successful business owner, you have to set the correct standards.<div>Visit the International Franchise Association's <a href="https://atourfranchise.org/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=all-star-franchisees-cliff-hudson-of-fresh-coat-5754" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Our Franchise website</a> for more stories of passionate local franchise owners, employees and their communities.&nbsp;</div>

1851 Franchise

Fresh Coat franchisee Cliff Hudson now boasts years of experience after starting out as an entrepreneur with little knowledge of the franchising or painting industries.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

All-Star Franchisees: Cliff Hudson of Fresh Coat  

all-star-franchisees-cliff-hudson-of-fresh-coat

BooXkeeping

image of booxkeeping franchise graduation present

Why a BooXkeeping Franchise Might Be the Smartest Graduation Gift You Can Give

booxkeeping-franchise-graduation-gift

KidStrong Franchising, LLC

image of kidstrong franchisees NFL player Shaun Wade and his former Team USA Heptathlete wife Jordan

Why This Athlete Couple Chose To Open a KidStrong Franchise

nfl-player-shaun-wade-kidstrong-franchise-georgia

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Team of home inspectors exiting branded HomeTeam Inspection Service vehicle

HomeTeam Inspection Service Offers Franchise Opportunity With No Experience Required

hometeam-franchise-training

Comfort Keepers

image of comfort keepers employees franchise

Comfort Keepers® Partners With PocketRN to Enhance Dementia Care Nationwide

comfort-keepers-pocketrn-dementia-care-partnership

Right at Home

Right at Home Franchise - Q3 2025 Momentum - 1851 Franchise

Right at Home Continues Momentum as It Closes Out the Third Quarter and Looks Ahead To Hit Its Annual Signings and Openings Goal by the End of the Year

right-at-home-franchise-q3-2025

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Photo of Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza franchisee Lily Wilford

Entrepreneur: This 18-Year-Old Saves Babysitting Money for College — Then Decided to Buy a Business Instead

18-year-old-franchise-owner-lily-wilford

Amazon outage, AWS outage, Amazon AWS logo

The Day the Cloud Stalled: How Amazon's Outage Impacted Franchise Economy

amazon-aws-outage-franchise-impact-travel-dining-failure

Thursday 1851 Franchise Agg - NASAA’s Noncompete Push

NASAA’s Noncompete Push Puts Franchise Growth on Uncertain Ground

franchise-noncompete-nasaa-advisory-reasonableness-standard

How a Steady Economy Could Help Franchisors Plan Their Next Move

how-a-steady-economy-could-help-franchisors-plan-their-next-move

Bed Bath & Beyond - Franchise Expansion - Retail Strategy - 1851 Franchise

Bed Bath & Beyond Launches Franchise Model as Part of Comeback Strategy

bed-bath-beyond-franchise-expansion-retail-strategy

A Practical Playbook: Who To Call First When Franchising Your Business

franchising-your-business-who-to-call-first

Coffee & analytics image with photo of Nick Powills

Athletes And Franchising: Why the Connection Runs Deep

athletes-in-franchising

image  of Happinest franchise collection and all their brands that work together. 

The Happinest Advantage: A Marketing Partner Invested in Your Bottom Line

happinest-franchise-marketing-strategy

The Shift From Founder to Franchisor: Building a Team, Culture and System That Scale

the-shift-from-founder-to-franchisor-building-a-team-culture-and-system-that-scale

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

right-at-home-franchise-las-cruces-jerome-hanway

NJCAR v. Ford - New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

new-jersey-franchise-practices-act-njcar-v-ford

image of franchise deep dive from 1851 franchise on doody calls franchise authority brands

DoodyCalls Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

doodycalls-franchise-deep-dive

image of michael panos and michel panos, owners of mellow mushroom in Atlanta

The Panos Family’s Role in Preserving Mellow Mushroom’s Character — and Expanding in Atlanta

mellow-mushroom-franchise-panos-restaurant-group-metro-atlanta

graphic image of an 1851 franchisee spotlight brayden and johnny steven of teriyaki madness

All-Star Franchisees: Cliff Hudson of Fresh Coat

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS