Fresh Coat Franchise Creates Path for U.K. Family To Achieve American Dream

Francis Strutt's journey to Naples, Florida, isn't your typical franchise story. This isn't just about opening a business; it's about a family's 12-plus-year dream of moving to Florida finally becoming a reality. After years of visiting the area, Francis and his wife, Jade, decided Naples was the perfect place to put down roots. Navigating the complexities of international relocation and visa requirements led them down an unexpected path from which they found their way to franchising.

Having run independent businesses in the past, Strutt knew the challenges of opening a business from scratch well and was looking to do it differently this time. With Fresh Coat*, he is getting the support he needs to build a successful business — and life — in Florida while bringing a higher quality painting experience to the community he holds so dear.

Francis Strutt: I have visited Florida for years and thought about moving to Florida over a decade ago. Fresh Coat allowed us to finally do it. Working with an immigration attorney, we realized an E-2 visa would be the best way forward. I’m originally from London and leveraged the opportunity to invest in a business to support our move to the U.S.

Once we found franchising and Fresh Coat, we decided to get started, so we’ve been operational in Naples, Florida since last October, and our managing partner, Sebastian [Failla], is overseeing the projects. Sebastian has 40-plus years of experience in the industry, so we were very confident to take him on. He has been a wonderful partner in starting the business, bringing perspectives and knowledge that have made the business even stronger from day one.

Strutt: We knew that investing in a business would provide a clear path for us to relocate to Florida. I looked at other independent businesses, but I own self-storage and mailbox shops, and I always started those from scratch.

I’d never looked into franchising, and once I did, I was really excited. All the things I had to do — and fail at — with my own businesses, Fresh Coat has already figured out. With a franchise, you get out the gate running, and that was the biggest takeaway for me.

Strutt: I think there’s a stigma, especially in the U.K., that you’ve got no control. You’re told to do this and that, and to me, that’s not very exciting. I like to have my own input. After training, we realized that they do have certain guidelines, but really, you’re out there running your business. You can make a lot of decisions by yourself.

Strutt: We’re working to become fully immersed in the community. We didn’t want to start just any business. We’ve started Fresh Coat in Naples to bring a better painting service to the neighbors and community we love so much.

Strutt: Definitely do your research. One of the things I did was speak to people in a similar position — those who had just started — to see how they were getting on. I spoke to three different new franchisees, and they all sounded confident. That gave me confidence.

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.