Franchise and Business Opportunities Articles

Scott and Krissy Stephenson Open Eighth Protect Painters Franchise In 65 Days

ANN ARBOR, MI - After searching the country for the best location to start a family and to franchise a business, newlyweds Scott and Krissy Stephenson, chose Wake Forest, N.C. as their location of choice. They left south Florida, where Scott worked as a sports agent and Krissy recently graduated college with a teaching degree.

"I looked up to my clients—they were all basketball players. But, there was no future for me and my family unless they made it to the top rung of their profession," said Scott. "We searched for a stable, family friendly franchise opportunity where we could use our customer service skills and work from a home office. Protect Painters offered everything we were looking for."

"This is our eighth deal for Protect Painters in only 65 days since we've had our Franchise Disclosure Document registered," said Alex Roberts, vice president, franchise development for Service Brands International, the multi-concept franchisor for Protect Painters, Molly Maid, Mr. Handyman and 1-800-Dry-Clean franchise opportunities. "Our home-services brands are performing extraordinarily well even in this recession economy."

Protect Painters specializes in exterior residential and light commercial painting, and was founded by 28-year painting industry veteran, Wayne Scherger. "Scott and Krissy fit the profile of successful Protect Painters franchise owners: they're ambitious, hardworking individuals, with excellent communication skills, and a passion for customer service," said Scherger. "Scott is 'Mr. Outside,' providing thorough and free estimates to customers, building awareness for the services the company provides, and managing the insured painting crews. Krissy's knack for organization and her upbeat personality will serve the company well in her role as 'Ms. Inside,' managing the office. They're a team personally and now professionally."

Scott and Krissy completed extensive training at the Service Brands' Ann Arbor, Michigan, home office and in the field with an experienced, veteran franchisee. They learned how to best help homeowners find ways to increase the value of their most important asset through a variety of painting services.

"With Protect Painters, I'm not perched on a ladder with a paint brush in my hand. That's for my painting crews," said Scott. "And it's ironic, I look up to them, too, but I'm secure knowing they're at the top of their profession."

About Protect Painters and Service Brands:
Service Brands International, headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a multi-brand franchise system that includes leading home-services concepts Molly Maid, Mr. Handyman, 1-800-DryClean and Protect Painters. Entrepreneur magazine ranks Molly Maid as one of America's Top Global Franchises, and this year the brand celebrates its 25th anniversary. For the fifth year in a row, Entrepreneur ranks Mr. Handyman as the number one handyman service franchise in its annual Franchise 500.