Fresh Coat Subcontractors Acquire Existing Location, Becoming Franchisees

When buying a franchised business, you’re investing in a proven model with the training and support you’ll need to succeed. Depending on the scenario and availability, some prospective franchisees even have the option to buy into an established local franchise, taking over for a previous owner who is looking to retire. This is exactly what Samantha and Bret Robertson did.

“Our story is a little different. We had our own painting company before, and we worked as a vendor for Fresh Coat,” Samantha said. “The owner of this territory decided to retire, and he approached us about potentially taking over.”

Samantha explained that she and Bret had not previously thought about franchising, with Fresh Coat or otherwise, but because they had so much experience with the business and market, it seemed worth a shot.

“We had worked as subcontractors for this Fresh Coat location for about two years, so we were a big part of helping to build the business’s name in our market,” Bret said. “During the last few months, the previous owner had started to lean on me a lot, giving me projects to delegate out and watch over. I know not everyone will have a chance to work in the exact business they’re going to buy, but having an opportunity to learn from the inside and know that there is already a growing reputation in the community is really great.”

Since the Robertsons took over at a stage in the business where many people in the community already know about Fresh Coat, they can work on polishing and maintaining the brand’s reputation rather than dedicating so much time simply getting the name out. 

There are already teams and clients who have worked with Fresh Coat of Charleston and likely interacted with the Robertsons. Now that they’re the face of the brand, Bret and Samantha are leveraging those relationships for continued growth.

“When you inherit a territory, you have to hit the ground running,” Bret said. “You don’t have as much of a runway to get started because the business is already operational and you don’t want to have a lapse in those operations.”

“We spent the first couple of weeks out in the community introducing ourselves and sharing that we were with Fresh Coat,” Samantha added. “We went to Sherwin Williams, property management companies, construction companies — all that. We just put our faces out there and let them know, ‘We’re the new face of Fresh Coat, we’re here to stay, and we want to help!’”

While they have been able to get a strong start in the market by purchasing an existing location, they strongly encourage anyone looking to take a similar path not to skip over any of the resources available to new franchisees. Even though the business is established, a new owner still has a lot to learn to be set up for long-term success.

“Take advantage of all the training and support. Fresh Coat offers a ton of support, and that’s what will help you become an adept owner to step into an already-running business,” Samantha said. “Use your coach, talk to other franchisees and trust the process.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info.