Color Me Mine Franchise: Q&A with Madison Butler, Franchisee

Published on February 3, 2026 by Franchise Chatter
in Art-Related Franchise, Q & A Interview

At just 23 years old, Madison Butler is reshaping the landscape of young entrepreneurship. Butler, based in Arlington, Texas, is the youngest franchisee at Color Me Mine, the leading paint-your-own pottery brand. Opening her location in June of 2025, she is a standout example of how mentorship, passion, and determination can turn a part-time job into owning her own thriving business. She has overcome age barriers and built a business grounded in practical insight into franchising, mentorship, and community-centered branding.

Franchise Chatter (FC): You became a franchisee at just 21 years old. What gave you the confidence to take that leap so early, and how did you know you were ready?

Madison Butler (MB): Honestly, the transition felt more like a natural progression than a huge leap. I moved up from associate to shift lead to manager, so by the time I transitioned from manager to owner, I already understood the day-to-day inside and out.

What gave me the confidence was knowing the business from the ground level and having a strong support system. Jason, my former boss, was always there anytime I had a question or needed guidance. Corporate was also incredibly helpful. They walked me through the entire process.

I did not feel fully ready in a perfect way. But I did feel prepared, supported, and excited to build something.

FC: You started at Color Me Mine as a part-time employee and manager before opening a studio of your own. How did your hands-on experience with the brand shape the way you run your business today?

MB: Starting at Color Me Mine as a part-time employee and eventually becoming a manager gave me the chance to learn the business from the ground level. I was able to see every side of it, from customer service and studio flow to ordering and inventory to the kiln room and behind‑the‑scenes work.

When I started, the studio had only been open for about a year and a half, so we were all still learning and growing with the business. We tried new things, paid attention to what worked and what didn’t, and I got to see firsthand how much small decisions add up. As I moved up, I learned more of the operational side like scheduling, payroll, and handling customer issues, and that experience shaped how I run my studio today.

FC: Has being an owner at your young age come with any challenges? If so, how have you overcome them?

MB: One challenge of owning a business at my age has been the networking side. A lot of franchise owners are in different stages of life. Many have kids, families, or years of experience as owners, so the conversations naturally look different than they would with a group of people around my age.

Everyone has been incredibly kind and welcoming, and I’ve learned a lot from them. It’s just that sometimes I don’t always know how to connect beyond the business side. We can talk about the studio all day, but outside of that it’s not always a group of people who share the same day-to-day life that I do.

That’s something I am still learning to navigate, but there are a few people that I do feel I can lean on.

FC: On the other hand, how have you been able to turn your age into a strength while growing your business?

MB: Inside the business, I think my age has actually been a huge strength. Most people do not assume I am an owner, so they will give me their honest thoughts, suggestions, and feedback in a really natural way. That helps me learn and make improvements.

I have also been really grateful that so many people around me want to help me grow. Whether it is contractors, vendors, or other business owners, people have been willing to explain things, share insight, and give advice as I learn. I appreciate that more than I can even say.

Another advantage is that a large part of our audience is close to my age. It helps that I understand what customers want to see, what trends are popular, and how people use social media to find things to do. One of my favorite moments is when customers ask me who runs our social media, or they request for their piece to be featured. It reinforces that staying involved and present on the floor helps build the community side of the business too.

FC: You lead a team made up largely of high school and college students, as well as your sister. What’s your approach to leadership, and how do you motivate and manage a team that’s close to your own age, or even younger?

MB: Our team is mostly high school and college students, not because that’s the only group I hire, but because that’s honestly our application pool. I’m always open to hiring different ages and experience levels, but the younger crowd is the one that actually applies.

I think being closer in age helps a lot because it makes communication easier and more natural. My team is comfortable being transparent, and I really value that. We’ve had real conversations about pacing and performance, like, “Do you feel like this is getting better?” and I’ve had employees be honest enough to say, “I actually think it’s getting worse.” That kind of honesty is helpful because it gives us something specific to work on.

I want people to feel supported, but I also want them to grow. If someone is willing to learn, improve, and take feedback seriously, I’m excited to have them on the team.

FC: How do you balance the demands of owning a business at 23 with maintaining a life outside of work?

MB: I’m going to be honest, I don’t have perfect balance right now. Owning a business right now means I’m very invested, and it feels like there’s always something that needs to be done.

What helps is that my friends are really understanding of what this season looks like for me. We still find time, but it’s not always in the traditional way. If I can’t get away for long, they’ll come hang out with me at the studio for part of the day, or they’ll call me while I’m working in the kiln room. That support has been amazing, and it’s helped me feel like I still have a life even when I am working a majority of the week.

I do think the balance is getting better though. We’ve smoothed out some bumps, and we’re training staff in every area so I’m not the only one who can handle everything. The more the team grows, the more I’ll be able to step back and have time outside of work too.

I don’t think balance is ever perfect for most owners. When it’s your business, you’re naturally more invested. The goal is learning how to be invested without being consumed.

FC: Since opening in June 2025, your studio has seen rapid month-over-month growth. What specific strategies or decisions do you credit most for that early momentum?

MB: I definitely think social media has played a huge role in our growth. Because I’m on the floor a lot, I get to hear it in real time. Customers will tell us they found us through TikTok or Facebook, or they’ll say they saw a post from a friend or family member and it made them want to come try it.

One of my favorite examples is a customer named Anna who came in with her boyfriend. They drove over an hour and a half just to paint with us because she had been seeing our videos and kept saying, “We have to go.” Hearing things like that never gets old because it shows the content is actually working, not just getting views.

Something else I love is seeing the ripple effect. We’ve had moments where two different groups are in the studio at the same time, and one of them recognizes the other and says, “I came because of your post!” The impact isn’t only coming from our social media, it’s coming from our customers sharing their experience too.

FC: Looking ahead, what does the next phase of growth look like for your business, and are you considering expansion beyond your current location?

MB: The next phase of growth for my business looks like deepening our impact and strengthening what we’ve built. I want this studio to continue being a space where people can relax, create, and walk out feeling better than when they came in. That part matters to me a lot. It’s about the experience and the memory people take with them.

I’ve had customers tell me they come in because it helps with stress, and recently I even had a regular customer say she wants to open a studio of her own and is starting to look into that. Hearing that really shows the impact we have.

I would love to open a second studio, and I already have an idea for where I’d like it to be. I want more people to have a space where they can feel comfortable, create, and escape for a little while. Since opening this location, we’ve had a lot more adult traffic than I expected, and seeing how meaningful the experience has been for them is something I’d love to continue as we grow.