It’s a lofty commitment for certain. Perhaps even audacious. WOW 1 DAY PAINTING promises to paint your home or business in just one day while delivering quality service that would leave you saying, “WOW.”
If that sounds impossible to you, you’re not alone. But for serial entrepreneur Brian Scudamore, known for his successful first brand, 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, he loved the idea – and the challenge – from the get go, so he entered the painting industry, ready to make a splash.
Scudamore’s venture into the painting industry was unique from the outset. After having his own poor experience with house painters, he envisioned creating a national brand that would revolutionize a traditionally fragmented industry. He would set the bar high with professional painters whose skill and customer service acumen exceeded expectations. Painters would arrive on schedule in clean uniforms, promising to complete projects in one day. With WOW 1 DAY PAINTING, that vision was realized.
“We were trying to take something ordinary – the experience of house painting – and make it exceptional,” says Brian Scudamore, Founder and CEO.
Taking an everyday service and turning it into something that created a sense of “WOW” for customers was something Scudamore had perfected with 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. By leveraging the existing infrastructure of the sister brand, he was able to grow WOW 1 DAY PAINTING quickly. In its first year, the company opened 12 franchises, generating $1.9 million in system-wide revenue.
Disrupting the painting industry with exceptional service and a fresh, engaging brand required a breed of Franchise Partners that were willing to be ‘technically dangerous’. According to Scudamore, what this meant was that they were willing get into their business and learn the intricacies of the painting trade to effectively run a painting job site, and not just hire someone to manage it. It was evident that successful Franchise Partners would have to possess that unique blend of business savvy coupled with the ability to handle the operational aspects of painting, in order to maximize profitability.
Mike Bradley owns the Calgary franchise of WOW 1 DAY PAINTING. He exemplifies this willingness to get paint on his hands while overseeing operations and believes it’s this versatility that is critical to the success of his franchise.
“I do everything, from painting to the books. It’s given me an opportunity to learn all aspects of this great business. You can’t know your operation unless you’ve done it,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot in this job, and it’s taught me even more about business.”
With Bradley’s practical attitude and hands-on work ethic, Calgary has become one of the top revenue generating franchises in the WOW 1 DAY PAINITNG system. This financial success has allowed Bradley to look beyond his daily operations, and give back to his community.
The High River floods in Alberta last year struck a chord with Bradley, whose parents’ home was severely damaged by flood waters. He saw the devastation first-hand, and has often pitched in to help High River residents in their struggle to rebuild.
“We started by painting one flood victim’s house at well below cost price, and the ideas flowed from there. We filled an SUV with pizzas and delivered slices to volunteers cleaning out houses. We handed out Costco gift cards to 50 people. I even cleaned out a few homes myself ,” he said.
Bradley’s latest effort to help has been organizing a giveaway of $5000. The funds will be donated to a family in need.
Giving the money carte blanche is important to Bradley. “We’re not in a position to judge how bad someone has it, or what they might need. Whoever is the recipient of this cash gift can spend the money on whatever they want – from home repair, to furniture and clothing.”
High River residents who have been impacted by the flood can apply for the $5000 by sending an email to [email protected] by June 15. The recipient’s name will be drawn randomly on June 24, the anniversary of the floods.
Bradley’s hope is that his business will continue to grow and afford him the opportunity to continue to help out in the community. “We’re expected to double our revenues this summer, and possibly expand into another city. As we grow, we will be able to do more for communities, for efforts we believe in,” he said.
The Calgary franchise is not celebrating the good times alone. WOW 1 DAY PAINTING is projected to grow over 65 per cent system-wide in 2014 – a significant increase for any new company.
It appears that recruiting Franchise Partners for WOW 1 DAY PAINTING who are passionate about business, painting, and giving back to their community is a winning combination. WOW 1 DAY PAINTING still has many markets available across Canada and the United States for entrepreneurs who fit this model.
This is WOW we do it: Calgary’s WOW 1 DAY PAINTING franchise exemplifies this brand’s promise – and more.
