# How did you start your business?



## GA Painter (Jan 29, 2009)

I started Painting about 8 years ago for the person I currently work for. Over the last several years I have started to do side work. I would like to take it to the next level. I have only done small jobs (washing, painting,decks and the like). I get most of my side work from the architect that designs the houses we paint. The decorator called me over the weekend and wants me to come look at some work for her. I also get work from jobs my boss painted the first time (maybe bad idea, but....). He knows because I tell him.

I am not confident in bidding and I know that comes with experience. I have always come out on top, but I have only bid one full exterior which I did well on. I would like to get a little more confident on large jobs.

So, how did you start your business? Did you work for someone and start out doing side work and start slowly? If so, what steps did you take or what advice do you have to offer? Did you wake up one day and say I'm done working for someone, I am starting a business with no work and try to hustle some work?



Keith


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## scholarlypainting (Sep 30, 2008)

i started painting with a new home construction company when i was just starting college.. i worked there for 3 years and they flopped.. out on my ass i decided to try to keep it up.. slowly and surely i built a customer base... yes i have eaten my hat SEVERAL TIMES on low estimates.. but you take your lumps and learn from them.. im abotu 6-7 years into it..

i reccomend you save your money.. keep your equiptment cleaned and dotn be afraid to take lunch! pretty generic.. but its the small stuff that helps out in the long run


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## Brian (Apr 10, 2007)

I started as an absolute fluke. A guy I knew had a pressure washing company and needed a hand one day. I concluded, "Anyone can pressure wash." I printed up a bunch of fliers and hoofed it.

I had never seen a pressure washer prior to that day. I had never painted--except helping my dad once. I knew nothing about painting, pressure washing, or business. So I learned. I read everything I could get my hands on. I talked to people at the paint store. I read some more. I talked to friends who own a business. I read some more. I networked with successful contractors. I read some more.

Brian Phillips


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## WePaintIt4u (Jan 18, 2009)

GA Painter

This does not answer your question but is a thought.


I believe this is a from a post of yours: He takes way to many shortcuts and compromises quality IMO which seems stupid considering he is not bidding.

When you can say: He takes way to many shortcuts and compromises quality IMO which seems stupid.

You will be ready to do side jobs and or go into business for yourself.


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## GA Painter (Jan 29, 2009)

WePaintIt4u said:


> GA Painter
> 
> This does not answer your question but is a thought.
> 
> ...



Yes, I did post that comment in another thread. I could go on all day about things he does wrong but I don't feel like typing it. I already do side work for his past clients and a couple others. I am in the process of buying ladders (already have a few 32', (2) 24's,6' and an 8') and other items. I bought a pressure washer several months back and now I am looking at a van. 

I am just afraid to take that leap I guess because I can't afford to not work. I was just asked by the architect to bid a house(repaint);walls, ceilings and trim. Unfortunately I told him I would have to pass because it would take me months to do it on nights and weekends. I would have loved to do it but I would have to quit my job to be efficient on that one. Maybe I should have and then just prayed to God I picked up another before that one ran out. It was a big house so it would have lasted a little bit.

I've got a couple small jobs coming up and my friend was telling me that the guy that bought his old house called and asked him if he knew a painter, so I may get lucky there also. I just have to work 5 days a week so I am afraid of not being able to line jobs up, which I'm sure I would not in the very beginning.

I probably will just have to bite the bullet but I'm not sure that now is good timing.


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## finto65 (Jan 28, 2009)

go for it.it will take time and patience and a positive mind set.get ready for a roller coaster ride but you will hopefully sooner than later reap some just rewards.get your name in the mix,whether it be advertising or whatever.treat the customer right and follow up on what you say your going to do.i dont take deposits up front,to give the client a feel of trust.progress payments after first day.return phone calls immediatley,dont wait for the following day.these potential client want to be catered to and are ready to buy.sorry , i didnt mean to preach as i know we all do things differently.just trying to help.i got started with a brush,roller drops and answering machine.got alot of very small jobs which then gradually turned to larger,with several employees.i wish you the best.good luck to you and all the other painting contractors whom might be reading this.


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## mjkpainting (Feb 12, 2008)

*A Kool Story If You Care*

I started my own business after working for another painter. I was a full time High School teacher but I was painting every minute I could b/c my goal was to buy a house an remodel it. At that point I was a very good painter but looking back, I simply didn't have the knowledge or experience to start a painting business on my own.

After those 6 years my mother asked me to sheetrock and tape her kitchen, strip wallpaper and paint her 2,400 square foot colonial. We never agreed on price but just like moms do she said, "get what you need Michael." 

I did a mediocre to below average job on her house. My mom wound up paying me $18/hr not to mention she paid for about 10 drops, a little giant ladder for the stairwell, brushes, caulk gun, poles, trays, buckets, taping knives etc etc. I made out well and felt like I had started my own little business even though the only thing I did on my own was paint for my mom.

One night my wife (girlfriend) at the time said why don't you start your own business. We wrote down the pros and cons and the pros seemed to outweigh the cons. I had her support and I went for it.

I took out $5000 loan out, applied for the MJK Painting LLC business name, opened up a bank account, applied for a Home Improvement License, got insurance, bought an old rent a center van for $1,400, got a powerwasher/ladders and put an ad in my town paper.

After a hell of a lot of bumps and bruises, stupid decisions, successes and failures -5 years later I'm still in the game and doing pretty well. It's my biggest accomplishment and *I'm damn proud of myself. *


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## JTP (Apr 29, 2007)

mjkpainting said:


> I started my own business after working for another painter. I was a full time High School teacher but I was painting every minute I could b/c my goal was to buy a house an remodel it. At that point I was a very good painter but looking back, I simply didn't have the knowledge or experience to start a painting business on my own.
> 
> After those 6 years my mother asked me to sheetrock and tape her kitchen, strip wallpaper and paint her 2,400 square foot colonial. We never agreed on price but just like moms do she said, "get what you need Michael."
> 
> ...


Great Story--The truly great thing about this forum is--By reading every post, you would have the knowledge foundation to set out on your own and be successful. In real life, you pay consultants to help you out. Here--you get great help for free and some razzing.

I started put painting apartments in California for a fellow who was going to law school and needed a helper. I didn't know any other brand of paint beside Dunn and Edwards. We rolled the ceilings, slapped the base board and ceiling cuts with a 3/4, trimmed all the woodwork out (probably 10 windows and 4 doors) in oil semi-As I recall, me and the law school boss did a two bedroom-1 bath complete in 6 hours or under. No, that wasn't breakin the sound barrier for speed, but I didn't know anything and he knew just a little bit more than I did--blind leading the one eyed. And--we did a good prep job and the apartment was very presentable when we finished it. It's now 35 years later. I did not paint for 35 years straight though.

JTP


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## 2brospaint (Feb 6, 2009)

My brother and I used to run a painting franchise.. we got a lot our our training from there and decided to skip the franchisee fees and branch off on our own..

We are slowly growing.. its been a lot of work but we are going strong.

We started our business together and presently have three crews..

This winter ive been working on our website www.twobrospainting.com

Its still a work in progress but I think its good to have a website for anyone starting up. A lot of ppl look online these days for painters.


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## bikerboy (Sep 16, 2007)

GA Painter said:


> I am just afraid to take that leap I guess because I can't afford to not work.


Can you work a night job while building your paint business? (that is if one is available in your area)


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## tykapainting (Apr 28, 2011)

bikerboy said:


> Can you work a night job while building your paint business? (that is if one is available in your area)


That is what I have been doing, just need something to fall back on just in case, I just went out on my own after four years painting for someone else. What i have learned so far is that if you get your name out there and follow up with what you say and have a good product you will be ok. Heres to hoping this continues. Wish me luck!!

www.tykapaintingsolutions.com


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## Laz (Nov 14, 2010)

I answered that add in the paper. Fourteen years I stayed with the same painter. He was a good boss. Learned what it means to be in business.
He did well and deserved everything he has and built. He decided to partially retire and turn the business over to his son.
Now his son is a good man but not his father. I don't think I wanted to be a hand-me-down.
This with another idea put me on the road to self employment.
I did something stupid. I hurt my shoulder. The time between doing it and healing in time for spring exterior work I thought only of one thing.
If I can't do the job I was hired for and there is no room to be productive in other areas for my boss I am useless as an employee.
As an employee you have to do things there way, as it should be. As my own boss I have some leeway to adjust things. Doesn't matter if its the right thinking or not, just had to decide on what fork in the road to head down.

I worked for a former employee of the boss everyday after I put in my days work for my boss and weekends for three months strait except for one day. I saved this money. Gave my boss the last day to work for him. Fourteen years to the day.
I was lucky that I did some work for a re modeler before I quit. They gave me enough work that I could get my name out though word of mouth.
It's been three years now and I have been able to keep the bills payed.
My former boss has been so slow with almost all of his work new construction that he would have had to let me go not to long after I set out on my own.

I still wonder some days if this is the best road to be on, luckily the days I don't think that a lot more numerous.


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## mr.fixit (Aug 16, 2009)

I used to own a line striping and sealcoat business. the first striping machine I owned was a Graco Linelazer. the first year it was awesome and a month into the second season it broke down. I took it to the local repair guy and he said it would be 4 to 6 weeks before he even looked at it, at that time they were $6000 dollars and I could not afford a backup machine. That November I went to Graco repair training in Minnesota. When sealcoating and linestriping got to be to much for an old man I started my repair business. It has been 15 years now and my only regret is that I did not do it 25 years ago. I am not a painter but thought I would throw in my two cents.


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## A+HomeWork (Dec 10, 2010)

You don't have to answer these questions on the thread. Just answer them to yourself, if you want.
1. Are you married? Have kids? This could effect your income flexibility.
2. Are you humble enough to live on balogne and cheese? Beans and rice? Macaroni?
3. Can you save every penny and give it a destination, such as "new airless fund"?
4. Can you or do you operate with absolute minimal overhead?
5. Will you have to borrow to survive?

Suggestions:
1. Make a list of 50 people you know or sorta know who could be prospects. Before you baulk, think of relatives, friends, friends' friends, relatives' friends, bank teller, mail man, etc. Do you know a police officer? Firefighter? Teacher or Principal? Insurance agent? Ask them to spread your cards around at work. You will be surprised at how many names you can write down.

2. Build an emergency fund (stole this from Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace) so you CAN deal with slow times.

3. Have a budget for every thing. Nothing is unplanned! If McDonald's was not planned for today, DON'T EAT THERE!

4. Tell your paint store and improvement store contacts. If you are a nice guy whom they know and respect, they'll turn you prospects. "Good guys" are always remembered.

5. Take pictures of every thing you do for a while to show your work. Eventually, you won't use them so much, but you are establishing yourself right now. You could post to a website, or make your own, if you know how and like that stuff.

6. Know your products and methods so you can answer questions with authority and confidence and if you don't know, say "I'm not sure, but I'll find out."

7. Dress like a professional. I go to the paint store and see what other are wearing. You know what I mean. We all get hot and sweaty, but you shouldn't drop by a prospect's house that way.

8. Write a business plan. This will uncover lots of stuff you haven't even thought of yet!! Go online and google business plans and read samples and get a template and write your own. This is a time-consuming project, but one most on this site have never done.
9. See if your state has a business incubator or some program for small businesses who can get tax exemptions and other free help, such as legal counsel. Oklahoma state taxes are exempt for 3-5 years!

10. Smile, address people by name, use proper English, don't have stupid/rude ring tones & voicemail recordings. Thank them for their call and time, don't be late and don't make excuses for being late, if you are. Just apologize.

There are probably 50 more tips, but I have to go back to WORK!!


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## nogg (Aug 23, 2007)

GA,I got started in a way in which you are heading.I worked for the same contractor for 15 years.I was requested by many of the customers/builders,one of them in particular.He always tried talking me into going on my own and I knew he was a quality builder himself and he had his foot in the door of a large company that he did alot of remodel work for.As time went by I found that I was not getting due respect from my employer and I just decided to go for it,that was ten years ago and this builder is and has been my bread and butter.If you have a good relationship with these "side customers" and feel they have the capability to keep getting work it may be a nice start for you.The bidding will come with experience.I had 15 yrs in the trade and knew what I could get done in a day with alot of different types of jobs.


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## BreatheEasyHP (Apr 24, 2011)

2 year old thread? Oh well. It's a good topic.

I moved to the West Coast with my wife on a whim, got sucked into a painting _franchise that should not be named_, spent another summer painting for someone else, then spent a disappointing winter looking for work, which was completely unavailable. Then I said, f*** it, I'll just make work for myself. I'm on my second summer of that and it gets better all the time. I'm the type of person who would rather be poor than do a bad job. By the end of this summer, I'll still be doing good jobs, but not be poor anymore... 

Also, I have supplemental income as a consultant for a nonprofit. That just started. I think it's kind of weird...did you know that people pay you to tell them how to do what they're doing better? I didn't.


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## One Coat Coverage (Oct 4, 2009)

I was working for a small company back in 2001 that was doing NC and various jobs at a local college. This was after I took a six year hiatus from the painting world, so I was just getting back into it.

Winter comes....layed off. Had the option to go on unemployment, but started my company instead. 

Best move I ever made!


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## sagebrush123 (Mar 11, 2011)

Got paid a bonus from a job-well-done($400.) this was my 7th year of painting....six of which I spent working for another painter.

.....this initial business owner was retiring and gave me the business. All the contacts had known me from all those years.(Wa. state) I gave it a go for sometime, but regret not really getting a hold of a great business/bookeeper, and bonafide employee.

Moved to California and took the necessary steps to get licensed again, and again.........


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## Drunk Painter (Apr 29, 2011)

I started my business with a pregnant wife and $1000.00 bucks and still kicking, got two kids now and both of them are in college not painting though.


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