The Journey from Painter to Franchising Mogul with Steven Montgomery

In this episode of the DealQuest Podcast, Steven Montgomery, founder and CEO of Resibrands, shares his entrepreneurial journey, from humble beginnings to creating a thriving portfolio of home service franchises. Resibrands includes successful brands like That 1 Painter and Monty’s Handyman Services, with a mission to elevate the standards of blue-collar work. Steven opens up about his early aspirations, the grind of growing his business, and the importance of faith, family, and partnerships in his path to success.

Steven reflects on his unconventional start, delivering junk mail in Australia, before transitioning into the home services industry. With a lot of grit, door-knocking, and belief in his vision, he grew his painting business into a franchise powerhouse. He discusses how franchising allowed him to scale his business, empower others to become business owners, and focus on coaching and systematizing processes for franchisees.


THE POWER OF SYSTEMATIZATION AND DELEGATION

After reading “The 4-Hour Workweek,” Steven became obsessed with finding ways to be more efficient. He started to analyze every task he did, constantly asking himself, “How can I get this done faster? Can I systematize it, automate it, or delegate it to someone else?”

For example, when he was pressure washing houses for a subcontractor, he realized he was stuck doing hard labor that wasn’t very fulfilling or profitable. Instead of sticking with that routine, he called his wife to chat about other opportunities and decided it was time to branch out on his own. This moment helped him see the importance of streamlining his efforts so he could focus on tasks that truly mattered to his goals.

By concentrating on efficiency and learning to delegate, you can free up your time for higher-level projects that align with your vision. Whether you’re running a business or managing a personal project, asking how you can simplify tasks and get others involved can lead to significant growth and success—just like it did for Steven when he expanded into the world of franchising.


CULTIVATE FAITH AND DETERMINATION TO OVERCOME ENTREPRENEURIAL CHALLENGES

Steven emphasizes that having faith—whether it's faith in God, faith in oneself, or faith in the entrepreneurial journey—is crucial for navigating the numerous challenges that come with running a business. He candidly reflects on his own experiences, recalling the many sleepless nights filled with doubt and worry as he worked to establish his venture. During these tough times, he realized that simply believing in the possibility of success wasn’t sufficient; it had to be paired with unwavering hard work and resilience.

For instance, there were moments when he faced setbacks, such as a failed product launch, which left him feeling disheartened. However, his faith in his vision and commitment to learning from those setbacks kept him going. This underscores a vital truth: success is rarely immediate and often requires entrepreneurs to endure hardships while remaining dedicated to their goals.


EVOLVE ROLE AS A FRANCHISOR

Steven highlights the importance of franchisors evolving beyond their initial focus on the specific products or services they offer. Instead, they need to embrace a broader role that includes business development, coaching, and systems management. He learned that being a successful franchisor means finding the right balance - between maintaining brand integrity and empowering franchisees - to manage their businesses independently.

This means providing the necessary support and resources—like training programs, marketing materials, and operational guidelines—while avoiding the temptation to take over their day-to-day operations. While it might seem easier for franchisors to manage operations directly, doing so can undermine the franchisees' sense of ownership and responsibility. When franchisees feel empowered and supported rather than micromanaged, they are more likely to thrive and grow their businesses.


PRIORITIZE RELATIONSHIPS OVER LEGALITIES FOR BUSINESS

Steven recalls a tough situation where he leaned too much on the legal side of things, depending on the fine print of his franchise agreements. Instead of having a straightforward conversation with his franchisee, he turned to the legal documents to try to solve the problem. This backfired on him. He realized that while legal agreements are important for setting expectations, they shouldn’t be the first go-to when conflicts arise.

He emphasizes that legal action should really be a last resort. Instead of treating contracts as the main way to enforce rules, franchisors should focus on building strong relationships with their franchisees. When franchisees feel valued and listened to, they’re much more likely to care about the brand's success.

BALANCE LONG-TERM PATIENCE WITH DAILY URGENCY

Steven talks about the importance of finding a balance between having long-term patience and maintaining a daily sense of urgency. While it’s vital to have a long-term vision, it’s just as important to approach our daily tasks with purpose and a bit of urgency. This combination helps entrepreneurs steadily move toward their goals, all while remembering that real success doesn’t happen overnight.

Steven sets daily objectives that align with his bigger vision. This way, he stays motivated and productive each day, knowing that the journey to success takes time and perseverance. By balancing patience for the bigger picture with urgency in our daily actions, we can keep up the momentum needed to reach our long-term goals.


Tune in to this episode of DealQuest to learn how Steven Montgomery scaled his business empire, built impactful partnerships, and navigated the challenges of growing a franchise model.


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FOR MORE ON STEVEN MONTGOMERY:
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Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast.

Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today!