WAT Software
Mandatoryyou must utilize a computer system with capabilities consistent with our standards and specifications and our WAT Software
+20% units YoYHQ-led decisions
Painting with a Twist
Personal servicesSoftware purchasing at Painting with a Twist is controlled at the headquarters level by Co-Founders Thomas Stemple (CEO) and Anna Stemple (COO). The franchise mandates WAT Software for its operations across a network of 24 franchised locations. This compact, growing system presents a targeted opportunity for vendors offering complementary or replacement technology.
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
1 of these are mandated in the franchise agreement. Each is named in Item 11 of the filing — the incumbents a challenger must displace or integrate with.
Who buys here
The buyer at this brand
The decision-maker a vendor sells to at this scale, and the gaps they’re paid to close — derived from the corpus by segment and unit count, not a guess.
The franchisor's owner/CEO decides; an ops or franchise-development lead may evaluate.
VP SalesHead of SalesCROSales Director
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Live signals
Total units
24
24 franchised
Unit growth YoY
+20%
vs prior filing
AUV
—
Item 19, 2025
Royalty
7%
of gross sales
Ad fund
1%
national + local
Initial fee
$29K
per unit
Investment range
$55K–$126K
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
The vendor opportunity at Painting with a Twist
Painting with a Twist operates a network of 24 franchised locations, with a year-over-year unit growth rate of 20.0%. The system is independently owned, with no parent company on file. For a software vendor, this represents a compact but expanding addressable market. The franchisor charges a 7.0% royalty and signs franchisees to a 10-year initial term. Average unit volume (AUV) is not disclosed in the most recent FDD. The absence of a large corporate footprint means the entire system is your addressable market, and a single deal with the franchisor could cover all units.
Who controls software purchasing
Technology decisions are centralized. The 2025 FDD lists Thomas Stemple, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, and Anna Stemple, Chief Operations Officer and Co-Founder, as the key executives. In a system of this size, these individuals are the buying center. A vendor pitch should be directed squarely at the C-suite, focusing on how a solution supports the franchisor's operational goals and franchisee profitability across all 24 locations.
Mandated and current tech stack
The franchise system mandates WAT Software. This is the named operational technology that all franchisees are required to use. Any vendor offering a competing or adjacent solution must be prepared to demonstrate a clear, compelling advantage over this incumbent system. The specific modules or functions covered by WAT Software are not detailed in the available FDD extracts, so a discovery conversation with the HQ team is essential to map the full tech stack.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
The formal procurement model is not specified in the Item 8 extract we have on file. This means the path to becoming a designated or approved supplier is not publicly documented and will need to be clarified directly with the franchisor. The renewal cycle offers a strategic window. The initial franchise term is 10 years, and upon renewal, the franchisee must sign a new agreement. The FDD explicitly notes that this new agreement may contain materially different terms and conditions, including potentially updated technology requirements. This creates a natural inflection point where a new software mandate could be introduced system-wide.
How to read the Painting with a Twist FDD
The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document is the foundational source for this analysis. It provides the legal and operational blueprint of the franchise system. Key items for a software vendor to scrutinize include Item 11 for the full list of mandated suppliers and technology, Item 8 for procurement restrictions, and Item 17 for renewal conditions that could trigger a tech stack change. The full document is embedded below for your review. When you are ready to build a ranked target list of franchise systems that match your ideal customer profile, FranCloud can help.
Questions vendors ask
Painting with a Twist, answered from the filing
Co-Founders Thomas Stemple (CEO) and Anna Stemple (COO) are the key executives on file. As the top officers of a small, independently owned franchisor, they are the primary decision-makers for any system-wide technology adoption.
The 2025 FDD mandates WAT Software. This is the core operational technology required for all franchised locations.
There are 24 total units, all of which are franchised. The number of company-owned locations was not disclosed in the most recent FDD.
The procurement model is not detailed in the available FDD extracts. The Item 8 signal regarding designated or approved suppliers was not present, leaving the formal procurement path unspecified.
Franchise agreements have a 10-year initial term. Renewal requires signing a new agreement, which may have materially different terms. This creates a potential trigger for technology re-evaluation at the point of renewal.
The FDD was filed with state franchise regulators in 2025. You can review the full document in the embedded PDF viewer below to conduct your own detailed analysis.
Source
Read the filing itself
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FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
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Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.