Omaha Owner Christen Broz Builds Strong Crews and Customer Relationships in a Male-Dominated Field
When Chirsten Broz opened a Go Painting franchise, she expected to face some challenges as a woman running a business in the male-dominated field of commercial painting. But by leveraging her Go Painting franchise, she’s been able to create her own opportunities.
“I’ve found that being a woman in this space can be an advantage, especially when working with property managers and owners,” she says. “I also believe my leadership style sets a different tone — I take a more collaborative and approachable style, and that’s helped me build strong relationships with my crews.”
The commercial painting contracting industry was new to Broz when she opened her Go Painting franchise in 2024 in Omaha, Neb. Since then, she has leaned on the skills she mastered in her previous career in a leadership role in healthcare, especially her ability to manage business operations, lead teams and maintain a standard of excellence. That has helped her cultivate a trusted network of people she can rely on. “Coming into an industry where I didn’t have prior experience meant I had to establish relationships from the ground up with customers, vendors, subcontractors and employees,” she says. “I’ve worked through that by staying consistent, showing up and learning quickly from both successes and mistakes.”
Before Broz decided to partner with Go Painting, she researched a range of franchising opportunities, and Go Painting stood out clearly to her as the best fit. “The business model aligned well with my strengths, and the established systems and processes gave me confidence that I could learn quickly and scale effectively,” she says.
Support from Go Painting has been a key factor in her success, she says. “They’ve provided the structure, guidance and mentorship I needed from day one. I often say I came into this industry as an infant, and they helped me develop step by step — from learning the fundamentals to confidently running and growing the business.”
Commercial Painting
Go Painting was the first commercial painting franchise, specializing in apartments and HOA properties, commercial spaces, industrial properties and specialty spaces such as schools and resorts. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, Go Painting’s teams draw on their specialty in multi-family and commercial properties to recommend the right protective coatings for each surface and environment — from exterior brick and stucco to interior spaces where low-VOC products improve air quality and reduce odors.
The company’s commercial painting focus helps franchisees build long-term client relationships and repeat business, with fewer projects to juggle and more attention on serving regular clients instead of chasing high volume. Because franchisees can work from home, they don’t need to rent an office, and they have flexibility with scheduling.
To simplify client communication, Go Painting uses a technology-driven portal called GoSee. The portal provides clients with updates on projects and lets them submit questions or requests. It also allows residents or tenants to communicate directly with the company on customer service issues.
As part of a goal to expand its business, Go Painting has partnered with FranGrowth, a franchise development and investment group that provides companies with the resources, capital and expertise needed to accelerate franchise growth. Broz is similarly focused on scaling her business. “I recently hired my first employee to support business development, and my next step is bringing on a project manager. Building out the right team will position me to expand into additional territories in the future,” she says.
Broz says she takes great satisfaction in knowing that she is building something of her own, something for her four children, who are at the center of everything she does. “Every bit of effort goes directly into growing a business that supports my family and creates opportunities for others,” she says. “That level of ownership is incredibly rewarding.”
Learn more about the Go Painting franchise opportunity.
