From Teaching and Preaching to Painting Prosperity - A Franchising Story Like No Other

When we decided to pivot away from our careers as a teacher and preacher (respectively), we knew we wanted to write a story that would involve us owning a business together.

But what would that look like? Where would we start? Would we buy an existing business? Open a brand new one?

Where would we start?

Exploring Opportunities

Like any good journey, it started with a conversation.

Our neighbor Rod, one of the smartest guys we know, was purchasing an auto repair franchise business.

Mack came home after talking to Rod and proudly told me, “We’re getting into the auto repair business!”

I asked him why, and he gave me the logical answer: “Because Rod is!”

Thankfully, I am the pragmatic planner in our relationship.

Among other things, I reminded him that he barely knows how to tune a car radio, let alone run a full service auto repair shop.

Secondly, as I researched the business model, it became apparent that the financial investment would be enormous - we’d have to leverage our home, which felt like way too much risk.

Expert Advice - Just in Time

As we started exploring more franchise options, we were introduced to someone who truly saved the day - a Franchise Consultant.

This person listened to all our concerns, dreams and desires. From geography (we wanted a business near our home in Nashville, Tennessee) to finances to market fit (there are more than 4,000 franchise concepts to choose from!) we had a lot of questions.

The consultant listened and eventually gave us some suggestions around home service franchise business models.

After evaluating a handful of options, we decided to buy into a home-based painting business here in Nashville.

And the process with using a Franchise Consultant was phenomenal. It's what drew us in to wanting to help others in the same way.

Bottom line: You don’t want to go down this road of franchise ownership without a trusted guide - someone who’s been there, and done that.

We set ourselves up for success by leveraging a Franchise Consultant early on, and it helped us to launch a successful painting business that ranked 1st out of 140 franchises in our first year of operation, generating $1.2 million in revenue.

Lessons Learn & Wisdom Earned

I won’t lie - it was scary at first.?

We saw all the competition, all the other similar types of businesses in the area, and also being out on our own for the first time instead of working for someone else.

Ultimately what we found out is that when you treat people right and you're willing to serve them well, with great communication, you’ll do just fine.

In fact, the more you genuinely seek to serve the person in front of you, the more you realize just how hungry today’s customers are for a partner they can trust and feel valued by, regardless of price and other factors.

Expertise Not Required

Similar to our auto expertise, we knew ZERO about painting.

In fact, when we first got married, we were living in Florida for a church I was pastoring.

One day, Mack surprised me by spending an entire afternoon painting our dining room.

I came home and asked, “Did you let the kids paint this room?”

We ended up needing our neighbor Pete to come over and repaint the entire space.

The great thing we’ve discovered about owning a franchise is that you don’t necessarily have to be a subject matter expert or great at the actual service yourself.

We haven’t painted a single house for our franchise, but by following the proven processes put in place, we have hired an amazing team of painters who deliver great service.

As our business grew, we also realized that matching our unique gifts - Mack's people skills and passion with my attention to detail and operational excellence - to certain roles in the company was key.

It’s been a fun ride the past several years, and I’m so glad we took the leap in deciding to write a better story for ourselves by leaving our careers behind and opening a franchise together.

Are You Ready To Write a Better Story?

Today, as Franchise Consultants, Mack and I stand at the intersection of our past experiences and our passion for helping others. Our journey has taught us the importance of prioritizing what truly matters and has given us the insights to guide aspiring entrepreneurs, curious corporate executives, and anyone looking to explore the possibilities of franchise ownership.

Our message to you is simple: It's never too late to rewrite your story.?

If you're feeling trapped in your current narrative, know that there are paths available that can lead you to a more fulfilling chapter. We're here to guide, to share, and to help you embark on a journey towards a better story, just as we did.

Ready To Explore Franchising? Let’s Talk!

These days, Mack and I are on a mission to help others go from “Start” to “Success” when it comes to franchise ownership.

If you’re curious about exploring franchising as a career pivot, investment vehicle or lucrative side hustle, let’s talk!

You can book a free, no obligation call with Mack here and/or a free call with Sharon here.

As Franchise Consultants, there’s no fee for our services.

Rather, our role is to serve as a trusted guide and educational resource, and we’re compensated by franchisors only if and when you decide to move forward with (and are approved for) franchise ownership.

Lastly, you can learn more about our story and how YOU can follow in our footsteps via the Franchise Together Podcast here: https://franchise-together.onpodium.co/

We look forward to connecting with you soon!