Five Star Painting : Anthony Kulikowski Trades Solo Contracting for Five Star Painting

This Five Star Painting owner testimonial features Anthony Kulikowski of South Bend, Indiana, a Five Star Painting franchisee since 2017. Before joining the brand, he was an independent painting contractor — and his motivation for moving to a franchise model is unusually plain: he was watching the painting contractors around him retire with little or nothing to show for it, and recognized he was on the same trajectory if he didn't change something. The peer network is the part of the franchise that surprised him most. As an independent painter he describes feeling like he was on an island; inside Five Star Painting he attributes a meaningful share of his success to the peers who had walked the same path before him and could steer him correctly. The video frames this as a structural shift, not a marketing claim — the support system is built into the brand's operating model. Day-to-day, Kulikowski highlights the always-on support: when something breaks, someone is on the other end of the phone, whether that's corporate staff or another franchise owner. Sometimes that's a real problem to solve and sometimes it's just a place to vent — both, he frames as part of what holds the system together. His closing recommendation to new owners is simple: trust the system, follow it, and network aggressively with other owners. The video is positioned for franchisee prospects who are weighing whether to convert from an independent painting business. This watch page is part of the Five Star Painting (Neighborly) content series on Franchise Direct.