Escape and Empower Podcast with David Greenberg and Peter Gilfillan

How John Evans Built EverLine Coatings into a Scalable Franchise Empire

In this special episode, Pete and Dave sit down with John Evans, founder and CEO of EverLine Coatings, to unpack what it truly takes to build and scale a franchise brand from scratch.

John takes us inside his entrepreneurial journey—starting as the son of multi-unit franchisees, learning the ropes through College Pro Painters, and eventually launching EverLine, a B2B pavement maintenance company that has grown to 120+ franchisees across North America in just a few years. He opens up about the lessons learned from rapid scaling, what going on Dragon’s Den taught him about visibility and pressure, and why company values—not just systems—are the secret to long-term franchisee success.

If you’re serious about franchise leadership, recession-proof businesses, or what it looks like to go all in on founder-led growth, this episode delivers rare insight straight from the trenches.

In this episode, Dave and Pete discuss:
From Franchisee’s Son to Franchisor
John shares how growing up in a franchise family shaped his entrepreneurial mindset—and how those early lessons set the foundation for building EverLine Coatings.

The Dragon’s Den Experience
Hear how appearing on Canada’s Dragon’s Den supercharged EverLine’s visibility and why it became a major turning point in their U.S. expansion.

What Makes a Franchisee Succeed
It’s not just about grit. John explains why financial discipline, management skills, and alignment with company values are what truly drive performance.

Scaling Without a Ceiling
EverLine’s model is built to grow. John explains how service diversity, national accounts, and a recession-resistant niche are opening doors for franchisees ready to build seven-figure operations.

Advice for Corporate Escapees
Franchise ownership isn’t corporate lite—it’s a different game. John, Pete, and Dave discuss how successful executives navigate the mindset shift from employee to owner and what it takes to win.

Key Takeaways:

• A strong franchise culture starts with aligned values
• B2B services with recurring needs offer stable, scalable growth
• Franchising gives executives a clear system—but success still rests on execution
• National accounts and niche services can fuel multi-unit potential
• The best franchisees treat the system like a business, not a job
  
  

“Our job as franchisors is to build a system that lets others succeed. That means staying grounded in our values and creating tools that actually help people build real businesses.” — John Evans, CEO of EverLine Coatings

CONNECT WITH PETER GILFILLAN

Meet with Pete: https://www.hireyourself.com/gilfillan/
Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/

CONNECT WITH DAVID GREENBERG

Meet with Dave: https://calendly.com/empoweredfranchisee/virtual-coffee-with-dave-the-empowered-franchiee-web
Website: https://empoweredfranchisee.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-greenberg-entrepreneur/