Key Takeaways
Antima Jain and Pooja Choudhary met 11 years in the past via a mutual pal at a celebration in Minnesota.
They have been each immigrants from India, had loads in widespread and lived three minutes away from one another.
They in the end pooled their private funds to open their very own Colour Me Mine paint-your-own pottery studio franchise in March 2025.
Just a few months in the past, a buyer walked into Antima Jain and Pooja Choudhary’s Edina, Minnesota pottery-painting studio, Colour Me Mine, with a plan to suggest to his girlfriend.
Colour Me Mine permits clients to choose a chunk of pottery like a mug, plate or bowl, and paint it. The studio then glazes and fires it, and the shopper can choose up in a couple of week.
The shopper needed to color a jewellery tray with the query, “Will you marry me?” and use it to suggest. Often it took about seven days for Jain and Choudhary to course of a buyer’s pottery after they painted it. This time, they agreed to have his piece prepared sooner.
Antima Jain (left) and Pooja Choudhary (proper). Credit score: Colour Me Mine Edina, MN
Jain and Choudhary additionally helped create the ambiance that the shopper needed within the studio. Later, the couple introduced them a save-the-date card that talked about the studio. For Jain and Choudhary, it was a reminder of their affect. They have been creating an area the place clients might join and construct lasting recollections.
Quite a bit in widespread
That sense of connection can also be the muse of their partnership. Jain and Choudhary met 11 years in the past via a mutual pal at a celebration in Minnesota. Each had moved to the US from India, have been elevating kids and loved artistic tasks.
“We began speaking and realized now we have so many issues in widespread, and similar to one another’s firm,” Choudhary tells Entrepreneur in a brand new interview. “We began assembly up.”
They lived a three-minute drive from one another. As their kids grew extra impartial, the chums started imagining constructing a enterprise collectively. Once they began their search in 2023, they explored franchises and visited a close-by Colour Me Mine studio.
“We simply cherished the entire vibe,” Jain says. “It was such a clear setting, very organized, very colourful. It simply felt calming. We each had the identical impression.”
They in the end pooled their private funds and spent about $300,000 to open their very own Colour Me Mine location in March 2025. However earlier than changing into enterprise companions, they made a pact: Friendship would come first. No matter challenges arose, they’d hold speaking slightly than let the enterprise divide them.
The next interview has been edited for size and readability.
Pooja Choudhary (left) and Antima Jain (proper). Credit score: Colour Me Mine Edina, MN
Their immigrant tales
Inform me about your backgrounds earlier than you grew to become franchise homeowners.Jain: I first got here to the US in 2003 due to my husband’s work mission. We went forwards and backwards between India and the U.S. a number of instances, after which we got here right here in 2012 and have been right here since.
I’ve a bachelor’s diploma in commerce from India. I taught preschool there, and right here I labored at Kumon. I used to be working part-time whereas my youngsters have been rising up. Now they’re each in faculty, so this appeared like the right time to get into one thing we’d get pleasure from and have time to spend money on.
Choudhary: My husband was already right here once we obtained married, and I moved to the US afterward. I completed my grasp’s in electrical engineering. We lived in numerous states earlier than coming to Minnesota across the similar time Antima did.
I’ve an funding property enterprise on the aspect, which I nonetheless proceed. I’ve two women: one in highschool and one ending center faculty on the time of this interview.
Deciding to franchise
Why select a franchise slightly than create an impartial studio?Choudhary: We didn’t have expertise operating this sort of enterprise, and that was the scary half: How have been we going to do it?
A franchise felt like a steadiness between proudly owning an impartial enterprise and dealing in a company setting. They supply the platform, however we nonetheless have independence in operating the studio.
Jain: All the things was laid out for us. The steerage and assist have helped loads. Even after our first 12 months, they have been nonetheless introducing issues to make the enterprise simpler to function, together with a brand new point-of-sale system throughout Colour Me Mine studios. We haven’t regretted selecting a franchise.
How did you discover your location and fund the enterprise?Choudhary: The franchisor gave us a territory, and we employed an actual property agent to assist discover a house. We checked out many locations earlier than selecting our location in Edina. There are parks and procuring close by. The franchise workforce helped us shortlist areas and take into consideration what to search for, together with visibility.
Jain: The startup value was roughly within the low-$300,000 vary. We each invested from our private accounts slightly than taking out a mortgage. Being companions made it simpler to separate that funding.
Buying clients
How have you ever labored to herald clients and develop?Jain: We joined the native chamber of commerce, which helped unfold the phrase. We participated in an artwork competition close to our location and held Mom’s Day and Father’s Day occasions. We run recurring promotions and embrace low cost playing cards with completed items to encourage folks to return inside a month. We additionally promote via a platform the franchise really helpful.
Choudhary: We’ve donated to native organizations and took part in class fundraising, too. That has helped.
The realities of possession
What stunned you most about working the studio?Jain: Hiring. I by no means thought maintaining a full employees could be such a problem. It’s a relentless technique of hiring and rehiring as a result of most of our workers work part-time.
We give alternatives to highschool and faculty college students. Their training comes first, and once they end highschool, they might go away for faculty. We perceive that, however earlier than opening, we hadn’t actually considered how constantly we would wish to work on staffing.
What does a typical day appear like for you?Choudhary: It’s busy. We don’t at the moment have a full-time supervisor, so we deal with staffing ourselves. Typically we’re each on the studio; typically we alternate days. There’s additionally glazing, payroll, social media, the calendar and different on-line work. Day-after-day, one thing wants consideration.
Past staffing, what has been tough?Jain: Calling clients when one thing occurs to their pottery within the kiln. They could have spent hours creating a chunk, after which it doesn’t come out completely. Telling them that’s exhausting. It occurs very hardly ever — we estimate lower than 1% of items — however we nonetheless dread these calls.
Choudhary: We provide a alternative piece and waive the studio price to allow them to come again and paint once more. We attempt to do no matter we will to make the expertise higher.
Planning forward and defending the partnership
How do you retain enterprise disagreements from affecting your friendship?Choudhary: We knew issues would occur as a result of we have been new to this. We agreed to maintain an open dialogue and discuss if one thing wasn’t working. We’re doing this as a result of we’re buddies. If we weren’t going to remain buddies, there could be no level in having the enterprise collectively.
Jain: We’re like sisters. There can be disagreements; we will’t all the time agree. However I wouldn’t have chosen anybody else to do that enterprise with. If I open one other studio, I’ll do it with Pooja.
What are your objectives for the enterprise?Jain: We’d like to open one other studio. We additionally wish to attain the highest 5 within the franchise’s gross sales rankings. We’ve been within the high 25 and reached sixth place for one month, however we haven’t made the highest 5 but.
Choudhary: We have now related objectives and the identical imaginative and prescient for the studio. That alignment is what makes the partnership particular. More often than not, we’re pondering alongside the identical strains.
