From Employees to Owners: Building Pro Paint Solutions

Written By David Chism

FEATURED GUEST

Mike Barrett
Bill Curtindale

ABOUT

In this episode, Aaron sits down with Mike Barrett and Bill Curtindale, co-founders of Pro Paint Solutions in the Seattle metro area. Both Mike and Bill spent years as employees and eventually senior leaders at another commercial painting company before striking out on their own in March 2021. Now five years in, they share how they built a profitable, debt-free business, kept their 50/50 partnership strong, and set a plan to step back from day-to-day operations over the next five years.

This conversation is especially relevant for painting company owners worried about key employees leaving to start competing businesses, and for employees weighing whether to make the leap into ownership themselves.

Key Takeaways

  • How Mike and Bill's decade-plus at a former employer shaped their approach to ownership

  • Why it only took about three months to go from "we should consider this" to launch day

  • The cultural commitments they made to avoid repeating their former employer's mistakes

  • How they built a debt-free, self-funded company from year one

  • What they track weekly to stay fiscally disciplined and catch problems early

  • How a 50/50 partnership survives disagreements without a tiebreaker

  • Their 10-year plan to grow to $15M in revenue and step back from daily operations

CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS
Bill on LinkedIn
Mike on LinkedIn
Website: Pro Paint Solutions

CONNECT WITH US
Request a FREE 1-Hour Marketing Consultation with David Chism

EPISODE SPONSORS
The Wooster Brush Company
Commercial Painting Industry Association
DC Marketing Group

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David Chism
Next

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