About

Founder

Christine Merriman

Two careers, run in parallel.

Building businesses since she was seven.

The first one was a neighborhood paper, by seven. Then roadside food and beverage stands, photography, backyard concerts — all before she was old enough to work. A grocery job at fourteen. Flipping cars at sixteen. A first million-dollar concept at twenty-one.

It never stopped. She built businesses for others — equine massage, a hot dog truck, construction, powersports — and the systems under them. A real estate license and a residential practice in Kentucky. CM Designs // Solutions, advising small businesses on planning, startup and operations. BookieWorks, a premium vehicle rental venture in Dallas–Fort Worth. A sole proprietorship, an LLC (limited liability company) and an S-corp — all formed while working full-time and earning an MBA (Master of Business Administration).

All of it ran alongside a second career: 25 years at a national automotive services company, 11 roles, ending as Director of Central Operations Enablement & Experience — through two public separations and a $2.65B divestiture. She stood up new service models, rebuilt workforce architecture across hundreds of locations and put the technology in place to hold it.

That work ran on both sides of the line — company operations and multiple franchise organizations. Separate owners, separate P&Ls (profit & loss statements), no authority to fall back on. Franchisees adopt what works and ignore what doesn’t, which is the hardest and most honest test a model can get.

She launched AWB Consultants as an S-corp in 2022 to reach more businesses.

Learn the current state and where the gaps are. Then start with people in the right positions and give them a process and tools to perform.