What Most Franchise Founders Get Wrong (& What Cathy Deano Did Instead)

What does it take to turn a simple idea born in a barn into a nationally recognized franchise empire? 

Cathy Deano, the visionary behind Painting with a Twist and co-founder of Twist Brands, takes us back to post-Katrina Louisiana, where a desire to bring joy to her community led to a business that now spans 400+ locations. But her journey wasn’t linear and it definitely wasn’t typical!

From scrappy startup beginnings to rapid-fire franchise growth (think 40 units in under a year), Cathy shares how she navigated the crazy ride of expansion, recession and reinvention, all while staying rooted in her values.

In this episode, Cathy opens up about the common mistakes most new franchise founders make and the mindset shifts that helped her avoid (and survive) the ones she made herself. She also reveals how prioritizing people over profits, leading with empathy and saying “I don’t know” when needed have all become strengths, not setbacks.

We also dig into why mentorship, especially throughout the IFA, changed her trajectory, the surprising upside of giving back (and how it helped grow the brand), and what it’s really like to go from founder to multi-brand CEO.

Cathy Deano is a certified franchise executive, a Forbes 50 over 50 honoree and the visionary behind Painting with a Twist, the largest Paint and Sip brand in the country. She’s also the co-founder of Twist Brands and represents over 400 franchises nationwide. 

Whether you’re launching, scaling, or just trying to lead with more intention, this episode is a masterclass in doing it the right way!

Connect with Cathy

Website: https://www.paintingwithatwist.com/

Resources

Scott Greenberg - Episode 21 Elevating Employee Experiences for Franchise Growth

Dustin Hansen - Episode 14  How Radical Transparency Turned a Franchise Around

Episode Highlights:

• The origin of Painting with a Twist

• Early challenges and success

• Franchising and mentorship

• Rapid grow

Franchise Directory - https://www.sba.gov/document/support-sba-franchise-directory

Franchise Registry - https://www.franchiseregistry.com/

Current SBA SOP - https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs

Connect with Tracy

Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-panase/

JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale

JBF Franchise System - https://jbfsalefranchise.com/

Email: [e-mail]

Connect with Shannon

Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/

JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale

Website - https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/

Email - [e-mail]