Key Takeaways
- Antima Jain and Pooja Choudhary forged a close friendship eleven years ago after meeting through a mutual acquaintance at a party in Minnesota.
- As Indian immigrants raising families in the United States, they discovered numerous shared interests and lived remarkably close to one another.
- Combining their personal savings, the duo launched their own Color Me Mine paint-your-own pottery franchise in March 2025.
Not long ago, a customer entered Antima Jain and Pooja Choudhary’s Edina, Minnesota pottery-painting studio, Color Me Mine, carrying a special plan to propose to his girlfriend.
At Color Me Mine, patrons select a piece of pottery—such as a mug, plate, or bowl—and paint it. The studio handles the glazing and firing process, allowing customers to retrieve their finished pieces in approximately a week.
The customer wished to paint a jewelry tray inscribed with the question, “Will you marry me?” for his proposal. While the standard turnaround time for processing painted pottery is about seven days, Jain and Choudhary worked to expedite the piece for this meaningful occasion.
Jain and Choudhary also helped cultivate the atmosphere the customer envisioned within the studio. Subsequently, the couple returned with a save-the-date card that highlighted the studio. For the business owners, this was a poignant reminder of their impact, reinforcing their mission to create a space where people connect and build lasting memories.
A lot in common
This deep sense of connection also forms the foundation of their professional partnership. Jain and Choudhary met eleven years ago through a mutual friend at a party in Minnesota. Both had relocated to the United States from India, were raising children, and shared a passion for creative projects.
“We started talking and realized we have so many things in common, and we simply enjoy each other’s company,” Choudhary shares with Entrepreneur in a recent interview. “We began meeting up regularly.”
Living just a three-minute drive apart, their proximity made it easy to nurture their friendship. As their children grew more independent, the friends began envisioning a joint venture. When they initiated their business search in 2023, they explored various franchise opportunities and visited a local Color Me Mine studio.
“We just loved the whole vibe,” Jain explains. “It was such a clean, organized, and colorful environment. It felt incredibly calming, and we both had the exact same impression.”
Ultimately, they combined their personal funds, investing approximately $300,000 to open their own Color Me Mine location in March 2025. However, before formalizing their business partnership, they established a vital pact: their friendship would always come first. They committed to open communication, ensuring that any business challenges would not strain their personal bond.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Their immigrant stories
Tell me about your backgrounds before you became franchise owners.
Jain: I first arrived in the United States in 2003 due to my husband’s work project. We traveled back and forth between India and the U.S. several times before establishing ourselves permanently in 2012, where we have remained since.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in commerce from India. I previously taught preschool there, and in the U.S., I worked at Kumon. I worked part-time while my children were growing up. Now that both are in college, this felt like the perfect opportunity to invest time in a venture we would truly enjoy.
Choudhary: My husband was already residing in the United States when we married, and I relocated here afterward. I completed my master’s degree in electrical engineering. We lived in different states before eventually settling in Minnesota around the same time as Antima.
I also run an investment property business on the side, which I continue to manage. At the time of this interview, I had two daughters—one in high school and another finishing middle school.
Deciding to franchise
Why choose a franchise rather than create an independent studio?
Choudhary: Lacking prior experience in managing this type of business was the primary concern: how would we successfully navigate it?
Choosing a franchise offered a balanced middle ground—bridging the independence of owning a private business with the structured support of a corporate environment. The franchisor provides the foundational platform, while we retain the autonomy to run our studio as we see fit.
Jain: Having a structured framework was incredibly beneficial. The guidance and ongoing support have made a significant difference. Even after our first year, they continue to introduce enhancements, such as a new point-of-sale system across all Color Me Mine locations, to simplify operations. We haven’t regretted our decision to franchise.
How did you find your location and fund the business?
Choudhary: The franchisor defined our territory, and we engaged a real estate agent to locate a suitable space. After evaluating numerous options, we selected our site in Edina, a location complemented by nearby parks and shopping centers. The franchise team assisted us in shortlisting potential properties and identifying key factors, such as visibility.
Jain: The total startup cost was roughly in the low-$300,000 range. We both contributed from our personal savings rather than securing a loan. Our partnership made it much easier to divide the financial investment.
Acquiring customers
How have you worked to bring in customers and grow?
Jain: We joined the local chamber of commerce, which helped spread the word. We participated in an art festival near our location and held Mother’s Day and Father’s Day events. We run recurring promotions and include discount cards with finished pieces to encourage people to return within a month. We also advertise through a platform the franchise recommended.
Choudhary: Additionally, we have donated to local organizations and participated in school fundraising initiatives, which has significantly helped build our community presence.
The realities of ownership
What surprised you most about operating the studio?
Jain: Hiring. I never anticipated that maintaining a full staff would be such a significant challenge. It is a continuous cycle of hiring and rehiring, largely because most of our employees work part-time.
We provide opportunities to high school and college students. Their education remains their top priority, and upon graduating high school, they often leave for college. While we fully understand this, we hadn’t initially realized how continuously we would need to focus on staffing.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Choudhary: It’s busy. We don’t currently have a full-time manager, so we handle staffing ourselves. Sometimes we’re both at the studio; sometimes we alternate days. In addition to staffing, we manage glazing, payroll, social media, scheduling, and other online tasks. Every day brings new priorities that demand our attention.
Beyond staffing, what has been difficult?
Jain: Calling customers when something goes wrong with their pottery during the kiln firing process. When customers spend hours creating a piece, only for it to not turn out perfectly, delivering that news is difficult. Fortunately, this occurs very rarely—we estimate less than 1% of pieces—but we still dread those calls.
Choudhary: To mitigate this, we offer a replacement piece and waive the studio fee so they can return and paint again. We strive to do whatever we can to ensure a positive experience for our customers.
Planning ahead and protecting the partnership
How do you keep business disagreements from affecting your friendship?
Choudhary: We anticipated challenges as newcomers to the business world. We agreed to maintain an open dialogue and communicate openly about what wasn’t working. Our friendship is the core reason we are in business together. If we weren’t committed to staying friends, there would be no point in partnering.
Jain: We are incredibly close, like sisters. Disagreements are natural, and we don’t always see eye to eye. However, I couldn’t imagine embarking on this journey with anyone else. If we expand and open another studio, I would choose Pooja as my partner again without hesitation.
What are your goals for the business?
Jain: We would love to open another studio. We also aim to reach the top five in the franchise’s sales rankings. While we have consistently been in the top 25 and even reached sixth place for one month, we are determined to break into the top five.
Choudhary: We share similar goals and a unified vision for the studio. This alignment is what makes our partnership so special. Most of the time, we are entirely in sync, thinking along the same lines.