Bryan Appell is the founder of Appell Striping, a leader in professional pavement maintenance and line striping services specializing in high-quality parking lot maintenance. Committed to innovation and excellence, the company serves clients across the nation, ensuring parking lots are both functional and visually appealing.
Since founding the brand in 2001, Bryan has grown the brand to five locations across the U.S. in New York, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. In 2022, he launched franchising opportunities for Appell Striping, and the brand is ready to continue their expansion efforts, seeking motivated and passionate franchisees to join them on their journey.
In this Q&A, we asked Bryan about the journey of Appell Striping, their impressive growth, and their franchising opportunity.
Franchise Chatter (FC): Can you start by telling us more about Appell Striping? What sets the brand apart in the industry?
Bryan Appell (BA): Appell Striping Inc. is a leading provider of line striping services, delivering high-quality pavement markings for parking lots, private roads, and commercial properties. With a commitment to precision, efficiency, and innovation, we leverage cutting-edge technology and premium materials to ensure durable, long-lasting results that set us apart in the growing industry.
Our franchise model offers entrepreneurs a proven, scalable business system, making professional striping more accessible while maintaining industry-leading standards. We are incredibly proud to have grown Appell Striping into a nationally recognized brand, operating in all 50 states to serve leading coffee chains, fast-food restaurants, and automotive retailers.
FC: Tell us about your background, and how you became involved with Appell.
BA: As a college student in 2001, I found myself in Florida working part-time with a striping company that primarily served parking lots. At the time, I anticipated a future in finance, as I was also interning at Smith Barney, but something about the striping business captivated me. I saw potential, not just in the work itself, but in the opportunity to create a thriving business model around it. After graduating, I wasted no time to pursue my vision – I purchased a used striping machine, packed up, and returned home to Long Island, where I founded Appell Striping Inc.
My mission was simple: provide exceptional service at fair prices, exceed customer expectations, and utilize innovative technologies to deliver superior results. I quickly realized that while many companies offered basic line striping, few were focused on becoming the best in pavement maintenance across the U.S., and I knew I found my niche in the market. Over the next 15 years, I dedicated myself to perfecting the craft, expanding Appell Striping’s services to include sealcoating and pavement repairs, and refined a sale process with a long-term goal of franchising the business.
By 2015, I set my sights on taking Appell Striping nationwide, and secured national accounts that created opportunities in multiple states and laid the foundation for future franchisees. I shared my vision with my brother, Michael, who already had extensive experience in the parking lot maintenance industry. Michael quickly saw our potential and joined the team. Together, we built a national account program that now manages $10 million in accounts annually.
By 2022, the time was right to take the next big step: franchising. After vetting several Franchise Sales Organizations (FSOs), we partnered with CornerStone, a company specializing in franchise development. Ryan Combe and Ryan Hicks, co-founders of CornerStone, shared our vision for creating a strong, franchisee-focused system and took on franchise sales and documentation while we focused on training and marketing, creating a perfect partnership.
As 2025 begins, we proudly operate in five locations across New York, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, with plans to expand to 15 more by year’s end.
FC: Appell boasts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29.31% over the last 10 years. What has contributed to this impressive growth?
BA: Our growth is driven by a combination of several key factors, starting with demand. With increasing infrastructure investments and commercial property development, the need for high-quality line striping has continued to rise. To meet this demand, our national accounts program has expanded in all 50 states.
We have built a franchise model that allows us to scale rapidly by partnering with motivated entrepreneurs, investing heavily in training, technology, and streamlined operational processes to ensure efficiency. These efforts have culminated in a strong reputation for reliability and excellence, providing us with strong word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business.
FC: Who is the ideal franchisee candidate for Appell that you will be targeting this year? How does Appell obtain/reach these franchisees?
BA: While growth is a strong focus for us, we prioritize finding the right franchise partners – those who align with our values and vision. Our ideal franchisee is someone with an entrepreneurial mindset, a strong work ethic, sales and/or business experience, and a commitment to delivering the top-tier service we have come to be known for. While prior experience in line striping or construction is a plus, it’s not required as we’ve put effort into building a training program that covers everything our franchisees will need to know.
To find these partners, we leverage strategic partnerships and referrals to connect with aspiring business owners looking for a scalable, high-margin opportunity. Unlike many competitors, we do not rely on brokers and keep entry costs low for prospective franchisees to expand access into the industry.
FC: What support and training does the brand offer for prospective franchisees?
BA: Our incentivized, comprehensive training program covers every aspect of the business, from equipment operation and application techniques to customer acquisition, to ensure our franchisees are equipped with everything they need to succeed. Our hands-on training can be done at our headquarters or their own territory for convenience, and includes on-site support during their launch as well as ongoing coaching. We also provide marketing assistance, access to the latest software including aerial imaging and Graco equipment, and a dedicated support team to ensure long-term success.
FC: Any plans for growth this year that you’d like to share?
BA: In 2025, our sights remain set on expanding into new territories, strengthening our franchise network, and enhancing our technology to further streamline operations. With unlimited white space to develop, we are actively onboarding new franchisees in key markets while also exploring strategic partnerships that will fuel our continued national growth. We recently signed a new franchise deal in Houston, and look forward to expanding into new markets like California, Ohio, Tennessee, and Illinois.
