Richard Chavez, a cutting tool sales and manufacturing professional of nearly 20 years, has dreamed of working for himself for as long as he can remember. However, he hadn’t landed on the perfect business model until recently. Chavez knew he would likely need support to start a new business, and his previous perception of franchising was focused on big-name restaurants like McDonald’s — a model he had little-to-no interest in.
After connecting with a franchise coach and learning the true breadth of the industry, Chavez discovered Fresh Coat Painters and felt it was his perfect match. He launched in Wichita, Kansas, in early March, providing high-quality, transparent service to the community as he works toward becoming the biggest name in painting in the state.
Chavez took the time to chat with 1851 Franchise to discuss all of this and more. Here’s what he had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Richard Chavez: I've been in cutting tool sales or manufacturing for almost 20 years now. I started the Fresh Coat journey a little over a year ago when I was contacted by a franchise coach who introduced me to a few different options.
Fresh Coat stood out above the others, and I felt like it was an opportunity for me to do something that I enjoy doing, which is painting, and something that I'm good at, which is business and people. It seemed to be the perfect match for me.
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?
Chavez: I've always dreamt of working for myself. I just could never come up with the game plan of what that would actually look like. I never thought of franchising, because when I thought about franchises previously, I was thinking of things like McDonald’s. I never thought that a painting company could be a franchise.
Once I started to learn about it, it was a perfect fit for me because it answered all the questions and doubts that I had about starting a business.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Chavez: I think the idea of painting done right and the possibility of bringing professional painting to the Wichita market — it’s something that has been needed.
It's refreshing for my customers that there's someone who has a system in place, goes through the details and actually explains what they’re getting for their money as opposed to giving a vague number of trying to add on to the bill after the service. That part really resonated with me.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Chavez: My goal is to be the largest paint company in Kansas.
If my children are able to or want to come work with me, that would be a goal of mine. I would also love to be busy enough to justify having my wife leave her day job and come work on Fresh Coat with me. I would love to make it a family business in the process of becoming the biggest in the state.
1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?
Chavez: I was born and raised in Wichita. I left for college and played Division 1 basketball in New York and New Jersey, but I couldn’t wait to come back home. I think Wichita is an amazing city, and I want to be a big part of the city and community.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?
Chavez: Call me! And do your due diligence. Ask around. I did a lot of digging and asked a lot of questions before I made the jump. Calling the other franchise owners was a big help — not just current ones, but ones that were ones that have gotten out of the franchise. They were a big help as well, because they had positive things to say about the franchise. That speaks volumes when they're out of it but still speak highly of the brand and experience.
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.
Fresh Coat
SPONSORED
Richard Chavez had always dreamed of working for himself but struggled to find the perfect fit. After learning that franchising reaches far beyond restaurants, he decided to make the leap.
Richard Chavez, a cutting tool sales and manufacturing professional of nearly 20 years, has dreamed of working for himself for as long as he can remember. However, he hadn’t landed on the perfect business model until recently. Chavez knew he would likely need support to start a new business, and his previous perception of franchising was focused on big-name restaurants like McDonald’s — a model he had little-to-no interest in.
After connecting with a franchise coach and learning the true breadth of the industry, Chavez discovered Fresh Coat Painters and felt it was his perfect match. He launched in Wichita, Kansas, in early March, providing high-quality, transparent service to the community as he works toward becoming the biggest name in painting in the state.
Chavez took the time to chat with 1851 Franchise to discuss all of this and more. Here’s what he had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Richard Chavez: I've been in cutting tool sales or manufacturing for almost 20 years now. I started the Fresh Coat journey a little over a year ago when I was contacted by a franchise coach who introduced me to a few different options.
Fresh Coat stood out above the others, and I felt like it was an opportunity for me to do something that I enjoy doing, which is painting, and something that I'm good at, which is business and people. It seemed to be the perfect match for me.
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?
Chavez: I've always dreamt of working for myself. I just could never come up with the game plan of what that would actually look like. I never thought of franchising, because when I thought about franchises previously, I was thinking of things like McDonald’s. I never thought that a painting company could be a franchise.
Once I started to learn about it, it was a perfect fit for me because it answered all the questions and doubts that I had about starting a business.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Chavez: I think the idea of painting done right and the possibility of bringing professional painting to the Wichita market — it’s something that has been needed.
It's refreshing for my customers that there's someone who has a system in place, goes through the details and actually explains what they’re getting for their money as opposed to giving a vague number of trying to add on to the bill after the service. That part really resonated with me.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Chavez: My goal is to be the largest paint company in Kansas.
If my children are able to or want to come work with me, that would be a goal of mine. I would also love to be busy enough to justify having my wife leave her day job and come work on Fresh Coat with me. I would love to make it a family business in the process of becoming the biggest in the state.
1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?
Chavez: I was born and raised in Wichita. I left for college and played Division 1 basketball in New York and New Jersey, but I couldn’t wait to come back home. I think Wichita is an amazing city, and I want to be a big part of the city and community.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?
Chavez: Call me! And do your due diligence. Ask around. I did a lot of digging and asked a lot of questions before I made the jump. Calling the other franchise owners was a big help — not just current ones, but ones that were ones that have gotten out of the franchise. They were a big help as well, because they had positive things to say about the franchise. That speaks volumes when they're out of it but still speak highly of the brand and experience.
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.
Sign up for the 1851 Franchise newsletter to get our biggest stories before everyone else
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.
No related articles found
