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 Franchise as a Synergistic Business Opportunity

By Chris Couri, CEO of We Do Lines

In the current economy, contractors from a variety of service fields like landscaping, construction, and maintenance, are becoming interested in exploring adding a We Do Lines franchise to their existing business. Many contracting businesses were hard hit, forcing these business owners to look to additional business opportunities which fit well with their pre existing infrastructure and customer base.

A We Do Lines franchise fits nicely into this niche because it is a simple low cost add on with minimal equipment needs and leverages the relationships the contractor has already formed. Additionally, with its national relationship with Sherwin-Williams and extensive support systems including a franchisor supplied lead generation call center, the franchise owner can expect a rapid transition to profitability. The advantages of being able to offer an expanded ‘one-stop shopping’ service offering are clear. We Do Lines provides another in for the contractor.

Another important advantage for aspiring We Do Lines owners is the brand visibility the franchise brings to an otherwise fractured and professionally undeserved segment of the commercial services industry.

A We Do Lines franchise offers their franchise owners the opportunity to build strong local brand equity with the advantage of increased exit strategy valuation. The opportunity to be a part of a franchised system with national reach, and the local leverage that brings with it, make an investment in a We Do Lines franchise an attractive option in these challenging times.

How franchising has changed in the new economy: Q&A with Chris Couri of We Do Lines

Q: How have you adjusted your growth strategy in this economy?
We made a decision to seek Area Developers rather than single unit operators. In addition we targeted synergistic industries like painting, parking, paving and property management. Our model is a great “Bolt On” concept for most commercial service companies mainly because of the rapid scalability and low cost of entry. We have formed a National Supply and Support agreement with Sherwin Williams (click for link to press release) and strong relationships with national brands to inject additional value to our model and to support our franchisees. We utilize PR to drive business to our franchisees as well as to further promote the brand on a National level.

Q: Are franchisees more qualified now than ever before? Why or why not?
There is a large pool of potential franchisees available due to the economy, but only a small portion of these will be right for franchising. By focusing on pre-existing business owners we tend to get a more qualified candidate as they are already running small businesses. At WDL we insist that our candidates are well educated about the franchise industry. I feel that “An educated consumer is my best candidate.”

Q: Do you predict that franchising has changed from this point on? If so, how?
I absolutely believe that franchising has changed and will continue to morph due to the lack of financial liquidity in the marketplace. It is now much more difficult to get candidates funded. As a result, qualified franchise candidates with organic funding have the luxury to negotiate much stronger deals and have vast choices. There is more of a focus on promoting your brand and maximizing the leverage of all the avenues, both traditional, non-traditional, and digital.

Q: Anything else you think is interesting or important to know about franchising and/or We Do Lines in particular?
When considering whether to invest in a franchise, a candidate has to answer some common sense questions: Is there a marketplace for the franchised product or service in the area I intend to operate? Is the timing right for the product or service in that marketplace? Is it “on the economy?”

The second thing in the timing fork is the “man in the mirror” calculation. Is this the right time in my life to take on this challenge? Do I have the necessary equities to succeed in the business model? To be successful, each candidate must possess four personal equities:

1. Intellectual. You have to be smart enough to be able to run a small business.

2. Sweat. You have to work harder for yourself that you ever worked for someone else.
3. Intestinal. You have to have the guts to invest in yourself.
4. Actual. You have to be able to afford to capitalize the business.

These equities back up on each other. You need the actual funds to start the business, the guts to invest the funds, the sweat to make sure every dime works for you, and the intellectual smarts to choose wisely where to invest your funds. A responsible franchisor must assist the candidate to discover whether he is the right fit for the model and in possession for the necessary equities. At We Do Lines, we take seriously the notion that the franchise is ‘awarded rather then sold.’ This presumes a large degree of ‘want to’ by the franchisee and willingness to judge the opportunity realistically.