From Plant Floor to Business Owner: How an Army Veteran Found His Fit With Fresh Coat

Mark Garlington spent 15 years working plant shifts in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana — moving up, but never quite settling in. A cavalry scout in the U.S. Army before that, he'd always known he wanted something his father and sister already had: a business of his own. The plants paid well, but ownership was the thing he couldn't shake.

So when Mark started exploring Fresh Coat Painters, the appeal wasn't just the business model — it was the pace. As he put it, nobody's ever in a rush for paint. After years of plant emergencies, that lower-stakes urgency, paired with real franchisor support and a network of fellow owners, made the decision feel less like a leap and more like a fit.

👉 READ MARK'S FULL STORY HERE