An interview with Dr. Bharat Sangani
Tribe — Our children, their spouses and friends, Grandmas and Grandpas, and my sisters all pitch in whenever they are needed. From painting murals to stickering product, making TikToks and managing social media, working customer service shifts, and accounting/payroll, our tribe is always willing to help.
As a part of our series about 5 Things You Need To Run A Highly Successful Family Business, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nikki Lux, Franchise Owner of Color Me Mine St. George and West Jordan.
Nikki and Justin Lux are the husband-wife franchise owners of Color Me Mine St. George and West Jordan, UT, the industry-leading paint-your-own-pottery brand. What started as a fun family outing to a Color Me Mine studio for Nikki’s birthday became the foundation of a thriving business that now involves their entire family. The Lux’s own and operate two studios in Utah and are building a family legacy around creativity, connection and community.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
For a family birthday, we visited a Color Me Mine studio to try pottery painting for the first time. After spending a couple of hours fully engaged in the experience — with barely any time on our phones — we realized how meaningful and refreshing it was to connect creatively as a family. That moment sparked our interest in franchise ownership, and soon after, we began exploring how we could bring that same experience to others in our community.
Can you tell us a bit about your family business and your role in it?
Color Me Mine is a paint-your-own pottery studio franchise where guests can explore their creativity in a fun and relaxing environment. The process is simple: guests start by selecting a piece of bisque from our wide variety of pottery items. After a brief introduction and some helpful tips from our amazing staff, they can sit down and enjoy the painting process. Once finished, the piece is left at the studio to be glazed and kiln-fired. About 5–7 days later, guests receive a text message letting them know their masterpiece is ready for pick-up.
As owners, our roles vary day-to-day. We typically manage the back end of the business (things like payroll, inventory, and marketing), but we’re also very hands-on. It’s not unusual to find us working in the front of the store, helping customers, or even wiping down tables when needed. We believe in leading by example and being part of the team.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this career?
One of the most unexpected and memorable moments came right after our studio construction was complete. We were so excited to see everything coming together — until we had to actually move all the furniture and products into the space ourselves! From maneuvering oversized shelves through tight doorways to unpacking countless boxes of pottery, it was a full-on workout. It gave us a whole new appreciation for what it really takes to open a retail space. Now, whenever we walk into a store or studio, we look around with total respect — because we know firsthand how much effort goes into getting it up and running.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
It wasn’t exactly a funny mistake, but it was definitely a big lesson learned — we had to unload all the furniture and products from the pallets in the parking lot before bringing them into the store. The space we leased for our first location only had single entry doors, and the pallets simply wouldn’t fit through them. It made for a long day and a lot of extra effort, but now we will make sure any future location has double doors!
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Everyone has some kind of pottery experience, a junior high ceramics class, a date, or even something you did with your grandma. Color Me Mine offers our guests the opportunity to share an experience with a loved one and have a story that will forever be timeless. Shortly after we opened our St. George location, we had a husband and wife come in for a date night (his choice). She was the artist, he was not (grudgingly)! After teaching a few simple techniques he was able to create a masterpiece. In the end, it wasn’t just about the pottery — it was about making memories, and that was the real goal.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
Yes! We recently opened our second Color Me Mine location in West Jordan, Utah this past March. It’s been an exciting (and busy) time as we ramp up operations, build our local team, and introduce the community to the creative and relaxing experience our studio offers. We truly believe in the power of art to bring people together, reduce stress, and spark joy — so expanding to a new location allows us to reach even more families, schools, and individuals looking for a meaningful way to connect and unwind.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
The Color Me Mine franchise family has supported us every step of the way, and a few fellow franchise owners have also been especially helpful throughout our journey.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
We truly believe that art is one of the few activities where people can sit and connect free from screens. Watching a grandma interact with a teen, or a dad give into his kids because they really, really want him to paint too, is pretty amazing!
Ok thank you for that. Let’s now pivot to the main parts of our interview. How do you define a family business? How is a family business different from a regular business?
It takes a strong family to run a business together. When there is conflict we still have to see each other during off-hours. We have to work hard to put our family relationships first.
In your opinion or experience, what are the unique advantages that family owned businesses have?
Owning a family business means we are the decision makers. We can quickly decide if something is working or not and quickly pivot.
What are the unique drawbacks or blindspots that family owned businesses have?
Like I mentioned before, it takes a strong family to run a business together! Work and life blend together, so it’s important to set boundaries, communicate and always prioritize your family relationship.
What are some of the common mistakes you have seen family businesses make? What would you recommend to avoid those errors?
As a small business owner, you tend to take on more responsibility than what is actual humanly possible — i.e. payroll, inventory, taxes, staffing, marketing, etc. In order to avoid burning out, find subject matter experts to help elevate your business while you focus your time and energy growing your business.
What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders of family businesses to help their employees to thrive?
Get ready to get in the trenches, get dirty, and laugh at your own mistakes. We love watching what we call “The Blooper Reels” from our security cameras when one of us is caught on camera making a mistake. For example, watching three adult men running around the kiln room apparently getting “attacked” by a huge prehistoric grasshopper!
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean with a story or example?
I define leadership as the ability to inspire and empower others to achieve a common goal while fostering an environment of trust, collaboration, and growth.
When we first opened our studio, there were many moments when challenges felt overwhelming. At one point, we had a last-minute staff shortage right before a busy weekend. Instead of panicking, I stepped in alongside my team — taking on customer service, training new hires on the spot, and keeping morale high. By leading through action and showing that no task was beneath me, I helped build trust and motivated everyone to pull together. That experience taught me that leadership isn’t just about giving orders; it’s about being present, adaptable, and leading by example.
Here is our main question. What are the “5 Things You Need To Run A Highly Successful Family Business”? Please share a story or example for each.
1. Grit — We have pulled multiple all-nighters to complete full inventory restocking, and we even pulled two all-nighters in a row to change our POS system. Quitting was never an option.
2. Grace — Give yourself, your family, and your employees the grace to make mistakes. If small business ownership was easy, everyone would do it!
3. Communication — One person cannot do or know everything. Communication and accountability keep the process running.
4. Tribe — Our children, their spouses and friends, Grandmas and Grandpas, and my sisters all pitch in whenever they are needed. From painting murals to stickering product, making TikToks and managing social media, working customer service shifts, and accounting/payroll, our tribe is always willing to help.
5. Exit Strategy — One thing we never wanted was for any family member to feel “stuck”. We have developed alternate strategies for family members, including ourselves, who want to move on to other opportunities. If we ever get to the point where we aren’t enjoying the journey, then it will be time to move on.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
I’m sure my husband has his list, but my top picks would be Brene Brown, Angela Duckworth, or Mel Robbins. I’ve read their books, and I admire the grit and tenacity it took to create their own definition of success.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Unplug to reconnect — promote connection through creative, hands-on activities. Similar to REI’s #OptOutside on Black Friday, I would love to see families engaged with each other and not their phones. I speak from experience — once, I watched three prom couples in the back of my SUV texting each other as we chauffeured them to dinner and the dance.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
St. George Website: stgeorge.colormemine.com
St. George Facebook/Instagram: @colormeminestgeorge
West Jordan Website: westjordan.colormemine.com
West Jordan Facebook/Instagram: @colormeminewestjordan
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
About The Interviewer: Dr. Bharat Sangani is a cardiologist and entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience, practicing in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Dallas, Texas. Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, he specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and hypertension. In 1999, Dr. Sangani founded Encore Enterprises, a national real estate investment firm. Under his leadership, the company has executed transactions exceeding $2 billion, with a portfolio spanning residential, retail, hotel, and office developments. Known for his emphasis on integrity and fairness, Dr. Sangani has built Encore into a major player in the commercial real estate sector. Blending his medical and business expertise, Dr. Sangani created the Life is a Business mentorship program. The initiative offers guidance on achieving balance in health, wealth, and relationships, helping participants align personal and professional goals. Now based in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Sangani continues to practice cardiology while leading Encore Enterprises and mentoring others. His career reflects a unique blend of medical expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to helping others thrive.