Fresh Coat

When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-garlington-9244a9113/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=fresh-coat-painters-franchise-mark-garlington-calcasieu-la-2731221" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mark Garlington</a> left his longtime plant job in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment move. After years in a steady role that never quite felt like the right fit, the U.S. Army veteran made a conscious decision to look for something that offered ownership, deeper community ties and a clearer sense of purpose. That search led him to&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=fresh-coat-painters-franchise-mark-garlington-calcasieu-la-2731221" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fresh Coat Painters</a>, where he soft opened his franchise in November in&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatpainters.com/locations/calcasieu/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=fresh-coat-painters-franchise-mark-garlington-calcasieu-la-2731221" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Calcasieu</a>, with a grand opening planned for February of 2026.That intentional mindset shows up in how Garlington is building the business from day one. He is investing heavily in marketing, trying out new crews even when it means losing money on early jobs and focusing on training and loyalty with the people who work alongside him. His approach reflects a personal standard for how he wants his customers to be treated. “One thing they can know about me is, if something isn’t right — if something does go wrong for whatever reason — I’m going to get another paint crew out there and I’m going to make sure it’s to their liking,” he said. “Whether or not they pick out the next crew, I’ll pay for it. I’m going to make sure I leave them right.”For people thinking about franchising, Garlington’s story shows what can happen when a career change is driven by values instead of impulse. With&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat’s</a> systems and coaching behind him, he is using the franchise model to step out of a job that never fit and into a business he can shape around his family, his team and the community he calls home.1851 Franchise sat down with Garlington to discuss his franchising journey with Fresh Coat, his commitment to community and his ambitious plans for growth. Here’s what he had to say:1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?Mark Garlington: I’ve spent most of my life working with people and trades, so Fresh Coat Painters feels like a natural next step for me. I grew up here, graduated from Sulphur High School in 2000 and later served as a cavalry scout in the U.S. Army, supporting coalition efforts in Iraq.When I came home in 2005, I went to SOWELA Technical Community College and then spent about 15 years working as an operator with RNCI Carbon and Cheniere LNG. Along the way, I worked alongside a lot of skilled tradespeople and found that what I enjoy most is helping people reach their goals and making sure the job gets done the right way — safely, on time and to a standard I can be proud of.1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Garlington: In this area, the plants are a big part of our community. I worked at LNG, which is natural gas plants, and that has been the real big thing in the United States over the last 10 years. Oil and gas is really big around here, so it is almost a no-brainer. If you want to make money in this area, you go work for the plants.Coming out of the military, the transition was either into law enforcement or the plants, but there’s no money in law enforcement, so you gravitate where the money is. I went there, and that is where I had been working. I kept moving up, and no matter where they moved me in the plant, I was never happy.My boss even had that conversation with me when I was resigning. He said, “Mark, we pretty much moved you everywhere we could put you and you’ve never been happy.” He meant it in a good way — they knew that wasn’t where my mind was at and that I wanted more than what those jobs had to offer.It has always been me wanting to run my own business. My dad runs his own A/C business. My sister does her own thing. It is just a part of me. Something kept pulling me away, like, I don’t want to work 20 or 25 years for somebody else. Even though it’s a good retirement, it’s just not what I wanted. I like having some kind of stake and ownership in the decision-making process.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?Garlington: Working in the plants, you have a lot of spare time sometimes, especially on nights, so I had plenty of time to research. I think I kind of already knew what I was getting into. I knew it had its positives and its negatives. Obviously, a lot of the money goes to the franchise, but at the same time, you’re getting a lot of support.I didn’t want to mess this up. I wanted to make sure I was going to be successful. The success rate is something in the 70% range, and I think it is still at 50% even at year five. I knew that if I put everything I had put into my careers prior into this, I should be in that top 50%.I want people to know that, because I get support from coaches, I have a responsibility to make sure the job is done well. I am always going to have my background checks done and I am going to honor my warranties because I basically have a corporate office that I have to answer to. That accountability and support are important parts of franchising that people might not see from the outside.1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Garlington: I first started exploring Fresh Coat nearly 15 years ago and began doing my research early on. As I continued to learn about the brand over time, it became clear how much Fresh Coat has built out its support, resources, and owner community. Having access to a strong system and the ability to connect with other franchisees played a big role in my decision to join.The first thing was narrowing down what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted something in construction, especially in this area with all the hurricanes and things that need to get repaired and rebuilt. I was mainly looking into roofing at first. I despise finance. I hate credit cards. I didn’t want to go the finance route because I feel like people don’t trust those types of people, so that was off the table.With roofing, I didn’t want to be responsible for a guy that falls off a roof. I was trying to get as safe of a career as I could, too. A buddy of mine, Wes, over in Lafayette owns a Fresh Coat franchise there. He’s my neighbor about an hour and a half from here. He made a comment to me that made a lot of sense: No one is ever in a rush for paint. It’s never an emergency to paint something.A roof, on the other hand, if you have a leaking roof, you need it now. At the plants, you have emergencies almost daily. Something could blow up, a valve closes or something, and you always have an emergency. With painting, this has been great. I don’t have to run anywhere. There are no fires anywhere — and if there are, I’m leaving. That lower level of emergency, plus the support and the network of other owners, is what really drew me to Fresh Coat.1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?Garlington: I think about growth way ahead of time. I’m trying to make sure I don’t scale too fast. I want to make sure I’ve got the reins on and I’m holding back a little bit where I need to.Mainly, I’ve been spending money on marketing and trying to get our name out there. I feel like as soon as we come out of the holiday season and warm up a little bit, it could snowball based on the marketing efforts I’m putting in.I actually have two painters right now. I subcontract them. One of them is working on my duplex right now doing full construction, not even paint. He does full remodels, but he’s a painter also. I’ve got another person who works for me right now, and she’s not painting yet. I’ve got her doing marketing. She’s going out and putting door hangers out, so we’re hitting that part hard first.I’m spending extra money and I’m going to lose money on a job coming up, but I’m trying out two other painters from a guy who runs a crew of four. I’m going to bring them in, and I’m going to pay my girl to work with them. I’m going to lose on her pretty much on that job, but she’s going to help with the work and learn more about sanding and things like that because it’s a ceiling sand. She did mostly new construction before, so I’m tying her in with them because they’re more professional on the repaints and then re-sanding and staining.I think I’m building my basis right now. I’m building loyalty with other paint crews and with the two people working for me by giving them my rental house work as well, keeping them busy until more paint jobs come. I truly do care about people, and I want to make sure everybody gets paid, so I don’t think that will be an issue as we grow.1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?Garlington: I have a full commitment to the community. I really want to meet people and make them happy and leave them happy once the projects are complete.What I told my last customer we just did is that one thing they can know about me is, if something isn’t right — if something does go wrong for whatever reason — I’m going to get another paint crew out there and I’m going to make sure it’s to their liking. Whether or not they pick out the next crew, I’ll pay for it. I’m going to make sure I leave them right.1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?Garlington: I feel like some people don’t realize the amount of money they’re about to spend, and they really need to have that knowledge. I knew what to expect because I researched it, and the brand does show that the investment can be somewhere up to around $180,000. Even though the franchise fee itself is small, in the $42,000 range, I think people don’t fully understand that part.I also don’t know if people come in really understanding how long it might take before you’re getting enough jobs to actually support the business. I did enough of my own research to know that, and I came in all in. I have a 401(k) I’m willing to go through if I need to. I came in prepared for the unexpected.I didn’t actually know if I could trust the amount of support I would get, and I feel like it has been way better than my expectation was. That’s something on the positive side that I would want people to know when they are thinking about becoming franchise owners.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>.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.

1851 Franchisee Spotlight with photo of Mark Garlington and Fresh Coat Painters logo

Army Veteran Builds Fresh Coat Painters Franchise in Calcasieu, Louisiana

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For Mark Garlington, franchising offered a way to trade steady plant work for ownership, community impact and a values-driven path that better fit his long-term goals.

Why This Army Veteran Walked Away From a Steady Plant Job To Open a Fresh Coat Painters Franchise

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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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Across trade industries, many business owners have concerns about employee recruitment and retention, noting that it can be challenging to find quality team members and even more of a struggle to keep them. At&nbsp;<a href="http://freshcoatfranchise.com">Fresh Coat Painters</a>, the 190-plus-unit painting franchise, local owners are supported in this area and receive guidance that not only addresses recruitment and onboarding costs but also improves consistency of work across projects and fosters a culture of care between team members.<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-boyle-0b45a141">Pat Boyle</a>, owner of&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat Painters</a> of Cranberry Township, has seen great success with his teams over his nearly 15 years in business. That approach recently earned industry recognition, Boyle was honored with the President’s Award at the 2026 Fresh Coat Franchise Conference, recognizing franchisees who go above and beyond in supporting their teams, strengthening the system and leading with a people-first mindset.&nbsp;Currently, three-quarters of his painters have been with him for seven or more years, including four who are approaching their 11th year. As he continues to lead the business, Boyle remains focused on the key drivers of retention to support a strong baseline that sets the stage for continued business success.“You need good people, and you need to build a good relationship with them,” he said. “Painters in the industry are used to working, and then getting laid off in the winter. These people want to work and want to make money for their families. The first thing to think about is that, if you can’t keep them busy, they’re going to look for a job elsewhere. I feel like I work for them just as much as they work for me. They have to do their jobs, but my job is to make sure that they have jobs and opportunities to feed their families. It’s important for them to be happy in the job and be taken care of.”<h2>During Recruiting, Focus On Character</h2>Building strong, steady teams starts with hiring the right people. In the home services space, it’s especially important to recruit and retain team members who can perform from a technical perspective and deliver on the intangibles. Clients are letting strangers into their homes to complete projects, and it’s important that they feel comfortable and confident in the team’s skills.“Make sure you talk to candidates on the phone, meet them in person, and do background checks,” Boyle said. “You’re never going to be perfect at hiring. It can be hard, especially when you’re starting out, because you want someone with experience. But sometimes, hiring&nbsp;good people is better than hiring&nbsp;experienced people.”By taking the time to find the right fit up front,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/franchise-success-sherwin-williams-2731568">Fresh Coat owners</a> are better positioned to develop team members, build stronger working relationships and ultimately increase retention.<h2>The ‘Full Calendar’ Philosophy</h2>Keeping a busy schedule is at the heart of employee retention. At a baseline, painters join the team to paint, and by prioritizing this, Boyle has been able to support significant tenure among his teams.For many tradespeople, the industry's seasonal ebb and flow can be concerning, leading to winter layoffs and months of employment uncertainty. Addressing this head-on not only keeps painters engaged through a given slow season but also establishes a level of trust and security that prevents future “shop-hopping.”“A lot of companies, during their busy time, will bring people on, then during slow times, lay those people off,” Boyle said. “If you can keep that from happening, you’re already building trust. But also, if team members are working for you and helping you make money during your busy time, it’s worth returning the favor to them and making sure they’re staying busy all year round because they’re counting on that paycheck to feed their families.”<h2>Treat Team Members Like Family</h2>A step above keeping painters busy, Boyle focuses on ensuring they feel recognized and appreciated as well. Investing in things like holiday gatherings and getting to know team members personally goes a long way.Boyle does this by hosting summer get-togethers and giving out holiday bonuses.“We try to be a family together so they know that, when they’re coming to work, it’s not just about working,” he said. “They’re going to be here, and they know that I’m going to work to keep them and keep them busy and that I care about them, not just the work they do.”<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/how-to-scale-2731560#featured">Creating an environment where team members feel valued</a> can also facilitate more transparent conversations when potential hurdles do arise.“It’s worth it to get to know your people,” Boyle said. “The more you know each other, the more comfortable you are with each other, and if there is a problem or maybe they have an opportunity to consider another job elsewhere, they’re more likely to talk to you about it if you’re close.”<h2>The ROI of Long-Term Tenure</h2>​Recruiting and onboarding can be expensive and time-consuming. Avoiding these costs is reason enough for many franchisees to focus on building strong relationships with their teams, but Boyle highlighted additional benefits of strong retention.During the busy season, when many of the best painters are already committed to certain companies or projects, he is not scrambling to hire; he has his trusty team by his side already.Boyle has also seen increased efficiency from established teams. The more people work together, they get to know how the others operate, and they’re able to approach projects more efficiently. Painters who have been working together for seven years, for example, will likely have smoother execution than a team that’s just getting to know one another.Ultimately, retention takes effort, but it’s fairly straightforward, and it’s well worth it.“Retention works for us as the owner of the company and for the employees,” he said. “If you find somebody good, hold on to them.”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;

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Pat Boyle, an established franchise owner in Pennsylvania, has retained painters for over a decade by focusing on steady work flow and genuine personal relationships.

Keys to Team Retention for Fresh Coat Painters Franchisees

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Transitioning from a steady corporate role to franchise ownership can feel like a big leap. For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandler-register-5326a5150">Chandler Register</a>, a former Sherwin-Williams manager and current owner of&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatpainters.com/locations/cumming/">Fresh Coat Painters of Alpharetta and Cumming</a>, it was a calculated risk. Before becoming a franchise owner, Register experienced the strict demands of corporate roles, especially in one of Sherwin-Williams’ top-performing markets.“Sherwin-Williams managers in Atlanta are committed to working 48 hours per week, so it’s essentially a six-day-a-week job,” Register said. “You’re kind of stuck in the store, which I didn’t love. I like to go out and talk with people.”<h2>Expertise and Connection Built In-Store</h2>However, these 48 weekly hours spent in the store did allow Register to make meaningful connections, one of which ultimately led to the&nbsp;<a href="http://freshcoatfranchise.com">Fresh Coat</a> pivot. He was approached by the previous owner of the Cumming territory, who was looking to transition out. Having seen the business from the supplier side, he was curious. And after spending some time with the previous owner, experiencing the day-to-day demands firsthand, Register saw the transition as a calculated risk that he was ready to take.“I already had a leg up because&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat</a> is a partner of Sherwin-Williams; we really only use Sherwin-Williams products,” he said. “I could talk for days about what one product does versus the other, and I knew the ins and outs of the products. That, combined with my management experience, made me confident.”Register officially took over the Fresh Coat operation a couple of years ago, and he has grown steadily ever since.As he has expanded, Register has begun to build his team, making his first hire last spring. Coincidentally, this person was also in a managerial role at Sherwin-Williams before transitioning to Fresh Coat.&nbsp;“I probably sped up the onboarding process by about double the time by choosing someone who already had the knowledge of the paints,” Register said. “I didn’t have to teach him that, which was a huge benefit for sure.”<h2>The Flexibility of Franchise Ownership</h2>While existing product knowledge has served Register well, another key motivator for the transition was the autonomy that comes with being his own boss. After years of strict corporate schedules and experience at a desk job before Sherwin-Williams, Register was ready for a lifestyle shift.The shift from a mandatory 48-hour work week to the ability to set his own schedule and create flexibility throughout the week was a major benefit for Register, but the leadership autonomy that business ownership provided was another key perk.“My two biggest things are probably setting your own schedule and the freedom to do what you want with your products and business,” Register said. “You don’t have people over you saying, ‘That’s a great idea, but we can’t do it because of X, Y and Z.’ You’re your own boss. Obviously, Fresh Coat has guidelines that you have to abide by, but the freedom in general is great. Not just from a time aspect, but decision-making, too.”<h2>Scaling Toward the Future</h2>Since taking over the business, Register has seen consistent year-over-year growth. Starting as an owner-operator in his first year, Register added an estimator and nearly doubled revenue in the second year. Now, he’s focused on a long-term plan to reach $1.5 to $2 million in annual revenue, leveraging opportunities with larger commercial projects to draw in additional revenue.“We always have a consistent plan to grow, and we’ve grown every single year,” he said. “We’re already off to a pretty good start.”Looking toward the future, Register remains optimistic, highlighting the resiliency of the industry. Unlike industries and corporate roles that may be drastically impacted by accelerated innovation timelines and the use of artificial intelligence, the painting industry remains human-centric and quite stable.“Painting is recession-proof in that it’s something that always needs to be done,” he said. “It’s not something I see getting taken over by AI. You’re always going to have someone who needs to apply the paint. With painting in general, the only thing that will happen is technology will continue to enhance the process, not take it over.”For others looking to make the leap to business ownership with a high-performing, recession-resistant model, Register highlights that growth requires stepping away from total security. While the risk is real, the reward of ownership and freedom is, too.“It seems scary at first. There may be times where your account might not be where you want it to be because of an unexpected snowstorm, for example,” he said. “It’s just one of those things where you have to find solutions. When you can get through hiccups like that, it’s a pretty successful model. So, take the calculated risk.”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 franchisee Chandler Register

After one of Chandler Register’s regular customers mentioned he was looking to exit his painting franchise, Register took a “calculated risk” and has seen steady business growth since.

Former Sherwin-Williams Manager Transitions to Entrepreneurship With Fresh Coat Franchise

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For nearly a decade,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-luttrell-00299326/">David Luttrell</a> served as a production manager of a custom apparel company, watching the organization grow from a single garage to three production facilities. While the growth was fulfilling, he found himself looking for something more and ultimately came to invest in&nbsp;<a href="http://freshcoatfranchise.com">Fresh Coat Painters</a>, the national painting franchise.“I like having some kind of stake and ownership in the decision-making process,” he said. “I just got tired of working in that business and wanted to do something different.”Though he had a strong background in graphic design, art and production management, he ended up finding his way to the home services space through careful due diligence during his franchise selection process.<h2>A Top-Down, Bottom-Up Approach</h2>When Luttrell began researching potential franchise opportunities, he didn’t just look at the numbers. While those were important, he did a thorough analysis of each company he vetted, using what he calls a “top-down, bottom-up” approach.“Look at how the process is from the top down,” he said. “What are the processes? What are the structures that corporate provides? Do they have national branding? Do they have systems and formulas?”Once the corporate structure is clear, he said, it’s time to change your perspective. “Look at it from the bottom up,” he said. “Where do I find my laborers? Where do I find my crew? Am I the one that’s actually going to be painting?”From there, once the business model has been evaluated from both angles, Luttrell recommends looking deeper into what your specific role will look like.<h2>Am I Buying a Business or a Job?</h2>One of Luttrell’s biggest hesitations early on, and one his partner shared, was the fear of buying a job rather than a true business. He did not want to spend his days climbing ladders; he was interested in an investment that would position him to lead and scale.&nbsp;A piece of advice that he received during the validation process lent some clarity. An existing owner said, “Look, if you’re painting, there’s a problem. You’re a business owner, not a painter.”This distinction, combined with the additional support the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat</a> model would offer, was a deciding factor in choosing Fresh Coat over an independent business venture. The more he learned about Fresh Coat, the more he realized the support offered by the franchisor would decrease the learning curve and provide a stronger foundation than “just buying a white van and slapping ‘Dave’s Painting’ on the side of it.”Fresh Coat’s support system was especially vital as Luttrell began expanding into the commercial space. While residential projects present great opportunities, especially during the “busy season,” commercial partnerships provide larger ticket sizes, economies of scale and additional stability in the residential off-season.<h2>The Human Element of Fresh Coat</h2>While support systems and a clear pathway to scale are crucial to long-term success, Luttrell has found additional fulfillment in the more personal, community-focused aspects of the franchise. By staying active in his local Chamber of Commerce, he’s able to keep his finger on the pulse of new developments in the area and partner with other local businesses preparing to open in the community for commercial projects.As an owner, Luttrell has also played a crucial role in transforming neighbors’ homes. For example, he completed a project for a woman who was moving into her late parents’ home. After a full renovation, the team put the finishing touch — a hand-painted piece of art by the client’s grandmother — on the project.“She got all teary,” he said. “That was probably one of the most rewarding projects. Helping other people has really been a key. I get to know people. I get to see their family, and I pet their dog … They really welcome us into their homes.”<h2>Luttrell’s Growth Trajectory and Insights for Others Considering a Similar Pathway</h2>For Luttrell, the transition to Fresh Coat has been a lateral move financially, but it has provided a major lift in quality of life. He controls the workflow, schedule and culture, and he knows that as he works, he’s building something for himself and his community.In this vein, he encourages prospective franchisees to consider their decision carefully. Income replacement is important, but thinking long term is even better.“You’re not buying a business for next year,” he said. “You’re buying a business for five, 10 years down the road.”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;

image of David Luttrel Fresh Coat Franchisee

Former production manager David Luttrell explains how he vetted franchise systems, avoided simply buying himself a job, and found long-term potential in the Fresh Coat model.

How One Fresh Coat Franchisee Turned Production Experience Into Ownership

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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-ross-2646323/">Sarah Ross</a>, a franchise owner with&nbsp;<a href="http://freshcoatfranchise.com">Fresh Coat Painters</a>, the 190-plus-unit national painting franchise, initially made the leap to entrepreneurship in the early 20-teens in search of a more balanced, fulfilling career. However, leaving the world of corporate accounting brought her much more, including an opportunity and a platform through which she has changed the lives of others in her community.“The biggest rewarding point that I didn't expect was the ability to employ others,” she said. “I knew that was the model with&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info">Fresh Coat</a>, but I didn’t realize how much some painters struggle. My teams are thankful that I can keep them busy and they’re not out trying to sell the next project every time something winds down. They’re skilled at what they do, and they just want to be respected, be busy and do their trade.”Through steady business growth, Ross has consistently scaled her operation, broadening her impact both in terms of the number of teams she’s been able to employ and the number of satisfied customers she has completed projects with.Notably, though, Ross has also remained engaged with members of her community, consistently completing&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatpainters.com/about-us/fresh-coat-cares/">Fresh Coat Cares</a> projects to support families and organizations in need throughout her community.In recent years, Ross and the Fresh Coat Painters of&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatpainters.com/locations/marble-falls">Marble Falls</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatpainters.com/locations/sw-austin/">Southwest Austin</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://freshcoatpainters.com/locations/hill-country/">Hill Country</a> teams have partnered with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cc4c.org/">CC4C</a>, an organization that supports families navigating the challenges of rare and undiagnosed diseases in children;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharingtheharvestkingsland.com/">Sharing the Harvest</a>, a Kingsland, Texas, food bank; and, most recently, she and her teams played a role in helping local families recover from the devastating July 4th floods.“We had the opportunity, through Fresh Coat Cares, to participate in a lot of that recovery effort,” Ross said. “Initially, it was just mucking out homes, which was going in and shoveling the mud out of these homes, which is hard to even fathom. We ended up mucking out several homes, and my team even came back to me and said, ‘Thank you for letting us have this day.’”Through the process of the recovery effort, Ross and her team connected with others involved in the recovery process and neighbors whose homes were impacted.Ross recalled a neighbor whose home had been carried by flood waters across the street. As teams were mucking out a home next door, this homeowner returned and placed a “For Rent” sign on the front door.“This house floated away and was resting against another house, but that was like the heart of the community right then,” she said. “Everyone needed a good laugh, and it was fun to be there. It was sad to see what all these individuals had lost, but we had an opportunity to see the recovery effort all the way through.”Though they originally planned to focus on mucking out homes in need of recovery, Ross and her team ended up being able to drywall and paint two separate homes, seeing the recovery effort through to completion.“It was very rewarding,” she said. “I’m appreciative that the Fresh Coat Cares program is around, and I’m appreciative of the community that I live in… that they quickly responded and gave us the opportunity to do this.”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;

image of  Sarah Ross Fresh Coat Painters franchisee owner

As she scales a successful painting franchise, Sarah Ross provides steady employment opportunities and consistently gives back to local organizations supporting those in need.

Why This Army Veteran Walked Away From a Steady Plant Job To Open a Fresh Coat Painters Franchise

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