In the world of entertainment and business, few couples balance personal and professional life as seamlessly as Damian and Courtney Lewis. Their combined talents, innovative thinking, and unwavering commitment to each other have carved a niche uniquely their own. We sat down with the Lewis duo to explore their journey, secrets to success, and what lies ahead for this remarkable pair.
Their Entrepreneurial Journey
For many, business ownership stems from recognizing a need and creating a solution. For others, it fulfills a lifelong dream or offers an escape from limited growth in a traditional job. For Damian and Courtney, their path to business ownership was driven by a mix of these motivations. Damian, feeling stifled in his role as a machinist, sought something he could guide and call his own. Meanwhile, Courtney, a vice president at Cadence Bank, was planning for retirement and exploring ways to generate supplemental income. After much discussion and brainstorming, they agreed to pursue franchise opportunities that would enable them to own a business, control their future, and potentially leave a legacy for their children.
After ruling out food franchises, they extensively researched various franchise opportunities, looking for one that had an established brand, quick launch potential, minimal investment, and recession-proof qualities. They found their match in All Dry Services, a water damage restoration company founded in 2014, which was just beginning its franchise program. This allowed Damian and Courtney to get in on the ground floor of a unique opportunity. Today, All Dry Services is a leading company in its field, with nearly 100 franchises across the U.S.
To finance their initial investment, the couple used a Rollover for Business Startups (ROBS), a method that allows entrepreneurs to use retirement funds to start a business without interest payments or penalties for early withdrawal. This enabled them to purchase a small territory and start their business. Reflecting on their early days, Courtney notes, “I would have used an SBA loan to have more working capital.”
Although they initially believed the business would be “hands-off,” they quickly realized the need for a more hands-on approach and hired a general manager to oversee day-to-day operations. This decision allowed Courtney to focus on her banking career while serving as a financial advisor for All Dry, and Damian took on the role of president, concentrating on business development, customer relations, and overall operations. These roles have proven effective, enabling them to purchase two additional regions from exiting owners since their inception in 2022.
To read the full story, click on the cover of the August 2024 issue of The Metro Report
