Painting with a Twist Named No. 1 in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500

Painting with a Twist, the nation's largest paint-and-sip franchise, was recently ranked the No. 1 Paint & Sip Studio as part of the 2015 Entrepreneur magazine annual Franchise 500 edition. This marks the second year in a row Painting with a Twist has earned this honor.

Throughout its 36 years in existence, the Franchise 500 has acknowledged top companies for outstanding performance in areas including financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of the franchise system. The list has acted as a dominant competitive measure for franchisors as well as a primary research tool for individuals seeking established franchise concepts with proven systems and results. Painting with a Twist was ranked No. 1 in its category and 260 overall, reinforcing its status as the nation's top franchise in the paint-and-sip industry.

"It is the utmost honor not only to be ranked in the Franchise 500, but to top our category for the second year in a row," said Cathy Deano, co-founder of Painting with a Twist. "This recognition underscores the successful evolution of our proven franchise model. Frankly speaking, the more successful our franchise partners become, the faster we continue to grow. It's truly a great reward for Renee and I to see the talented, competitive, and passionate entrepreneurs in our franchise system achieve their personal goals."

In 2014, Painting with a Twist opened 69 studios - more than one new studio each week - bringing the total studio count to more than 190 locations across 28 states. Development plans in the coming year include further expansion into the Northeast and Western states while reaching as far out as Hawaii, growing the brand's national footprint.

Fueling Painting with a Twist's unit growth - and equally important to the long-term success of the brand - is the same-studio sales, which is revenue comparison of existing studios that have been open for at least one year, company officials say.

"In 2014, our same-studio sales revenue increased 37 percent over last year, proving that our strategy and vision are on target, and our dominant market share is yielding system-wide benefits for all associated with our brand," said Renee Maloney, co-founder of Painting with a Twist. "By working closely with our franchise partners we continue to leverage enormous amounts of institutional knowledge into fresh, new and creative experiences for our growing mainstay of repeat guests."

At Painting with a Twist, people come together to experience a unique 'getaway' that includes friends, paint and the option to BYOB. Led by local art instructors, guests paint on bare 16" by 20" canvases using paint and brushes provided by the studio. There are more than 5,000 original pieces of copyrighted artwork, ranging from landscapes, abstracts and cityscapes, to creative renderings of animals, iconic buildings and florals, that have been conceptualized and produced by Painting with a Twist art instructors. Friends gather for an evening of laughs, creativity and camaraderie as they create one-of-a-kind pieces of art to take home and, often, discover a newfound talent. In addition to the scheduled classes, Painting with a Twist also offers private parties for corporate outings, bridal showers, sorority functions, baby showers and special events.

To inquire about Painting with a Twist franchise opportunities, visit: www.paintingwithatwistfranchise.com or call (985) 626-3292.

About Painting with a Twist

Painting with a Twist, based in Mandeville, Louisiana is the leading paint-and-sip franchise with more than 190 franchises in 28 states. Founded in 2007 by Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney, Painting with a Twist began franchising in 2009 and provides customers with paint, a canvas and brushes that lead to a fun evening with friends and a finished piece of art. The company maintains a strong focus on giving back to the local community, and at the end of 2014, Painting with a Twist donated more than $1 million through their charity arm, Painting with a Purpose. As the fastest-growing franchise in the industry, Painting with a Twist has been ranked the top Paint and Sip franchise as part of Entrepreneur magazine's annual Franchise 500 edition for the past two years. For more information about Painting with a Twist's franchise opportunity, visit www.paintingwithatwistfranchise.com.