What a Screen-Repair Franchise Taught 2 Burger-Joint Vets Their jobs at In-N-Out Burger gave Jason Frazier and Brandon Wlasischuk the skills they needed to be successful Screenmobile franchisees.

There are some brands that franchisees would kill to get their hands on: Starbucks, Chipotle, Shake Shack and, most coveted of all, In-N-Out Burger, the California-based chain that has a cult following so loyal it should be investigated by the ATF. While none of these brands will likely be franchising soon, Scott Walker has done the next best thing: The cofounder and CEO of Screenmobile, which sells and repairs door and window screens, has been pitching his low-cost business to managers from In-N-Out Burger. Several former burger sellers are now franchisees in his 90-unit system. The reasoning: Walker believes that anyone who has proved themselves in that fast-paced, well-run restaurant probably has the drive and energy to make a mobile franchise work.

Walker isn't straight-up poaching In-N-Out employees. The pipeline has been word of mouth. "After one joined, others quickly followed," Walker says. "A few of his friends would see how successful he was becoming, but more important, that he felt fulfilled in his career, enjoyed running his business and was simply having fun."

We talked to two of those recruits: Jason Frazier, former In-N-Out manager, and Brandon Wlasichuk, who worked in maintenance at the restaurant for nine years. Both joined Screenmobile as franchisees within the past two years in Bakersfield and Visalia, Calif.