A recent piece in the magazine Walter that spotlights events in and around Raleigh, NC profiled a fast growing local startup business called Wine and Design, a “paint-and-sip” art studio franchise. The piece tells the classic story of an entrepreneur, Harriet Mills, who has taken her company from a single location to 55 franchises in nine states.
Newport Board Group Helps Entrepreneur Grow "Paint and Sip" Franchise
The idea for Wine and Design was conceived by Mills and her friend Emmy Preiss on a road trip, where they tried another “paint and sip” studio and decided to open a similar business in Raleigh, which they initially promoted via Groupon and Facebook.
The story goes on to explain that Harriet has gotten valuable business advice from Laura Bingham, the former president of her college alma mater, now a partner in Newport Board Group. Laura in turn suggested that Mark Street, another Newport partner who specializes in the franchise industry, could advise Wine and Design on strategies to achieve its goal of growing to 100 franchises.
Franchising a business can be an attractive direction for entrepreneurs who take the time to understand how the model works. Mark Street’s blog article, Should You Franchise Your Business? is a good place to start.
