We Do Lines featured in South Florida Business Journal

South Florida Business Journal reporter Susan Miller spoke with We Do Lines CEO, Chris Couri, on some innovative ideas on how they are finding franchisees. The virtual roundtables, he says, has helped the franchise generate several leads already. We Do Lines already has several operations in Florida and plans to continue its growth in the area. Click here to view the full article! Also, you can learn more about franchising opportunities by clicking here!

Franchisors join forces to pitch business concepts
by Susan R. Miller

Some South Florida franchisors have found a new way to reach more potential franchisees: virtual roundtables.

Those who consider becoming a franchisee can find navigating the vast number of potential opportunities overwhelming, as there are literally thousands of options from which to choose.

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We Do Lines featured in Landscape and Irrigation Magazine

We Do Lines was featured in an article that printed in Landscape and Irrigation Magazine titled, “Break out of the Box with Bolt-on Business.” The article was built from an interview with Chris Couri, discussing the many opportunities that franchising offers to help landscape and irrigation companies grow in this economy. As Chris, Tom and Dan were very familiar with the landscape and irrigation business before founding We Do Lines, they knew there was a huge market potential for parking lot line striping including a relatively low start-up cost and room to grow. You can view the full article below!

We Do Lines featured in the Cleveland Business Connects

We Do Lines was recently featured in an article in Cleveland Business Connects magazine called “Cleveland family operates local parking lot striping franchise.” Tim Janasek, franchisee of We Do Lines in Cleveland, and Nancy Janasek, President of We Do Lines in Cleveland, discuss the importance of proper parking lot striping. The article talks about reasons why parking lot striping is crucial to the appearance and safety of local businesses. Click here to read the full article!

Cleveland family operates local parking lot striping franchise

By: Natalie Parham

It has happened to all of us before: We leave the mall or pick up our kids from school and spend 45 minutes just trying to get out of the parking lot. We have pulled into a parking garage and almost gotten hit by someone who did not see us. We have been forced to navigate the rough terrain of a parking lot filled with potholes.

We Do Lines, a national company that focuses on the parking lot striping business, is working hard to erase these scenarios from our daily driving repertoire. Locally, Tim Janasek and his family are waging the battle against confusing and dangerous parking lots through their We Do Lines Cleveland franchise.

The Janaseks heard of We Do Lines through their brother, David, who lives in Connecticut, where We Do Lines is based. David informed Tim that the business was looking at going national, and Tim was immediately intrigued.

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We Do Lines featured in The Connecticut Post and The News-Times

We Do Lines was recently featured in The News-Times and The Connecticut Post in articles titled “When parking lots need lines, We Do Lines delivers.” In the article, Chris Couri, co-founder and CEO of We Do Lines, explains that the idea for the parking lot striping company formed when he and business partners Dan Rella and Tom Darrow all worked as landscapers. After researching the $29 billion parking lot striping industry, they decided to open a business and two years ago began franchising. Connecticut franchisee, Bob Russo, said the business focuses on customer service, no matter how big or small the client, and that this year’s numbers are shaping up to be even better than those in 2010. Click here to view the article!

When parking lots need lines, We Do Lines delivers
By Stacy Davis

Business has been good for a local company that specializes in painting lines in parking lots.

"I think it's been really great," said Chris Couri, one of the three founders of We Do Lines at 7 Danbury Road in Ridgefield.

Couri, 35, established the company in 2008 with his two partners, Tom Darrow, 45, and Dan Rella, 55.

The three now paint lines on the pavements of businesses with parking lots. It can be any kind of property, even schools.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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We Do Lines featured in Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction

Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction editor Allan Heydorn examined the We Do Lines business model in an article titled “Striping Franchise as a Business Solution.” As a novel idea to the industry, Chris Couri, CEO of We Do Lines, discusses why the executive team at We Do Lines decided to franchise the business and become the nation’s first line striping franchise. He also discusses what We Do Lines offers to new franchisees including a national relationship with Sherwin Williams and a start package with the equipment necessary to get a new franchisee up and running. Through franchising, Couri explains, “There’s no way you could open a striping business in 10 states at the same time. It would be too complex and cost too much money. But you can do that in a franchise situation.” View the article below or click here!

We Do Lines featured in Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction

We Do Lines featured in TheStreet

TheStreet reporter Laurie Kulikowski spoke with Chris Couri to learn more about the nation’s first line striping franchise and its rapid plans for growth. Stemming from a dilemma the We Do Lines crew had, they unveiled a highly fragmented industry segment worth $600 million and that’s when the light bulb went off. Now the brand expects to open 100 new locations by 2014. To learn more about what makes We Do Lines a franchise to watch, read here!

7 Small Franchises That Are Growing Fast
By Laurie Kulikowski

Couri and his partners saw an immediate opportunity in booking business with landscaping clients.

"We did local due diligence and research and there weren't a lot of providers out there -- 13 in Connecticut. We called everyone that did it. Two called back, which really gave us an indication of how the industry was fragmented," Couri says.

But it was when they launched their Web presence that the founders saw the real potential for the business -- a $600 million market within a $29 billion industry that is relatively untapped, the company says.

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We Do Lines innovates with its social media efforts

When it comes to interesting ways to connect with fans online, one may not think that a parking lot striping company would excel in doing so, or even give the effort. As it turns out, We Do Lines (WDL) has found just the way to keep fans involved on its Facebook page to stand out as a serious brand with a fun personality.

Many bizarre, head-scratching, and downright hilarious things can happen in parking lots and on roads, which gave the WDL crew an idea for having a little fun on their page. By gathering a collection of wacky transportation-related photos found online into a “FAIL Bracket,” We Do Lines is letting their 850-plus Facebook fan base decide which one should reign supreme as the epitome of “doing it wrong.” As the rounds progress, We Do Lines plans to reward those who vote on their FAILs of choice, from drink koozies to baseball caps.

This is not the first time that We Do Lines has explored ways to involve their fans and reward them with free prizes. Alongside the Masters Golf Tournament, WDL posed golf-related questions, held mini contests with the Facebook community, and rewarded the golf-loving crowd with sleeves of custom branded golf balls. By producing new ways to connect with the community, reward their efforts, and attract new fans, We Do Lines has continued to separate themselves from its competitors.

We Do Lines featured on AOL Small Business

Reporter Geoff Williams for AOL Small Business found out about the strikingly unique franchise We Do Lines and had to wrap his head around the business model and the founding story. In his Q&A published on AOL Small Business today, Williams sits down with Chris Couri, CEO of We Do Lines, to find out more about this outside-the-box company. Click here to view the full Q&A!

We Do Lines: No, It's Not What You Think
By GEOFF WILLIAMS

By their own admission, Chris Couri, Dan Rella and Tom Darrow aren't exactly in the most exciting industry in the world. But a clever name and a unique growth strategy has helped them transform We Do Lines into a successful franchise company with 17 locations up and down the East Coast.

Before you conjure up images of Al Pacino in Scarface, it's not what you think -- We Do Lines literally paints lines in parking lots.

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We Do Lines featured in The Long Islander

Most of the We Do Lines business flies under the radar for most Americans, when they pull into a parking lot they expect to pull between the lines… but the truth of the matter is that many of these lots need a reliable source for restriping. And that is the business that We Do Lines is cashing in on. They were recently featured in The Long Islander in an article entitled “Painting The Line on Reliability” discussing one of their most recent openings under the leadership of Skip Barrett and Rob Schlosser. Scouting out new business and recognizing that most lots should be painted every 18-36 months, Skip and Rob are happy to now be open for business in Huntington. View the full article below, or click here!

We Do Lines featured on Bnet.com

We Do Lines was recently featured in an article on Bnet.com entitled "How I Used My First Business to Fund a Second One." In the article, Chris Couri discusses how We Do Lines began, starting with his original lawn care and landscaping company, Young’s, which helped Couri and his colleagues develop their resources and client base. He goes on to discuss the sometimes process of cultivating the We Do Lines brand all the way up to where they are today, with tripled sales numbers, a thriving franchise, and leads pouring in thanks to some awesome national media coverage in Entrepreneur Magazine. Click here to view the full article.

How I Used My First Business to Fund a Second One
By Chris Couri, CEO, We Do Lines, Ridgefield, Conn.

My father purchased Young’s, a lawn care retail and landscaping company in the late 70s. I started sweeping floors in the shop at age eight, and eventually took over as the company’s president. But competition from big-box stores was hurting our retail store, and I knew it was time to downsize the operation and find other revenue sources. And after 15 years of landscaping jobs, I wanted to try something new.

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We Do Lines featured in The Gulf Coast Business Review

We Do Lines was featured in The Gulf Coast Business Review with an article entitled "Entrepreneur takes on warmer double duty." This article was written by editor Mark Gordon, and built from an interview with Tom Darrow, We Do Lines Co-founder, COO, and Southwest Florida franchisee. In the article, Darrow discusses how We Do Lines began, why he decided to personally bring the franchise to Southwest Florida, how easy it is to become a We Do Lines franchisee, and how many business opportunities there are in the market. Click here to view the full article.

Entrepreneur takes on double duty
By GULF COAST BUSINESS REVIEW, Jan. 25, 2011

Here’s a subtle sign the economy is on the mend: Tom Darrow, a former Gulf Coast resident and entrepreneur who moved to Connecticut, has returned to the region — and business is good.

Darrow, who ran a commercial landscaping firm in Ridgefield, Conn., didn’t only move back to Florida for the weather. He mostly moved so he could help build his business, a franchise-based company that repaves parking lot stripes, into a national success.

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We Do Lines featured in Naples Daily News

We Do Lines was featured in the Naples Daily News recently. The article, entitled "We Do Lines: New Naples business offers a lot to know about parking," discusses pretty much every angle of We Do Lines, from how it began and why Tom Darrow brought it to Florida, to how much interest has already been conveyed throughout the region from both consumer and business angles. It even delves into the safety issues around line-striping and the curb stops and handicapped symbols they paint. Click here to view the entire article.

We Do Lines: New Naples business offers a lot to know about parking
By KELLY MERRIT, Jan. 28, 2011

NAPLES — When it comes to painting parking spaces, the name of the game is to not tie up a parking lot for the businesses it serves.

No one knows that better than Tom Darrow, who operates a relatively new parking lot striping business in Naples. Darrow recently brought his company, “We Do Lines,” to Southwest Florida from Connecticut in an effort to grow the business.

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We Do Lines featured in Entrepreneur Magazine

The nation’s first ever parking lot line striping franchise debuted in Entrepreneur Magazine this month. The article is titled “All Lined Up and In The Paint,” and written by Entrepreneur reporter Jason Daley. Entrepreneur interviewed all three co-founders of We Do Lines Chris Couri, Dan Rella and Tom Darrow to catch up with them about tapping into a $1 billion underserved industry, their current growth and future expansion plans as well as becoming a national franchise with opportunities for development all across the U.S. With 50 million parking spaces out there, someone needs to do the job! Check out the article here!

All Lined Up and In the Paint
Three landscapers go from lawns to lanes, forging new ground in the $1 billion business of parking lot striping.
By Jason Daley

There are roughly 50 million parking spaces in the United States, and by law many of them have to get a fresh coat of reflective paint every year or two. You would think re-striping would be easy, but back in 2008, Chris Couri, Daniel Rella and Tom Darrow, who all owned landscaping businesses around Richfield, Conn., found themselves in a bind.

"Danny called around to 13 guys to stripe our parking lot, and only two called back," says Couri, CEO of We Do Lines. "We realized the parking lot striping industry was underdeveloped, and didn't have any real standards."

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We Do Lines featured in The Gulf Coast Business Review

We Do Lines was featured in The Gulf Coast Business Review today in an article entitled "Entrepreneur takes on double duty." In the article, Tom Darrow discusses how We Do Lines began, why he decided to personally bring the franchise to Southwest Florida, how easy it is to become a We Do Lines franchisee, and how many business opportunities there are in the market. Click here to view the full article in its entirety.

TUESDAY’S CUP: Entrepreneur takes on double duty
By Gulf Coast Business Review

Here’s a subtle sign the economy is on the mend: Tom Darrow, a former Gulf Coast resident and entrepreneur who moved to Connecticut, has returned to the region — and business is good.

Darrow, who ran a commercial landscaping firm in Ridgefield, Conn., didn’t only move back to Florida for the weather. He mostly moved so he could help build his business, a franchise-based company that repaves parking lot stripes, into a national success.

“We want to be able to do any job from Maine to Miami,” says Darrow, who previously lived in Venice and now lives in Naples. “But we realize we have to have the hubs to do that.”

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We Do Lines featured in National Weblog

The article that published in “The Bradenton Herald" about We Do Lines was picked up by a national weblog called “Business Opportunities” which acts as a source of info and inspiration for potential business owners, many of whom are looking for potential franchises to invest in. Click here to view the weblog.

Firm Creates Niche Painting Stripes
By RICH WHITTLE

They do lines — lots of lines. You’ll find them in parking lots, airports and even at Miami’s Doral Golf Resort.

The company We Do Lines USA is one of the few companies nationwide that specializes in striping — creating those white, iridescent lines to mark off parking spaces.

According to Bradenton.com, the Connecticut-based firm, founded in 2008, has expanded to Florida and is selling franchise territories and drumming up business.

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We Do Lines featured in Bradenton Herald

In the article, Bob Russo discusses how he got started with We Do Lines by easily transitioning from commercial construction, and how other potential business owners can do the same. Tom Darrow discusses how We Do Lines began, how they forayed into franchising, and how much they’ve grown since the company was founded. To view the article in its entirety be sure to click here.

Firm creates a niche painting parking stripes
By JENNIFER RICH

They do lines -- lots of lines.

You’ll find them in parking lots, airports and even at Miami’s Doral Golf Resort.
The company We Do Lines USA is one of the few companies nationwide that specializes in striping -- creating those white, iridescent lines to mark off parking spaces.

The Connecticut-based firm, founded in 2008, has expanded to Florida and is selling franchise territories and drumming up business.

Bob Russo, of Englewood, just started the franchise that includes Bradenton and stretches from Clearwater to Port Charlotte.

(Read More)