Fresh Coat

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianasallaslederman/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=entrepreneurial-friends-from-south-america-paint-a-bright-future-as-franchisees-2725785" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Adrian Asallas Lederman</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-leon-cartier-7bb53148/?utm_source=share&amp%3Butm_campaign=share_via&amp%3Butm_content=profile&amp%3Butm_medium=android_app&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=entrepreneurial-friends-from-south-america-paint-a-bright-future-as-franchisees-2725785" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fernando Leon Cartier</a> have both had their fair share of entrepreneurial ventures. The friends met in Peru and, given their shared passion for business ownership, it was only a matter of time before they joined forces.&nbsp;Leon Cartier grew up in Peru and worked in both corporate roles and as a business owner, with his most recent venture being an apiary concept. Recently, he and his family moved to the U.S. for his wife’s career and Leon Cartier saw an opportunity for himself in this transition.“I thought I would try following the American dream, so I started looking for a business opportunity,” he said.As for Asallas Lederman, he is originally from Uruguay, but has studied in Washington, D.C., where he achieved his MBA. He lived in Peru with his wife for some time before moving to&nbsp; Brazil, where he currently resides. After some research, he found the perfect opportunity with&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat Painters</a> and approached Leon Cartier at once.&nbsp;Asallas plans to move to the U.S. again in the near future to run and grow the company.&nbsp;“He was here in the States visiting different franchises,” said Leon Cartier, “and last year on my birthday, he came to my house and gave me an awesome birthday present by saying ‘I have the franchise for us.’”The two look forward to offering high quality&nbsp; commercial and residential painting services to their community in Boca Raton, Florida and creating many job opportunities within their business.1851 Franchise spoke with the pair about their journey into franchising with&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=entrepreneurial-friends-from-south-america-paint-a-bright-future-as-franchisees-2725785" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fresh Coat Painters</a> and their plans for the future.1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us.&nbsp;What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Leon Cartier:&nbsp;I have more than 15 years of experience in the corporate world. I’ve worked in sales, marketing, trade marketing, planning for different companies, mass consumption and telecommunications. I have learned a lot about sales and relationships, which has helped me establish my own businesses too. I’ve always been an entrepreneur. In Peru, I had my own bee farm.Seven months ago, my family relocated to the U.S. because my wife’s career and the move has provided better opportunities for our kids. I thought I would try following the American dream, so I started looking for a business opportunity. I couldn’t decide if I should purchase an existing business or purchase a franchise initially. Since business in America was new to me, I decided to go with franchising because you get support and coaching.Adrian and I have known each other for a long time; our wives have known each other for 15 years or so, and we knew each other from when Adrian lived in Peru. We would see each other at different weddings and things like that, but we hadn’t seen each other in a while.&nbsp;Adrian was ahead of me doing research. He was here in the states visiting different franchises, and last year on my birthday, he came to my house and gave me an awesome birthday present by saying “I have the franchise for us.”&nbsp;Asallas Lederman:&nbsp;I am from Uruguay originally, but my wife is Peruvian so we moved to Peru. After some time, we moved to the USA, where I did my MBA in Washington, D.C.After three years living in Washington, D.C., we moved back to Peru where I did commercial software sales for technology companies. I also started my own company, which I had for a few years. I went back and forth between corporate roles and owning my own businesses.&nbsp;Two years ago, my wife received a job offer to move to Brazil, so we decided to try a new adventure and moved to Sao Paulo. I always wanted to invest and start a business in the U.S. So once we settled in Brazil, I started doing research on different businesses and franchises in the U.S.At first, I looked at different franchise concepts but their business models didn’t fit my needs. Then, I started looking at different painting franchises and Fresh Coat was the right fit.1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?Leon Cartier:&nbsp;I am very pro-franchise. When I was working on the corporate side, we would subcontract a lot of businesses to work with us. It’s similar to franchising because you give them the brand name, the process and the direction they need.&nbsp;Franchising is a great business model. You don’t have to invent anything or make mistakes, because it is already proven to work. It’s a safe way to start a business.&nbsp;Asallas Lederman: My father was an entrepreneur and our family had our own business. He owned two factories in Uruguay. That is where I learned to do business and started my passion for entrepreneurship. The only franchises I knew back then were American brands such as McDonald’s and Burger King; my perception was that it must be expensive. I thought you needed to be a millionaire to have one.&nbsp;I always wanted to own my own business so, when Starbucks started in the 90s, I remember that I was searching for opportunities and I wrote to Starbucks to say I wanted to start a franchise in Uruguay but they never responded. I thought it was out of reach.Eventually, I realized that there are brands that require a much smaller investment that still help you start a business with support.This is the beauty of the franchise model.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Leon Cartier:&nbsp;Fresh Coat is growing and doing all the right things to grow. The other franchisees that we met with the brand are great. It is a great team. Fresh Coat to me offers the right support. They use some very efficient technology, strong branding and clear processes.&nbsp;They are first a marketing business and then a painting business. Yes, you have to hire the right people, but if you don’t market yourself, you won’t sell anything.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?&nbsp;Leon Cartier:&nbsp;We want to make this business one that we can make a living off of, and we want to grow as much as we can. We look forward to scaling over time and giving great jobs to a lot of people. If we can do this in one territory, we can do it in another.&nbsp;Asallas Lederman:&nbsp;We want to, of course, make a good living and be able to support our families. Our plan is to grow as much as we can with this brand and be the preferred painting company in Boca Raton and surrounding areas. We are very excited to help people improve their quality of life by making their homes more beautiful.1851:&nbsp;What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?Asallas Lederman:&nbsp;We talk a lot about being a “people’s company.” We care about the community we are going to serve. Beyond that, we also want to give employees a good environment by making sure they are happy and well paid. In return, we ask them to deliver&nbsp; quality projects, because our company isn’t just about making a profit, it’s about offering a high quality service and making other people’s lives better.&nbsp;Leon Cartier:&nbsp;We are making people’s lives more colorful.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?Leon Cartier:&nbsp;There is always a risk&nbsp; because not every franchise is successful, so you have to do your research, but if you feel confident and see the process they are doing, it’s a great model.&nbsp;Make sure you select a concept that makes sense based on your background and choose a brand that you feel is doing the right thing. Running a business in America can be overwhelming with all the different aspects like insurance and payroll, but having the support of a franchise helps.Asallas Lederman: Choose a franchise and brand that goes with your lifestyle and that you can identify with. It is important to understand that you will be working with a product or service for many years and you want to wake up every day thinking about the excitement to serve your customers. Before you make any investment, make sure that you choose the right franchisor; the one that has a strong corporate structure and culture, and that has the right team of professionals in place to provide you with the support you need to run your businessABOUT STRATEGIC FRANCHISING SYSTEMS:Strategic Franchising Systems has been creating and providing affordable franchise business models to help people achieve their dreams for over 30 years. The franchise development company has five unique home-based, low-cost franchise opportunities: Nationally recognized painting franchise Fresh Coat, senior home-relocation and estate sales concept Caring Transitions, business and sales coaching concept The Growth Coach, fast-growing natural pet food and pet grooming brand Pet Wants and the only national provider of total house care, inside and out, for seniors and busy families, TruBlue. Strategic Franchising Systems has been designed to help franchisees win.&nbsp; For more information, visit<a href="https://strategicfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=entrepreneurial-friends-from-south-america-paint-a-bright-future-as-franchisees-2725785" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">&nbsp;https://strategicfranchising.com/</a>.

Fresh Coat Painters Franchisees Bring Brand to Boca Raton

1851 Franchise

Asallas Lederman and Leon Cartier have both taken on entrepreneurial ventures abroad and now are trying their luck at the American dream with a Fresh Coat Painters franchise in Florida.

Entrepreneurial Friends from South America Paint a Bright Future as Franchisees

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For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fonsecaapr">Alex Fonseca</a>, owner of&nbsp;<a href="http://freshcoatfranchise.com">Fresh Coat Painters</a> of Muskegon, building a high-performing team has been crucial to business growth. As he has expanded, Fonseca has consistently focused on his team’s role in the business's broader trajectory, emphasizing culture and demeanor as well as more technical requirements such as accuracy and efficiency.“We get many of our customers through word of mouth,” he said. “So a customer being happy and telling their neighbors about us and our results… The painters who deliver that result are probably the most important people on our team.”<h2>Quality and Care as the Foundation</h2>What makes a “good team member,” for Fonseca, may be a bit more nuanced than expected.“Obviously, a very basic level would be someone coming in below the budget that we have for a project and being productive and efficient,” he said. “But for us, it’s just people who, when they show up, have a good presence about them.”In the home services space, a team's attitude is especially important, as they’re working in customers’ homes and often making significant changes to their biggest investment. Building teams that both make customers feel at ease and meet the quality expectations set for them lays a healthy foundation for Fonseca to further develop technically proficient painters.Shifting the definition of success from just speed and industry knowledge to a level of care, ability to build customer rapport, and potential for long-term value can be quite beneficial for the business.“Sometimes I would rather have a slightly slower painter who does a good job,” he said. “Customers are happy with that person and write reviews for them, and we’re going to get more jobs from those over time.”<h2>The Practical Approach To Building These Teams</h2>Since establishing these expectations, Fonseca has worked to develop a clear, actionable hiring and team development process. First and foremost, he focuses intently on hiring the right people, not just anyone who can do the job.“My initial thought was to hire people who have a lot of experience, but that’s when I realized that just because someone is a good painter doesn’t mean they’re a good person,” he said. “It’s really tough to teach someone how to be polite and mind their manners when they’re in someone’s home. We’ve been successful at hiring people based on their personalities and training them in the painting skills.”Fonseca doesn’t ignore the painting skills required to succeed as a part of the team by any means. He uses the resources available to him through the Painting Contractors Association and&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat</a> franchise system.“We’re a part of the PCA, and they put out a lot of material on how to train painters,” he said. “Fresh Coat also put together a painter advancement system. So we can place people in different categories based on their levels of expertise, and it shows them the skills they need to level up.”These tools allow Fonseca to hire and train effectively while also setting the stage for talent retention and increased profitability. As painters continue to learn and develop their skills, they can take on more complex, higher-paying jobs, boosting their earning potential and increasing revenue for the franchise.<h2>A Person-First Staffing Approach and Long-Term Vision</h2>As the scaffolding he has provided within his business supports the professional growth of his teams, Fonseca has also worked diligently to build and maintain a team that truly supports each other, collaborates naturally and celebrates one another’s wins.“Instead of seeing anything as a competition, we try to evaluate who is really great at something and pair them with someone else who is trying to develop that same skill,” he said. “Our painters are really open to giving each other feedback on the work that they do, and it comes from a place of love. They’re approaching it saying, ‘Hey, let me try to help you out.’”In addition to supporting painters’ professional development and advancement, Fonseca and his teams also celebrate one another’s personal successes.“I want my painters to enjoy their work, but I understand that they’re here to make money and support their families,” he said. “Understanding how work can be rewarding but also helps them meet their own personal goals encourages us to celebrate their wins outside of just work, too.”Over time, Fonseca has carefully and intentionally built a team that not only works well together but also brings the soft and technical skills that propel the business forward. Often, this requires a more disciplined approach and a true investment in team building rather than taking a “just hiring” approach, but the results are always worth the effort.“I’m willing to take longer to hire the right person rather than rushing to hire a bunch of people then realizing they’re not the right fit,” he said. “It’s important to try to envision, five years from now, what you want your company to look like. Who are the types of employees you want to have? And be intentional about hiring, supporting and developing those people now.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info</a>.&nbsp;

Fresh Coat Painters franchise owner Alex Fonseca and President Lisa Hudson

Focusing on soft skills and professional development pathways as much as he emphasizes technical skill, Alex Fonseca has built and retained a thriving team of painters who power his business.

Inside a High-Performance Fresh Coat Franchise: How This Owner Built a Team To Scale

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MCALLEN, Texas&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatpainters.com/locations/mcallen">Fresh Coat Painters of McAllen</a> has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office, as the 2026 Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year for the Lower Rio Grande Valley District. Owner&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/why-this-army-veteran-chose-fresh-coat-franchise-ownership-as-his-next-mission-2720664#stories">Gilbert “Gil” Perez</a>, a U.S. Army veteran, first pursued franchise ownership following military retirement as he searched for a way to build a business of his own while doing valuable work in his own community.&nbsp;“I’m honored to receive this recognition from the Small Business Administration, not only for myself but for the teams and community members who have made it possible,” Perez said. “Hard work and service have always been a way of life for me. I took those values to the Army, and I still use them today with every&nbsp;<a href="http://freshcoatfranchise.com">Fresh Coat</a> project. Being named Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year is a testament to the fact that, when you keep your values front and center and commit yourself to your community, the reward is immeasurable.”Perez was selected from business owners across the district, which spans 14 Texas counties, for his leadership, dedication and influence as a small business owner. In addition to his own resilience in business, Perez is celebrated for the commitment he has shown to positively impacting the community.Over his time as a&nbsp;<a href="http://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat</a> franchise owner, Perez has served the McAllen community with quality, reliable painting services, and by thinking bigger, has been able to have a real impact beyond his organization. As a business owner, Perez is able to create opportunities for others, and he takes great pride in working alongside others who prioritize service and share his family-focused values. That commitment to service extends beyond his business, as Perez serves on the Board of Directors for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhporgv.com/">NHPO-RGV</a>, a professional organization dedicated to promoting enterprise and education for its members in partnership with the community.&nbsp;“After two decades of service, I was looking for another way to find purpose in my community,” Perez said. “Fresh Coat was my pathway, and I’m so proud of what I’ve built in McAllen. As a veteran, I know what it means to be a part of something bigger than myself, and business ownership has given me a platform to not only provide quality service but to become truly ingrained in the McAllen community, which has supported us every step of the way.”ABOUT FRESH COAT PAINTERS:Fresh Coat Painters, the residential and commercial painting franchise under the Strategic Franchising Systems umbrella, offers a low-cost, high-margin business model that gives entrepreneurs from all walks of life the chance to become successful business owners in the communities they serve. Since starting in 2004, Fresh Coat has expanded to over 190 franchise locations nationwide. Thanks to its unparalleled professionalism and affordable business model, it has become one of the leading concepts in the booming residential and commercial painting segment. With continued year-over-year growth, Fresh Coat is well on its way to achieving its overall goal of becoming a truly iconic painting brand.&nbsp;

image of freshcoat McAllen Named 2026 SBA Veteran-Owned Business of the Year

Following his service in the U.S. Army, Gil Perez pursued franchising with the national painting brand as a way to chase his dreams while serving the McAllen community.

Fresh Coat Painters of McAllen Named 2026 Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office

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Entrepreneurial Friends from South America Paint a Bright Future as Franchisees

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