Location: Boulder, Colorado
Tell me about your life before you started your Hawaii Fluid Art franchise.
I spent about 15 years working as a corporate lawyer. I did a variety of corporate legal roles–pretty much anything that required a lawyer who also understood software engineering. I was sort of that intersection between the legal department and the engineering department. I did quite a few different things that were short stint careers. I spent some time in the Merchant Marine, and I was an Army officer. For a few years, I worked in manufacturing management. I also worked as a software engineer, and have done research and development for the Department of Defense — and that was all before law school. I was not really into anything artistic before, but I have an appreciation for art. I’ve attempted art, but I’m not an artist.
What first attracted you to Hawaii Fluid Art?
As I just mentioned, I am not an artist. So when I saw that, it looked fascinating, and all those artworks that you’re able to create with basically no experience is really impressive to me. And you know, one of the stories I like to tell is, years ago my wife and I took a sip and paint class. It was an oil painting class spread out over a six-week period and you know, I really tried. I really put my effort into that, but at the end of it, I had an oil painting that I was not going to show my friends. I was not going to hang it in my living room. It’s hanging in my garage right now, and I can’t throw it away because of the sentimental value. But, with fluid art, the very first one I created was really neat looking and I thought, “Wow, this is awesome! I’ve got to get into this.” Everything else I’ve ever done is, “No, it’s not going on display.”
What is your favorite part of your Hawaii Fluid Art journey so far?
Well, there are a few things, but probably bigger picture, it’s just being a business owner. I’ve had this dream of running my own business since I was in my early twenties, but life happens. You get into the corporate world and you just don’t have that opportunity. And so, I finally got myself into a position where I was able to start something of my own. I know that’s broad, but it’s really the heart of it. I just love running my own business, and when I do something I know what the results are and I know the purpose and reasoning behind it. It’s not just because of some manager’s whim.
What are your plans for getting involved with your community through fluid art?
I’ve got a few ideas in that area, but probably the one closest to my heart is working with veterans groups. I’m a veteran myself, and I think that there’s a real opportunity for some outreach to some of the veteran groups. I think fluid art is therapeutic–just going through that experience is calming and therapeutic. For veterans with PTSD, I think this would be a wonderful thing for them to try, and I would like to reach out to those groups and try to do some engagement with them.
What plans do you have for making your studio even better in the future?
Well, a lot of small things, you know. We can always use more neon signs and more display cases and things of that nature. So they are just small upgrades. But along with this space that we rented, I have a downstairs area that’s fairly large. It’s big enough for a class, and I would like to paint this downstairs area and put in some black lights and do kind of a psychedelic fluid art experience using some sort of glow-in-the- dark paint. I think that might be a lot of fun. So that’s my future plan, and just as soon as I am able, I’m going to expand and do that. Especially with the crowd here in Boulder, it would fit the vibe in this area. I think you would have quite a few people interested in doing a late-night class for adults only.
What would you suggest to your fellow franchisees about preparing for the opening?
My advice is to put pre-marketing as your highest priority. We were in a tough position, and I had to make a difficult decision right off the bat. As soon as we signed the franchise agreement, Trinity had already found us a great location. The existing layout didn’t require a whole lot of work to get it up to standard, but the property is expensive because it’s right on Pearl Street in Boulder, and that’s a popular place to be. We had very high rent, so the choice was to either delay opening for a month or let all the pre-marketing things kick in like they are supposed to or get the store open and just hope that people come in. And so, based on the rent numbers, I said, “Well, let’s just get the store open. We can do that in two or three weeks, and the marketing will follow, but we’re having a bit slower of a start than I think most places have, and I think it’s just because of that pre-marketing. So, when I do my next location, I’m definitely going to take a little more time to do the pre-marketing and get the social media engagement before the doors open.
