International Love Story Leads to a New Fresh Coat Painters Franchise in Jacksonville, FL

The entrepreneurial story of Leandro and Morgan Olmos, an international couple who recently signed on to bring residential and commercial painting franchise Fresh Coat* Painters to Southeast Jacksonville, FL, truly epitomizes the pursuit of the American dream. 

Leandro, an immigrant from Argentina, and Morgan, originally from California, both come from backgrounds in Customer Experience research and I.T. but have always had a shared passion for business ownership. Their journey began unconventionally amidst the global pandemic, finding love through a dating app and eventually meeting for the first time during a sojourn in Mexico due to travel restrictions. This unique beginning set the stage for what would eventually become a shared adventure into franchising. 

With their Fresh Coat Painters franchise, the Olmoses aspire to become a household name in Jacksonville, known for exceptional service and setting industry standards. Their future plans include investing in multiple businesses and potentially expanding beyond their current franchise. Their journey, marked by resilience and adaptability, has prepared them to face the inevitable challenges of franchise ownership. 

1851 Franchise magazine spoke with Morgan and Leandro to learn more about their international love story, their collective path to franchising and their plans for the future. 

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

Morgan: Leandro is my husband, and we just celebrated our two year anniversary. He came from Argentina and immigrated to the U.S. two years ago. After he came here, he quickly realized how much opportunity was in the country; it was very eye-opening. Owning a business was ultimately something we both wanted to do, but he really took the lead. I joined to support him in that. I am still a full-time employee but I work remotely. We have a background in UX research for the I.T. industry. 

Leandro: It has really been the pursuit of the American dream. We originally met on a dating app and started talking in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was in California and I was in Argentina. At that point, the borders were still closed, so the only place we could go to meet for the first time was Cancun, Mexico. They were the only country letting in tourists. After spending two weeks together there, we were all in.

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?

Leandro: It was really the support and the business model offered by a franchise that appealed to us because we don’t have a background in business. Franchising really made sense to us. 

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

Morgan: In general, we were drawn to the home improvement sector. The franchises that we were interviewing with were all in that space because they offered the types of business models that also fit within our financial parameters and budget. We considered a lot of options, but at the end of the day, there was more genuine support and care from Fresh Coat versus the other competitors. They were very consistent. 

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

Leandro: We want to keep investing and own multiple businesses in the future, make sure we can deliver a really good experience for our clients and be known in the Jacksonville area as the best service. Really set the standard. For us, that reputation is very important. Ultimately, we want to scale this business and create something that has a good name for itself. 

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

Morgan: We do not come from a business background, as this is our first franchise venture. We don’t even come from a professional home improvement background. But our tenacity, versatility and resilience is going to be very handy, and has provided many opportunities thus far. Our courtship and ultimately our marriage had a lot of hurdles. Leandro moving to the U.S. and getting his green card was full of challenges. We moved to Savannah and then to Jacksonville, all because we wanted to open a Fresh Coat. We’ve gone through a lot of changes in such a short amount of time but it has all made us stronger and adaptable. Now we’re going full speed ahead. 

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

Leandro: You have to be diligent. You have to do your research. Ask questions and don’t be afraid of change. Talk to your wife. Don’t let challenges freeze you with fear and keep you from making decisions. At the end of the day, you are more likely to regret not taking that step forward because of fear than you are to regret doing it. 

For more information on the costs to buy a Fresh Coat franchise, visit: https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat

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 170 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.