'I Was a Single Mom Who Bought a Company for $25,000 on My Credit Card. Now It Generates Over $50M in Sales'

In 2005, Teresa Johnson charged £20,000 ($25,000) to her credit card to buy a business she knew absolutely nothing about. Two decades later, that bold gamble has grown into a pottery empire generating over £44 million ($55 million) in annual global sales.

Johnson, a single mother working in corporate HR at the time, purchased a small paint-your-own pottery studio on a whim. She made this decision despite having zero experience in entrepreneurship. That single, risky decision became the foundation of Color Me Mine, now the largest paint-your-own pottery franchise in the world.

The £20,000 Gamble

The owner of a local studio she visited with her daughter was selling up. Johnson saw it as a sign and didn't think twice. She purchased the business by charging the full amount to her credit card. 'I didn't know anyone who ran their own business, but I had always been drawn to entrepreneurship', Johnson told Business Insider in an as-told-to essay. 'Still, I was a single mom with a mortgage to pay, so I needed to be practical'.

Running the pottery studio was absolutely brutal at first. The place was open seven days a week, and Johnson's daughter Scout was there most days, setting out brushes and cleaning tables. Scout was only in second grade at the time, but the two of them learned the ropes of business ownership together over the years.

One particularly memorable night during their busy December season, they were working late, tying ribbons on ceramic ornaments. Johnson asked Scout what her friend was doing that evening. The answer? Studying for finals. Finals that were happening the next day. 'That wasn't one of my proudest parenting moments', Johnson admitted.

Teenager Becomes Business Partner

But Scout absolutely loved the business. When she was a sophomore in high school, she rang her mum and asked to meet for lunch. Johnson turned up to find Scout sitting with a real estate agent. They'd already opened three locations by then, and Scout wanted to be her mum's partner on a fourth studio.

'I said, "You don't even have a driver's license," and she said, "You don't need a driver's license to open a business"', Johnson recalled. Scout really did run that location—she attended all the town meetings and handled the hiring whilst still in school. Eventually, it helped her snag a college scholarship for entrepreneurship.

Learning the Franchise Game

Johnson didn't stop at pottery. By 2007, she'd secured investors to launch a boat manufacturing company whilst simultaneously growing her pottery business. According to Franchising Magazine USA, every two years from 2005 to 2011, she opened a new studio, eventually reaching four successful locations.

Around 2010, Johnson started eyeing the franchising world. She wanted to learn everything about it so she could help others pursue their passions. She became a multi-unit franchisee with Painting with a Twist, an industry-leading paint and sip brand. That experience gave her the knowledge she needed for her next big move.

Taking over Color Me Mine

In 2021, after various acquisitions and leadership changes, Johnson became co-owner and CEO of Color Me Mine, the largest paint-your-own pottery franchise. She took the reins of a brand that had been stagnant for a decade and completely turned it around.

Under her leadership, Color Me Mine franchises generated over £44 million ($55 million) in revenue in 2024.

New Color Me Mine studios are now opening across the country after years of stagnation. The company is on track to reach 300 locations by 2029. The brand already has an international presence with more than 120 locations across the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, and the Philippines.

Building a Legacy

'Life was hard when I quit my corporate job to start the business', Johnson said. 'Because I didn't grow up with wealth, I didn't miss it, however. Scout and I were always fine, and she learned hard lessons about work ethic'. For Johnson, entrepreneurship has never been about the money. It's about changing the course for an entire family.

Johnson has made it her mission to help others follow in her footsteps. According to Color Me Mine Franchising, she's mentored more than 35 individuals, helping them navigate the complexities of business ownership and build their own companies. She even went back to school to get her PhD in 2019, cementing her commitment to lifelong learning.

Looking back, Johnson's £20,000 credit card purchase changed not just her life, but her daughter's life too. That single risky decision set both of them on paths they never would have imagined. Buying a business she knew nothing about, whilst raising a child alone, could have ended in disaster. Instead, it became the foundation of a multi-million-pound empire.

'Buying a business changed my life, and Scout's life, too', Johnson reflected. 'I'm grateful to be able to help other families do the same'.