Brush Strokes
Where art and wine combine to fuel customer creativity and franchisee success.
T “he paint and sip industry has really taken off within the last three years, creating a totally new avenue for social interaction. We first saw the industry exploding in the US market, and knew it would be perfect for Australia,” says Kathy Chalker, founder and franchisor of Paint and Sip Studios.
Kathy launched her business as a mobile operation in 2018 before opening her first studio in Newcastle, New South Wales, that same year.
Since then, a second studio has opened in Penrith, with franchise outlets at Rockhampton and Liverpool launching soon after.
“Expanding Paint and Sip Studios is something I am extremely passionate about and franchising is such a natural pathway to grow a business. It also doesn’t require anyone to be naturally artistic, just enthusiastic about providing a five-star experience,” Kathy says.
Paint and Sip franchisees are offered a fixed price turn-key investment, so costs are known upfront before they proceed. The emphasis is on providing an experience that does not require a lot of labour or time to prepare, the online booking and payment service means the franchisee runs a cashless business and can focus on creating fun, engaging, and memorable customer experiences.
“As a franchise business, our philosophy is about making our customers feel good and providing a memorable art event experience through simple, special moments regardless of the occasion.”
The feel-good philosophy continues into the relationship between franchisor and franchisee, she says and transparent, honest communications with franchisees is crucial.
Advice from Kathy for a future
franchisee would be to “make sure you talk to existing franchisees in the group. It surprises me how many potential franchisees do not do this. A franchise agreement is a long-term relationship and you want to find out as much about your partner as you possibly can, before taking that giant step.
“Franchising provides the opportunity to take on the challenge of running a business while being supported. In a climate where there is still so much unpredictability in the workplace, and despite the challenges that Covid-19 has unearthed, opportunities arise. We want to let people know that there are options available to them if they find themselves unemployed and are looking for their next challenge,” says Kathy.
“I have personally undertaken the journey of choosing to take the big step and go into business for myself, so I understand the decisions our franchisees are making,” she adds.
“Running a successful business can appear daunting; you have to know who your customer is, give them the best quality service at the right price to retain their loyalty, while recruiting, training and motivating your own team, keeping on top of expenses, complying with all the regulatory requirements, keeping up to date on government legislation and new developments in your industry segment, all the while watching your competitors and then finding time for your personal life!
“While that can be very challenging, personally I find that if you keep it simple and just ask yourself: ‘If I was a customer or a team member, is that the way I would expect to be treated?’ then everything else is just part of the business and the rewards can be fantastic, not just financially but also emotionally and physically.”
How does she define success at Paint and Sip Studios?
“We see success when a customer walks away from our studio feeling better than when they arrived. We made their special moment,” explains Kathy.