From Corporate America to Small Business Ownership, Local Couple Opens Painting Business Serving the Greater Ann Arbor Area

Husband and wife team (Phil DeWester and Debbie Belser) recently took the leap to open their own business this past January. Seeing an opportunity to elevate the level of customer service and professionalism in the residential painting industry, the couple decided to team up and open their own 360 Painting business to serve the greater Ann Arbor community. Prior to business ownership, Phil earned his MBA at the University of Michigan and had a successful career in marketing and brand management. His wife, Debbie, graduated from Michigan State University and worked as a packaging engineer before taking time to raise her family. 

Recently, the two decided they were ready for a new journey. After toying with the idea of owning their own business for years, they started researching brands that would make a difference in their community. As longtime homeowners, they realized that the community was in need of more premium home service companies committed to quality and a higher level of customer service. They discovered 360 Painting, one of the fastest growing painting franchises in the country. 360 Painting shared their commitment to bringing a higher level of customer service to the painting industry. Not long after, Phil and Debbie officially took the leap and opened 360 Painting of Ann Arbor at the beginning of the year.

They are so excited to take their complementary skill sets and blend them together to create a customer-focused business. They only hire the best painting crews in the area and personally manage projects from start to finish to ensure their customers have the best experience possible. 

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

Phil: I am originally from Denver and after graduating from The University of Colorado, I spent five years working in advertising in NYC. I returned to get my MBA at University of Michigan and spent the next 22 years working in marketing and brand management at top CPG companies. I worked in several different states before moving to my wife’s home state of Michigan a few years ago. My wife is a Michigan State grad and packaging engineer. She spent the past few years at home raising a family and is now eager to return to the business world. We both decided to team up and start a business together. She manages the production side, and I am responsible for the sales and marketing side of the business. We toyed with the idea of doing something on our own and we were interested in the home service industry. As homeowners, finding professional, reliable and qualified tradespeople was difficult. We liked the 360 Painting model of hiring existing painting crews with their own equipment and years of experience. 

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?

Phil: My perception was that it was solely brick and mortar. The idea of home service franchises was very new to me. Overall, I have been very pleased with the training I received, although I did expect there to be a little more painting-specific training. I have been very happy with the 1:1 coaching. 

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

Phil: PSB is a fast-growing and well-respected franchise company in the home services industry. 360 Painting is their largest brand with a roster of successful franchise owners. We were excited to be part of this company that shares our belief in creating a premium, professional painting experience with a higher level of customer service. 

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

Phil: We would like to build a fast-growing, profitable company that employs other members of our community and provides a valuable service to homeowners. We are exploring two opportunities for growth: 1) expand 360 Painting into additional territories, 2) ‘stacking’ brands by purchasing additional PSB companies in our current territory. 

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Phil: I am a good example of someone who spent their career in Corporate America and wanted to branch out and start their own business. We plan to manage the process from start to finish, which is a little different than some other franchisees in the area. We want our customers to have the best experience possible. 

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

Phil: Look at a lot of different options to ensure you find the best fit. Look at what it will take to scale your business and talk to other franchisees before you make your final decision. 

Headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, Premium Service Brands (PSB) is the leader in home services franchise opportunities. Recently acquiring Andy On-Call and RooterMan in 2022, The Grout Medic and House Doctors in 2021, Renew Crew in January 2020, and Rubbish Works in November 2020, the other brands under the PSB umbrella include 360º Painting, ProLift Garage Doors, Maid Right, and Kitchen Wise*. These home improvement industry brands provide franchisees with comprehensive training and support for every step while viewing customer service as a way of life by also giving back to local communities through their nonprofit, Kids-Lift. Supporting kids and their families is crucial to PSB’s personal values to brighten and care for their communities. More on franchising opportunities at premiumservicebrands.com.