Ready to paint an amazing future? With a patented formula unlike any other, Spray-Net is changing the painting game with no signs of slowing down. Read on to learn why home improvement has never looked better as a Spray-Net franchisee in this Success Story interview with the CEO and President.
It all started with one homeowners question. “Can you paint my windows?” Limited to off-the-shelf latex paints and a brush and roller, Carmelo Marsala was no stranger to the painting industry.
As a painting franchise owner, he knew the finish would look streaky and would eventually peel and chip. The time was right to fill the void in the exterior painting industry.
Spray-Net’s patented process and proprietary paint formulations combine science and technology to bring custom, cost-effective renovation solutions to homeowners. It’s no surprise that Spray-Net Inc has taken the home improvement sector by storm in Canada and is now preparing to revolutionize the industry in the United States.
In this Success Story Interview, Carmelo Marsala, CEO & President of Spray-Net Inc., discusses this unrivaled investment opportunity that takes painting to a whole new level.
Carmelo shares how Spray-Net’s exclusive recipe for innovation has resulted in over 10,000 projects completed and counting and why being a Spray-Net partner is awesome.
Read on to learn how Spray-Net stands apart in a fragmented industry with the products, proven business model and continuous support of a franchise system.
Can you tell us about the founding of Spray-Net and your role in the franchise?
When I was in university studying business, I ran my own student painting franchise and the idea to start Spray-Net actually came from one of my customers.
As I was painting her siding, she asked me, “Can you paint my windows, too?” Limited to off-the-shelf latex paint and a brush and roller, I knew the finish would look noticeably repainted and would eventually peel and chip, so I had to refuse.
I realized I was regularly refusing requests to paint aluminum/vinyl windows and doors; so if I could find a way to paint these seemingly unpaintable exterior surfaces, I’d be on to something. I learned that brand-new windows that weren’t white had been painted, but in a factory.
By reverse-engineering the process of factory painting for on-site residential application, we could bring a factory finish directly to homeowners so they could boost curb appeal without having to replace everything. There was a void to fill between conventional painting and replacing, and that’s why Spray-Net was created.
Tell us about what makes Spray-Net stand out from other Home Services investment opportunities —specifically in the painting and home improvement sector?
Our patented process and proprietary paint formulations allow us to deliver an innovative exterior renovation solution that homeowners can’t get anywhere else. By doing things differently when it comes to exterior painting, we’ve created a specialized solution for homeowners and niche franchise opportunity for our partners.
From our weather-adjustable coatings to our business technology, nothing from Spray-Net is off-the-shelf. This gives our franchise partners a real competitive advantage that creates a barrier to entry for the competition.
The secret is out! What can you tell us about Spray-Net’s customized, high-performance coating product that is changing the exterior painting game?
Customization is how we deliver a flawless factory finish, outside and on-site! We customize each coating for the surface we’re painting, the homeowner’s colour selection and finally, the real-time weather conditions during application.
This makes it possible to deliver a long lasting finish that won’t peel, doesn’t require maintenance every 2 to 5 years and looks like-new, not repainted.
When homeownes Spray-Net their homes, they get more than a regular paint job. They get a real and cost-effective alternative to replacement.
Our unique concept has advantages for both homeowners and our franchise partners. Our unique ability to adjust paint chemistry based on weather conditions is patented, which means our franchise partners are the only exterior painters in the world who can deliver a real-time, weather-adjusted paint job.
Can you tell us a little bit about the day-to-day activities of a Spray-Net franchise owner?
Our in-house Customer Experience and Marketing teams take care of all incoming customer calls, emails and execute all digital inbound marketing campaigns, which means the day-to-day of our franchisees consist primarily of servicing their customers and managing their teams. Their team will typically consist of 5-6 members.
Running their team and making sure their customers are happy becomes priority #1!
Year one is a learning year where the franchisee is completely immersed in his / her business: always on the go from one at-home consultation to another or checking in on their team on the job.
While our Marketing team handles all digital campaigns and brand building at the national level, our franchisees help build their local brand by networking with different local contractors, attending trade shows, leveraging their local jobs and more.
What would you tell potential business owners that may be nervous about the financial responsibility of starting a business?
The proven business model and continuous support of a franchise system allow you to hit the ground running MUCH faster than if you were to start a business from scratch.
At the end of the day, however, a franchise is still a business.
Sufficient capital is required at the outset to jump start your business and fortunately, different solutions are available to help you secure the necessary capital, such as business loans and financing.
Since our business model is both SBA approved, and approved by major financial institutions, our business development coaches can help you put together a business plan to secure financing.
How does Spray-Net support and train its franchise owners for ongoing success?
We support all of our partners with both initial and on-going training. As a new franchisee, your initial training starts with covering the basics within our e-learning platform, followed by in-class sessions at our support center where you will learn about the brand, business planning, sales, recruitment, retaining and much more.
You will even visit our in-house paint lab, where you can make paint with our formulators and try your hand at spraying it!
The second and hands-on part of your initial training happens on-site in your exclusive territory, where a member of our Ramp-Up Team will accompany you during your first at-home consultations.
Once you have a couple of jobs lined up, one of our paint application specialists travel to your territory to show you everything you need to know—from surface preparation to paint application- to execute your jobs!
Whether it’s through bi-weekly support calls, informative webinars, field visits, communication forums or good old fashioned one-on-one help, our support staff is there to provide you with the on-going support you need to help you run your business.
How long does it take for a franchisee to startup their business after signing the agreement?
Franchisees can operate their new franchise in as little as 30-60 days after signing their franchise agreement.
Once the financials have been approved, it doesn’t take much time at all. If you do however want or need more time, we work out a launch date that makes sense for you!
What is your favorite advice for new franchise owners to help them succeed?
Make sure you set the proper expectations and an appropriate time frame for both learning and business transition curve, it doesn’t happen over night.
But if you follow our systems, you’ll quickly see why we’ve successfully completed over 10,000 projects.
Where do you see Spray-Net in the next 5-10 years?
We see big things happening in the next 5-10 years for Spray-Net. We want to take our 50 units to 500 units in the next 10 years, in the United States and also Australia.
It is also important for us to continue innovating and developing new opportunities for our franchisees, so the potential for more Spray-Net divisions is in the works.
We’ve started a Kitchen cabinet division and are currently working on expanding to roofing. There are so many possibilities for continuous growth at Spray-Net, both internally and also across the map.