Local Finance Expert Uses Business Knowledge to Open 360 Painting in Edison

After 27 years and counting in the finance industry, Dana Lodge is putting her finance and business knowledge to the ultimate test– business ownership. Lodge is currently a  CFO at an insurance company, but over the past few years, she realized her goal of owning her own business that would allow her to combine her skills with something more unique to her. So she signed to bring 360 Painting, the home service franchise under the Premium Service Brands umbrella.

Lodge plans to open her 360 Painting location in the Edison area on January 3rd. She’s looking forward to this exciting opportunity and can’t wait to see what opportunities it brings for not only her but her daughter and the community as well. Lodge sees a lot of future growth potential with 360 Painting and Premium Service Brands.

1851 Franchise spoke with Dana Lodge to learn more about her franchising journey with 360 Painting.

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

Dana Lodge: I’ve worked in finance for about 27 years now. I’m a CFO at an insurance company now, but business ownership is something I’ve thought about for the past few years. I saw it as an ultimate stream of income that would allow me to apply my skills from my finance career to something more personal.

I liked the idea of franchising because I wanted to own a business, but I wanted to stay engaged in my current career. Franchising provides a business model that wouldn’t require me to give up my day job. I’m also new to entrepreneurship so the ability to buy into a proven system is valuable to 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?

Lodge: I knew that depending on the franchisor, there could be a lot of rules that need to be followed in order to have that tried and true system. Brands want every franchisee to follow this system and rules because they know it works. There is a lot of training to make that transition easier, though.

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

Lodge: I had honestly never heard of Premium Service Brands or 360 Painting before. But I began searching for franchises because the process of being an entrepreneur is complex enough. I chose 360 Painting because I wanted to be in an industry that didn’t require as much technical expertise to be an owner. I also really liked that I could stack other brands in the future if I wanted to. That would give me even more growth potential in the future.

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

Lodge: My first goal is to create a successful business that makes a profit. Second, I want to build the value and cash flow of my business, so I have more opportunities for growth in the future. In the next two or three years, I would love to begin expanding.

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

Lodge: I have a child in elementary school here, so I’m already vested in the community. I want to give back to the community more, though and see it thrive. Making the community a better place for my daughter and me is very important. From a business standpoint, I have a finance background, so I think that will help me stand out from other new business owners in the area.

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

Lodge: Do your research. Franchise brands have certain restrictions regarding what they can share with you before signing a franchise agreement, so make sure you obtain as much information as possible. Franchising is a very strong partnership, so you need to know who you are getting into a relationship with before signing the dotted line.

ABOUT PREMIUM SERVICE BRANDS:
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: https://www.premiumservicebrands.com.