Owners Steve Cole and Monika Coulson didn’t let the great recession keep them from buying a business in Aurora, and their willingness to take a chance has paid off. The Maaco Collision Repair & Auto Painting franchise on East 17th Avenue has increased its business significantly since they took over, and they have the customer accolades to prove that they truly stand behind their workmanship. The husband and wife team have always wanted to own their own business, and thought a Maaco franchise would be fairly recession proof because of the large percentage of insurance claim work. And while it was a challenge, the Coulsons were successful in securing a Small Business Association loan because they had good credit history, real estate collateral and a business plan. The franchise employs seven full- time employees, who are treated like family. At the same time, they go above and beyond with their customers, throwing in extra services like headlight re- polishing at no cost.