Wednesday, June 29, 2011

We Do Lines featured in Lawn & Landscape

We Do Lines was recently featured in an article in Lawn & Landscape magazine called “Adding outside services.” Chris Couri, CEO of We Do Lines, discusses the demand in the underdeveloped parking lot line striping sector. The article talks about the equipment experience that the initial landscaping business gave Chris and how this transferred well into the parking lot line striping business. The article included some great advice from Chris about how to make sure you are utilizing all of your resources when crossing clients over from one business to the next and how important having the right person for the job is when staffing your businesses. A portion of the article is below and can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

Adding outside services

When you look at a commercial property, what’s the first thing you notice? The beautiful turf? The shrubs near the door? Or the cascading annuals near the entrance?

Have you ever considered the parking lot?

Chris Couri did. He’s president of We Do Lines, based in Richfield, Conn., and he and his partners – Tom Darrow, COO, and Dan Rella, CFO, co-founder and principal – started offering parking lot striping services to their commercial landscaping clients as a way to bolster revenue and do something different.

So far Couri and his team have sold 17 franchises; nine are in full operation, and they work all over the East Coast.

Why did you decide to branch out of the green industry? We had good businesses, but wanted to do something different. We saw really, an opportunity in our market with the line striping, in that it was totally fragmented and underdeveloped and we had a book of business. We wanted another business and to ideally capitalize on what we had been building at our careers as much as possible – that being the reputations and the book of business that we had.

We’re doing the plowing, the mowing, the irrigation. This was just something that wasn’t being done. It’s always nice to do something different. And there was a huge need for it. That’s ultimately what prompted us to franchise the concept.

(Read More)

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

We Do Lines featured in The Hartford Business Journal

We Do Lines was recently featured in The Hartford Business Journal in an article discussing how outdoor-focused businesses beat the summer heat. For We Do Lines, this means not sending out one-man crews on summertime jobs in case of safety issues with the heat. Chris Couri, co-founder, president and chief executive of We Do Lines, stressed that the business relies heavily on safety precautions. Connecticut franchisee, Bob Russo, said his employees are required to use sunblock and avoid wearing dark colors. Click here to view the full article!

Heat challenges outdoor businesses
By Brad Kane

As the temperate days of spring quickly slide into the hot days of summer this year, businesses all over Connecticut are feeling the heat.

While offices see an increase in electricity costs from air conditioning and dress codes often ease, those companies whose primary business is outdoors face a more real threat.

Heat stroke, dehydration, sunburn and exhaustion can imperil a company’s employees and production if they have to spend extended periods outside; and Connecticut business do what they can do avoid the wrong side of the sun.

(Read More)

Thursday, June 9, 2011

We Do Lines featured on Allbusiness.com

We Do Lines was recently featured on Allbusiness.com. The article, titled "Cool Franchise Concepts You've Never Heard Of," focuses on the lower cost of starting a franchise with We Do Lines than bigger companies such as McDonald's. Further, the article gives a brief explanation of the type of business that We Do Lines specializes in. Click here to view the full article.

Cool Franchise Concepts You’ve Never Heard Of

When People think of franchising, why do they always think McDonald's?

Sure, we'd Love to own a McDonald’s. But a new franchise costs $1 million or more, so the only time we’ll get near one is when we're ordering a Quarter Pounder with Cheese. You need liquid assets of at least $250,000 before Mickey D’s corporate will even start the conversation with you.

Thankfully, there are plenty of under-the-radar franchise opportunities out there. This article highlights seven promising new franchise businesses. They may never rival McDonald’s, but they won’t set you back a million bucks either.

(Read More)
 
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