Painting business owners know there’s a lot to juggle to not only achieve successful job results, but to stay ahead of the competition.
When it comes to how to start a painting business and help it grow, different entrepreneurs have varying strategies for success in the painting industry.
We’ve teamed up with Fine Homebuilding® for a video series exploring how real-life painting business owners achieve success.
Tip #1: Consult with a Professional Designer
Painting Contractor Brooke Cambridge, owner of BLC Painting, partners with a design consultant on every job to ensure success and promote business growth.
From cabinets to kitchens, interiors or exteriors, Cambridge offers her clients a complimentary one-hour colour consultation with designer Paula Gaull of New Leaf Redesign.
For Cambridge, working with a design consultant takes the guesswork out of a project. It’s vital, she says, to partner with “a designer who can back up colours, finishes, and so forth, so down the road we know that we made a slam dunk.”
Tip #2: Stick with a Brand You Trust
Cambridge’s design partner Paula Gaull, has found success in consistently using the same brand of paint to achieve the best result on every job.
“Stick with a brand that you know, understand and trust,” Gaull says. “The more you work with one brand, the more you’ll understand how the colours work, how they’ll look on a wall, how certain colours will work with other colours. That will give you more confidence when you’re picking colours so you won’t have to redo anything.”
Tip #3: Manage the Job from Start to Finish
For Glenn Williamson, owner of New Haven Painters, LLC, consistency is key to business growth.
According to Williamson, what sets New Haven Painters apart from its competition is that it ensures the same person manages a project from beginning to end, starting at the estimate and finishing at the final walk-through.
“Having the salesperson/manager on the job from the beginning to end makes a big difference because there [are] a lot less discrepancies,” Williamson says. “All the homeowners always like having the same manager throughout the whole project. Especially when you’re in their homes. They want to feel comfortable with you as their painting contractor.”
Tip #4: Hire for Character
When Noah Kanter, owner of Nth Degree Painting, is looking for a painting contractor to join his team, character is one of the top factors in his hiring decision.
“When I’m hiring a painter, I’m looking at character and past performance on jobs more than an actual knowledge of the trade,” Kanter says. “I just want someone to be able to show up happy, on time, with a willingness to learn, and be conscientious.”
Tip #5: Consult Your Local Benjamin Moore Rep
When it comes to business growth strategies, knowing when to ask for help is an important one. Especially in new environments or when working with products that are unfamiliar to you, Noah Kanter recommends consulting your local Benjamin Moore contractor rep for guidance and product advice.
“If you’re looking at a new type of job or a specialty circumstance that you haven’t really specked yet, I’d say proceed with caution,” Kanter says. "Talk to people at your local Benjamin Moore store, get a rep out there, and read all of the product documents that will specify which primers go with what top coat, and how to build the best coating system for that substrate."
About the Video Series
Benjamin Moore teamed up with Fine Homebuilding® for a video series exploring how real-life painting business owners and contractors achieve success.