Parking Lot Striping

This isn’t a glamor job, but it’s a steady one. Most people never think about who paints the lines in parking lots. This franchise does—offering simple, repeatable, high-margin services to commercial clients who have to stay compliant and look buttoned-up.

What they do differently

1. Niche, but necessary

While others chase crowded home services or fitness fads, this brand sticks to something less flashy but highly needed: restriping and pavement markings for commercial lots. It’s mandated by law (think ADA compliance), and it’s recurring. The job isn’t sexy, but the checks clear.

2. Ultra-lean, mobile model

This is a home-based business with very low overhead. No retail space. Just a truck, gear, and some hustle. Compared to most service brands, the simplicity is refreshing—and the margins benefit from it.

3. Strong national infrastructure

You get a national call center that feeds leads, books jobs, and takes admin work off your plate. That’s rare in this category, where most brands leave franchisees to fend for themselves. It frees you up to focus on sales and local relationships.

4. Pandemic- and recession-resistant

This is a B2B essential service. Parking lots don’t stop needing fresh paint, and commercial properties don’t want to risk fines or liability. That gives this business a resiliency most consumer-facing models don’t have.

🚩Potential weakness: Labor + weather exposure

It’s outdoor work—striping means boots on pavement. That makes hiring tougher in extreme climates and can limit seasonal consistency. Not impossible to manage, but worth considering if you live in a snow-heavy zone.

The breakdown

Let’s break this business down with my proprietary GROCE framework (modest, I know).

Geography

Best in warmer climates or metro areas with lots of commercial buildings and minimal winter shutdowns. Avoid northern markets where snow cuts your work year in half unless you plan to diversify.

Real Estate

None required. You can run this from your garage or a small storage space. That’s a big edge on cost and speed to launch.

Ops / Sales

You’re not painting—unless you want to. Your main role is quoting jobs, hiring techs, and maintaining commercial relationships. Backgrounds in sales or construction help, but aren’t required.

Capital

Low six-figure investment, mid-range for a service business. With few fixed costs, break-even can come quickly if you hustle early.

Expansion

Easy to add trucks and crew as volume grows. Multi-unit potential exists, but single-unit operators can do well if they build a solid route of repeat clients.

Final take:

This one’s for the practical operator—someone who wants a straightforward service with high margins and low drama. It’s not Instagram-worthy, but it works. Ideal for a hands-on owner with grit, a sales bent, and no need to wear a suit to work.