If You Can Do Better, Then Buy It!

Ever see a struggling business and think, I could do that better? That's why Jason Stucky bought his first franchise. Then the real business education began.

- by CARL STOFFERS

Jason Stucky never planned to own his own business. But after working at his local Color Me Mine studio in Geneva, Illinois, he couldn’t resist getting more involved.

Stucky is a Navy veteran who had a career in retail management. He took a break to become a stay-at-home dad, then returned to the workforce in 2018 by managing his local Color Me Mine studio. “Because of my retail background,” he says, “I saw what they were not doing with branding and marketing.” When he learned the location was for sale, he wanted in.

Stucky and his husband decided to take a massive risk: They invested most of their 401(k) savings to buy the studio. The first few years were grueling. But Stucky pushed forward, improving operations and fostering a sense of community. The franchise was eventually acquired by Twist Brands, the parent company of Painting with a Twist, and the new ownership was critical in helping Stucky open a second location.

Here, he shares lessons from unexpected entrepreneurship.