Fresh Coat

After a combined 27 years in food service distribution, Betsy and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-carleton-aa913236/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-success-story-carleton-2731474" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Alan Carleton</a> were familiar with the corporate scene, but the appeal of the corporate ladder was fading. The pair had become experts at navigating the demands of fast-paced, high-stakes work, but organizational shifts left them underwhelmed.“It got to the point where we got tired of the scene,” Alan said. “New owners would come in, buy our divisions out, and promise us the world. We all know how that goes.”This frustration became the catalyst for a life-changing pivot to&nbsp;<a href="http://freshcoatfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-success-story-carleton-2731474" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fresh Coat Painters</a>, the national painting franchise with over 190 units across the country. The Carletons found&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat</a> “by accident,” but years later, the investment has turned into both a successful business and a family legacy defined by flexibility and partnership, providing a “safety net” and security that corporate life couldn’t.<h2>A Partnership Driven by Complementary Skill Sets</h2>The transition from employees to business owners required the Carletons to take a careful look at their individual strengths. Alan, a career salesman, knew he wouldn’t do well stuck behind a desk. Betsy, however, had spent her career as a food service coordinator, mastering the logistics and data that keep a business running smoothly — all from behind a desk.While Betsy originally stayed in the corporate world for benefits and stability, as the business grew, the two began to realize how her skills would benefit Fresh Coat.“His strength is my weakness, and my weakness is his strength,” Betsy said. “I take care of all the back-end books, the scheduling, the P&amp;Ls … All the things he’s not great at. He takes care of everything on the outside: operations, managing crews and taking care of customers.”With Alan’s “sell-anything” mindset, he knew he would need Betsy’s analytical eye to ensure the business would run smoothly.“I would go sell, sell, sell, but I didn’t pay much attention to the back end,” he said. “That’s when we decided Betsy would leave her position and take a leap of faith to work as a partnership.”<h2>The ‘Corporate’ Support Without a Fully Corporate Model</h2>While the Carletons knew they would work well together, they still had some apprehension about the transition from the corporate world to business ownership. For some first-time business owners, the lack of a roadmap can be detrimental. Fresh Coat offered structure through the franchise model without the bureaucracy the Carletons were looking to leave behind.“When Alan decided to do this, it was a really struggling economy,” Betsy said. “He researched and researched, and he just kept going back to Fresh Coat because it had more support. It had structure. With us never owning a company before, it was that safety net for us, and we really caught on to it.”As they’ve grown over the course of 12 years, the Carletons have consistently engaged with the support structures Fresh Coat offers. For example, in High Performance Groups, the Carletons engage with their fellow franchisees, talk through challenges and exchange ideas.“You have the best of both worlds,” Betsy said. “You’re self-employed, but you still have that accountability. Fresh Coat has your back.”<h2>A Family Affair and Legacy of Success</h2>The freedom and flexibility that define the Carletons’ success have to do with time and financial freedom, but the pair is also proud to be building a business alongside people they trust. Fresh Coat has been the backdrop to their family life for over a decade.Their son,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-carleton-4aa88ab9/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-success-story-carleton-2731474" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Josh</a>, has been a part of the journey since the very beginning. When Alan and Betsy launched Fresh Coat, Josh was in high school, and he was able to join the team through a work-study program. With this, he worked alongside painting teams to learn the trade, and he began to understand the craftsmanship and attention to detail necessary to deliver Fresh Coat-level quality. Now, he has grown into the role of project manager and represents the future of the family business.The family atmosphere in&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatpainters.com/locations/buford/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-success-story-carleton-2731474" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fresh Coat Painters of Buford</a> extends beyond blood relatives to long-standing professional relationships and community members. For example, Alan’s former manager from the corporate world joined the family franchise nearly a decade ago, and he’s now the sales manager.“Our sales manager used to be my sales manager in corporate America,” Alan said. “He hired me, and now he works for us. He’s been with us for about nine years, and we just let him do his thing because he’s like family. So, when I say it’s a family affair, I mean it’s a family affair. He’s a very big part of this.”By bringing people who share their values and work ethic into the fold, the Carletons have created a business culture and environment that feels truly personal. This level of trust allows Alan and Betsy to take a step back from the day-to-day grind of the business and rest assured that the operation they’ve built is in good hands.This structure has both fueled growth and provided emotional fulfillment that was missing in the corporate world, turning a business venture into a long-lasting legacy.“It has been a great ride,” Alan said. “It has given us a lifestyle that we were never able to have before. You have some ups and you have some downs, but overall, it’s been the best decision we’ve ever made.”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;

Photo of Alan and Betsy Carleton, Fresh Coat Painters logo

Fresh Coat Franchise Success Story: How the Carletons Built a Family Legacy

1851 Franchise

Alan and Betsy Carleton traded the uncertainty of their corporate food service careers for a painting franchise that allowed them to prioritize partnership and a long-term family legacy.

This brand page has been paid for by FRESH COAT. 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

How This Family Left the Corporate World to Find Freedom and Flexibility With a Fresh Coat Franchise

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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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After a career of more than 20 years in sales and staffing,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-nelson-1092a12a">Kimberly Nelson</a> decided to pursue a pivot and began exploring franchise opportunities. Now, she owns&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatpainters.com/locations/alamo-heights/">Fresh Coat Painters of Alamo Heights</a> and is working to build generational wealth and a family legacy.“I’ve always wanted to do something for myself that I could build for the next generation,” Nelson said. “Growing up in a family business, with my mom owning an art gallery, I always had a creative drive, but I also wanted to make a tangible impact. Franchising felt like the best way to combine my experience and ambitions.”<h2>The Transition to Entrepreneurship</h2>Growing up in a family of “very capable women” and watching her mother run art galleries for nearly three decades, Nelson said she felt the common fears associated with business ownership but always knew, deep down, that she could succeed.“I think, when you’re starting your own business, there are always going to be fears… The financial fears and the question of whether you’re going to know what you’re doing,” she said. “For me, I knew I could really run a business for myself. And I always felt like I could because my mother did it. Most of my life, she was a single mom, and I saw how hard she worked.”“I didn’t have fear around whether I’d be able to do it, but I didn’t want to feel like I was a financial drain on my family,” she continued. “Thankfully, my husband has supported us until I reached cash-flow positive, and that phase of the journey was short-lived.”Even stepping into business ownership in a largely male-dominated field, as a woman, didn’t necessarily intimidate Nelson. Rather, she took the challenge head-on and focused on her own strengths and priorities.<h2>Leading as a Woman Business Owner in the Home Services Space</h2>As she has settled into franchise ownership, Nelson has leaned into the unique strengths she brings as a female entrepreneur. While the painting industry is historically male-dominated, many customers appreciate the unique perspective a woman brings to the table.“This business is actually kind of made for a woman to succeed. I think some women think, ‘Trades — oh, that’s not for me,’ but it’s really not true,” Nelson said. “People often consider women to be more particular and more meticulous, and women are great at building relationships. Whether it’s bringing in new clients or creating strong relationships with existing ones that will lead to referrals, I think women are naturally geared to recognize and nurture those opportunities.”Nelson also pointed out that, often, women are the ones bringing&nbsp;<a href="http://freshcoatfranchise.com">Fresh Coat</a> into the homes to do the project, and they’re the ones at home when the painters come. In fact, research shows women drive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/19/188975.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">70–80% of all consumer purchasing decisions</a>, making them a powerful force behind the home improvement choices families make.Nelson has a painter who is a woman, and many people specifically request her because it puts them at ease to have another woman in the home. No matter which team is on-site, though, Nelson is always sure to show up on the first day of a project to ensure everything gets off to a smooth start, and she’s easily accessible throughout the course of the project should a client want to call her and ask her to stop by.<h2>The Responsibility and Fulfillment of Ownership</h2>As she has grown the business, Nelson remains acutely aware of the reach and impact she has as an owner.“I hire painters. I have one of my daughters working for me. So one of the things that’s always in the back of my mind is that I have to do my best,” she said. “Not that I wouldn’t, but I have to do even better because I have a lot of people counting on me. Kind of like when you’re raising kids… There are a lot of people counting on you, and you have to think of them before thinking of yourself.”As a mom and stepmom to five kids, this approach is both familiar and fulfilling to Nelson. She has seen her children grow up, go off to college and start careers, and now, while she’s still their mother, they need her less.“Day-to-day, this is my new baby,” she said. “<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat</a> is my child right now! That’s how I’ve treated it in my heart and mind, too. I nurture it all the time. Thankfully, I’m at a point in life where my kids are pretty self-sufficient, so it’s a good time in my life to have a business.”While Nelson recognizes the responsibility of franchise ownership, she’s just as quick to discuss the rewards.“If I’m going to have my own business, I’ve got to have fun with it, and I have fun with this,” she said. “You’ve got to make your own mark with it, and this just made sense to me because I like people, I like to beautify spaces, and I love to see things changed in a home or business. Before I found Fresh Coat, I didn’t know that owning a painting company was my passion, but it has become that. It’s fun; it excites me.”Looking toward the future, Nelson knows that her work with Fresh Coat today is setting the stage for a great opportunity for her family. With one daughter currently working in the business, and another who will soon graduate from college and has shown interest in joining the business, Fresh Coat Painters of Alamo Heights is only expanding its reach as a family-owned, women-led business.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;

Photo of Fresh Coat franchise owner Kimberly Nelson

After over two decades in the corporate world, Nelson is leveraging her unique perspective to grow her painting franchise, leading in a new way and creating a lasting family legacy.

How Kimberly Nelson Is Painting a Path for the Next Generation of Women in Home Services With Fresh Coat Painters

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Former McDonald’s Technology Manager Opens Fresh Coat Painters Franchise to Beautify the Klein Community

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Keys to Team Retention for Fresh Coat Painters Franchisees

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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

How This Family Left the Corporate World to Find Freedom and Flexibility With a Fresh Coat Franchise

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