Owner of painting business focuses on customers, team members

Question: How did M&E Painting come into being?

Q: You started M&E shortly after you graduated from CSU. What gave you the confidence to start your own business so young?

A: I graduated CSU spring semester of 2003 and worked in the mortgage industry. I have always had the desire to run my own business, and growing up, would mow lawns in the summer and shovel snow in the winter. I would take that money and invest in buying candy in bulk and selling it to classmates in middle school.

From a young age, I have been interested in and understood business, sales and marketing principles. My past experience working in the painting industry gave me an inside look into how the business operates. My confidence came from the idea that if you are fair, honest and up front with your customers, team members and vendors and you take care of them like you would want to be treated, that the company would grow and be successful. I also had no option of failure; I was doing this to support my family and had to make it work.

Growing up, I have learned that you learn a lot by doing vs. learning the theory, and I had done other types of businesses and figured that painting would be the same.

Q: What strategy did you employ to grow your business from scratch?

A: Making sure that all customers were 100 percent satisfied with our services. Referrals are crucial in this business. Setting specific and measurable written goals in terms of sales, budgets, hiring of team members and future growth. A company could have an outstanding service, but if nobody knew about it, its chances were not great to succeed, so we focus very heavily on marketing and tracking the return on our investment.

We also focused on our team members having the opportunity to grow and advance within our company. Reinvesting capital in our business every year was very important to take us through the slower season and pay for our fixed expenses. Lastly, attending seminars and reading books dealing with business development, sales, marketing, finance, etc., have taught me a lot.

A: Starting a new business is the most exciting yet scary venture you can take on. You ride the roller coaster daily. Do your research about the business, startup costs, competitors, target market, potential profit margins, etc. Don't go at it blind and with no plan.

Set goals, and write them down. Revisit your goals to be sure you are on track and heading in the right direction. Ask for help, advice and guidance from others who run their own business or that have had similar experiences, even if they are in a different industry.

Always take care of your customers and admit your mistakes, not if, but when you make them. Be sure your business is profitable and that you have a return on your investment, but don't focus on trying to make money and that's it. Stay up on your accounting, track it daily to know where you are at.

I have met many business owners who could not tell you where their business is at financially on a given day. For most service businesses, a simple QuickBooks or Peachtree Accounting Software is very reasonable and easy to set up and use.

Trust your gut feeling about things; usually it is right. Learn to say no, and fire a team member if you have to. Reward your team members, and think of them before thinking about yourself. Reinvest financially both in your business and your team members. Finally, and most importantly, never give up. There are days when you are ready to throw in the towel and have had enough, but learning from those tough experiences will make you a better business person and leader for your team.

Q: How long have you been in business, and how many homes have you visited so far?

A: We have been in business for six years and have painted over 1,500 homes with plans to paint over 500 this year.