From FedEx to Fresh Coat: Why This Former Logistics Operator Is Opening a Painting Business in His Community of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

After 25 years in the logistics industry, Tim Stanley was ready for a change. The fast-paced, high-stress environment of managing close to 30 trucks a day for FedEx Ground as an owner-operator had taken its toll, and he began searching for a new opportunity. With about 15 years left before retirement, Stanley decided to explore the more flexible painting industry, and soon discovered the Fresh Coat Painters franchise. Now, Stanley is excited to bring the Fresh Coat brand to his community of Shrewsbury and is eager to expand the business throughout the area. 

Stanley, who has always been self-employed, recognized that a franchise could help him overcome the learning curve of entering a new industry. After researching various franchise concepts and putting in an inquiry with Fresh Coat Painters, Stanley was immediately drawn to the company due to their enthusiasm, support and training. He knew that this partnership would provide him with the knowledge and resources he needed to succeed in the painting industry.

Since opening earlier this year, Stanley has found that the painting industry offers a much more relaxed pace compared to logistics, allowing him to take control of his own destiny. As he embarks on this new chapter of his career with Fresh Coat Painters, he is filled with excitement and optimism for the future. Leveraging the support and partnership of the franchise, he is determined to make his mark on the New England market and help other franchisees do the same.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Tim Stanley: About 25 years ago, I started a contract with FedEx Ground as an owner-operator. It was still a pretty small logistic company at that point and wasn’t at the massive scale it is today. That has been the majority of my career. 

By the end, during the pandemic, I was running close to 30 trucks a day. It was a very challenging position, and I decided I needed a change. I have about 15 years before retirement, and I wanted something that wasn’t so stressful. 

So, after giving it some thought, I determined the painting industry could be a great option. The pace of the painting industry allows you to breathe and you have more control over your own business and destiny. But since I didn’t know much about the industry, I knew I needed a franchisor behind me. I started researching franchise concepts and eventually came across Fresh Coat Painters.

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?

Stanley: When you come up with a plan to change career paths or start a business, you get to a point where you need to ask yourself how quickly you will be able to get it started. I’ve been self-employed my entire career, and I knew that if I did it on my own, it would take a lot of time. Franchising helps you out with the learning curve, which makes the process much faster.  

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Stanley: It was all about the conversation I had with the leadership team. Their enthusiasm about where the brand was going, as well as the support and training that they offered, was very exciting. 

I remember I had a conversation with president Tara Riley where she told me: “It takes a partnership to make this work.” That really stuck with me because she is exactly right. The brand can’t succeed unless I — and all other franchise owners — are succeeding in our local markets. They bring the knowledge and we bring the driving force. 

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Stanley: My main goal is to monopolize the New England market. Fresh Coat doesn’t have much of a market force here yet. I want to bring that to the table. As Fresh Coat grows and more owners come in, I also want to share my knowledge with them and put down the groundwork to grow the market share as big as we can. 

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Stanley: Anytime that you go into business for yourself, there is a risk involved. Being a franchisee does not take away that risk, but it does give you an opportunity to access more information and know-how. You don’t need to learn through trial by fire. I have people I can call if I get stuck. If I were to do it on my own, the risk is the same, but I don’t have anyone to call. If you want to build a brand, doing it on your own is going to require a much longer learning curve. 

Also, a lot of the smaller painting companies hit a cap on how big they can grow because there are only so many hours in the day. But franchises like Fresh Coat teach you how to scale beyond that point and take the business to the next level.