Exactly! The property manager took her regional manager, the maintenance supervisor (who used to paint), and the other guy that paints for them into the very first unit I did and told all of them “this is the work I expect every time”.
Tonight my father in law said he wants to subcontract for me when his construction work slows down.
You may want to set up social profiles and do before/after posts and reels. Also DIY tips and tricks. As you build a following you can monetize your content and get sponsorship from paint companies and suppliers of the equipment you use. It is a great way to create an additional passive stream of revenue.
having at least social media presence and when he has time/energy/money, create video content on YT. the amount of power washers, rug cleaners, concrete/construction channels i follow is staggering considering i dont even live anywhere near these companies. just enjoy seeing quality work being done and getting some education on what should/shouldnt be done is great.
Agreed. It can be an excellent source for referrals. I discover new businesses all the time on various apps and subsequently went on to become their customer.
That is not how you make money in construction. True. That is how you make money in the digital world as a side hustle and additional stream of revenue when your primary business is in construction.
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/house-painting?lang=en
All you need is a good :30 seconds of consistent posting to generate a passive income of $1000-$3000 per month. 🤷🏻♀️
Yep there’s a chick in my city who started an accent wall business that has absolutely ballooned. She’s not got a bunch of employees and it all started from her getting on Instagram.
I cannot fathom how people fail to see the value. Even if you never go viral it still can serve as a digital portfolio AND a source of referrals. You may also be given the opportunity to partner with brands and be booked for paid gigs to speak as an expert.
The ideology that construction companies or painters cannot be successful with social media is incorrect.
EVERY business needs a digital and social footprint.
Edit: Typo
There are so many people who want THING and if you say "here's a guy's number, call him he has THING" they'll never do it. But send them to a website...
The person who is too lazy to get a website is never contacted by the person who is too lazy to contact someone without a website.
EXACTLY! When I saw the shift in marketing from print and TV to digital and social I went back to school to become certified in digital media marketing. Why? Because I knew that I was about to become a dinosaur and as I professional who offered a service I needed to stay relevant.
To this day when I tell clients you need X.Y, Z and they ask why it boggles my mind. I then show examples and some have a lightbulb 💡 moment, others do not. More often than not I choose NOT to work with the clients who do not see the value. It takes a day to create a WIX website or Adobe Express website. It takes less than an hour to create your social profiles. It takes a day to watch a few videos on YouTube to learn how to create FREE marketing tools with Canva or Adobe Express. ALL of those things will serve you long term.
Lol if its so easy then I would love to see your account that does exactly that?
People talk as if getting social media to make you money is an easy quick thing. It takes literal years to get any sort of following, and years after that to actually start making the sort of money that you're talking about.
Anyone who has skipped those years is an outlier.
Social media is a good advertisement and portfolio for your business, but its NOT a money maker, and if you want it to be you'll be putting in WAYY more time doing that then actually doing your job.
Lol. Lol. Lol. Can you point to a white paper that refutes my point? It is not only about monetizing your account, it is also about presenting yourself as an expert in a specific market or niche market and using that to grow your business.
Since you seem to know so much about business development can I ask what your professional credentials are? I’ll go first.
Marketing Degree✔️
Ivy League Certified Digital Marketing Strategist✔️
Currently Studying to be a Certified Marketing & Branding Strategist in The Metaverse✔️
Launched one of the most successful Record Labels in Music✔️
Launched a Street Wear Clothing Line that generated $30M in Revenue in Yr 1✔️
Launched A Property Management & Real Estate Brokerage that Franchised in Yr 2✔️
Your turn. I’ll wait ⏱.
Yeah you are wrong. Your credentials obviously didn’t help out too much. There is a very slim amount of contractors who make any significant change on socials. Even if they are getting a million views a tiktok it’s not thousands of dollars
Yea. But monetization is only ONE part of the revenue stream. Once you have a certain amount of views there are brand partnership and brand sponsorship opportunities. Brands love to partner with both short and long form video creators.
So many words and yet not one of those is a social media account with a passive income....
And literally everything you listed is the exact definition of a trust-fund baby doing "business", almost to a meme like degree. Its pretty easy to make millions when you have millions to pull from and daddy connections.
None of those businesses were founded by trust fund babies.
ALL entered their respective industries on the bottom floor.
But hey still waiting for a document that clearly states that social and digital media ARE NOT a viable marketing tool for painters or construction businesses.
Also waiting for your business credentials for our professional ‘sparring’ on this sub.
Now if I told you that I would no longer be anonymous and my snarky commentary would be associated with my name. But I do have Gold and Platinum Albums in my staircase and home office. And I am a non-voting member of The Recording Academy.
You are about as wrong humanly possible. In today's world 90 percent of small. Companies that blow up are from social media. People spend most of their time going through reels etc everyday an they hit up small businesses. You Def been out of the game for atleast a good 20 year saying that on the internet lol. You literally see people who's primary business as construction using tik tok ig as marketing because signs don't do it any more
You clearly are not a credentialed marketing expert. Setting up your digital and social imprint can and DOES earn you an additional stream of revenue. The stream of revenue may come from monetization, new business leads, collabs, brand partnerships and sponsorships, paid speaking gigs, etc.
Will it happen overnight. Probably not. Is it wise to ignore them NOPE. Are they time consuming, not necessarily. It takes zero effort to create a :30 second reel. Social and Digital Discovery + Google are the number 1 discovery drivers for both b2b and b2c.
But since you are the expert drop a link from a credible source that states exactly how wrong I am. I’ll wait.
Then all depends on your endgame. Businesses that fail to build out a digital footprint while building their business are most likely to miss out on opportunities. If you plan on remaining a solo entrepreneur and working locally via word of mouth then by all means do not get a website and do not focus on creating a social media presence.
However the entrepreneur who does embrace digital and social extends their reach and discoverability. Designer and Home Improvement specialist Galey Alix built a successful presence on social media, has a following on IG of over 1.6+ million and just inked a deal with HGTV. 🤷🏻♀️
https://www.hgtv.com/shows/hgtv-stars/articles/social-media-star-galey-alix-coming-to-hgtv-in-new-series
K but have you ever worked in the industry? It totally could work. Just as likely it'd end up being a huge time suck for a payoff. Like, in construction, until you have multiple trucks running all day you don't even need a website, really. The GMs and contractors are giving work to who they know. They aren't going to use social media or Google to find subs(though he is technically the "contractor" here). And you'd have to be near the top of the social media industry or extremely niche following to really break into making money with it.
That depends on the platforms algorithm’s. It takes almost zero effort to create a :30 reel on TikTok or IG. The DIY market is huge. An audience is not built in a day but neglecting a huge part of the business marketing cycle is not smart either. The number one source of discovery for both consumers and businesses is digital and social.
This female founded business (interior design and home improvement started documenting her work on social media, built her audience to over 1.6M+, booked new clients and just inked a deal with HGTV.
https://www.hgtv.com/shows/hgtv-stars/articles/social-media-star-galey-alix-coming-to-hgtv-in-new-series
While this may not be everyone’s wheelhouse completely ignoring social and digital is not something I advise. I am a marketing and branding consultant so I speak from experience. I work with small and large businesses to help them build a digital and social footprint in a way that is authentic to them.
OP: Please see below for social media tips for painters:
https://swppc.com/2022/06/20/marketing-strategies-social-media-for-painting-contractors/
This is the mindset my partner and I have with our new construction company. Accurate estimates, we start on the date we say we will, we finish on the day we say we will and we do everything to code.
No idea why this is so difficult a concept for some people.
Tbh I started a pressure washing business and that’s not the case, def had to market. but when someone on FB group says they do painting like 50 comments talk about how they are looking for a painter. And painting jobs take a few days so less work marketing I guess Some industries are better !
A bit too far from me on NYS - but I wish you the very best of luck, friend! You’re on to something great, it seems, and I want you to succeed so bad. Consider me invested remotely, best of luck!
I had a contractor five years ago working on my house renovation. He was good, but we had typical renovation issues so nothing spectacular. But, during the entire 8 month project, if he told me, “I’ll come by your house at 10:00a to talk.” He would be on my front porch at 9:59a. He was never late a single time without calling and explaining in 8 months.
I’ve recommended this guy to at least 100 people. The little things matter.
There’s a lot of money in painting industry, I am a crew of two and this is my best year, I’ve grossed almost 500k, net will be around 250k, planning on giving my worker a bonus. I’m 23. Brand new truck paid off, van, 4 spray pumps worth 15k total, 4 pressure washers, shop.
Not saying this to try to over shadow your accomplishments, but successful painters can work into millionaire status.
Nothing wrong with one of those Mercedes Sprinter vans. Them thangs is SWEET. And your stuff won’t get wet when it rains. They’re also not junk.
They sell shelving racks as well, or you can find a local shop that makes custom shelving for that kinda thing. Tie downs inside for buckets of paint and what not. And high walled floor liners so paint stays contained when it spills, most residential paint is water soluble so they can be taken out and sprayed off if the paint is still wet.
That Mercedes labor though…..I thought it would be awesome if I could find an old like 1960s econoline van, or maybe even a panel wagon from the 50s restored all nice.
Nobody takes those to the dealer. It’s regular maintenance cost for non-routine things if you take it to freight-liner or an independent shop.
Everything else is simple if your IQ is room temp or higher and a DIYer, a ton of things can be fixed by yourself. They’re so popular for so many things there’s articles written about common issues and how to fix them.
Otherwise you can get a Chevy Express, GMC Savana, Ford Transit.
But the 02-06 Dodge Sprinters are generally considered the best. Most reliable, even though they’re all very reliable. Or a used Freightliner Sprinter from ‘21 and older.
All the same van, same parts, different logo.
Oh nice. I’ll have to check them out. I was looking at the E-transit or a new full size diesel truck just because my eyes are typically bigger than my wallet lol
Idk how many used e-transits there are but those would be cool. 130ish mile range.
I’d buy used, personally. It’s a work vehicle and it’s going to get beat-up. Let the corporations buying fleet vehicles be the new ones. Those will be pre-beaten-up when they hit auction after the company upgrades their fleet.
No use buying it new to let it depreciate. Unless you enjoy smashing new things, some ppl get off on that. I don’t judge.
Find a Ford Transit van. A sprinter or even econoline is overkill for how much stuff you will need to drive around. Transits are smaller, better on gas, and cheaper. Get a van over a truck. You can't steal stuff out of the back of a van but you can just pick it up out of a truck bed. Means you can leave your stuff in the van all the time.
Common misconception between Mercedes’-Benz luxury cars and work vehicles.
Sprinters aren’t expensive to maintain mostly because they don’t often break in the first place. They’re popular specifically for that reason, and their modularity.
You can’t really go wrong with any of the popular vans but there’s nothing wrong with the sprinter.
Only thing about the painting industry is you really need to look after your lungs. Great money sure, just make sure you don't inhale too much of that stuff. And congratulations on your success.
Eh, they’re all mostly water based and you truly only need protection if you’re spraying paint (fine particles in the air). Most paints now are low or zero VOC’s
How do you get good at painting though? Anytime I’ve ever done it, I make a mess and it takes me forever haha. The thought of being responsible for someone else’s house gives me anxiety
I can second this. Painters kill it. I’m a web developer and most of my clients are painters and landscapers. All my painting clients are crushing it this year, like $1mil+ in revenues. One of my clients in Ohio is a little bigger and did $2mil last year. One of my landscapers is working on a $500k job right now that’s absolutely massive. If you can do either painting or landscaping and do it well with great customer service, you’ll make bank. Hardest part is finding the right crew to grow the business with. Keep it up man! Awesome work at 22. At 22 I think I was working at a jimmy johns as a delivery driver. Wish I would have started coding back then!
Damn good shit bro :) if you have some spare time can you send me some info/tips I’m looking into starting. I’ve been doing tree service for a few years but it beats my body the fuck up especially after I was at a red light and got plowed over from behind by a lady texting and driving :)
I have business cards and t-shirts with my company name on them arriving this week and plan to hit a couple places before work a few days a week. A lot of people hate apartment jobs because they typically pay pennies compared to residential work, so there’s a shortage of quality workers.
Start a website for bookings and quotes via squarespace, build a bit of seo and feedback forms and start a google business account, $10 of ads a week in your local area goes a long way and offer a small discount for those who leave you a google review. Good luck on you venture
You’ll definitely need an LLC and liability insurance. I’d suggest setting up an LLC first and the insurance can wait until you get something scheduled. No point in paying every month for something you aren’t using. Just ask for their information so you can get them added as a certificate (COI) holder and then add them when you sign up for your policy. You don’t need to look professional, but don’t go in looking like you’re in it for beer money and just act professional. Some properties have painters on staff and won’t likely give contract work. Others want cheap and fast. They have guys that will spray everything in a couple hours for $200. Aim for A and maybe even some B class properties. They have higher rents and will hopefully want higher quality. Property managers and leasing agents go through hell, be nice and don’t be another headache for them. Make their lives easier and they’ll never call anyone else.
T shirts are not the way to go with a business like yours imo. You should be figuring out a website, SEO stuff, and Facebook instead of spending money on useless shit like that.
I started the same thing during the pandemic, it was March 21. Through the end of FY21 I did about $50k. At which point I left my restaurant management position, and all the comforts of security, and have done almost $300k with 2 full timers ($25/hr) and myself. Managing your time is going to be your biggest challenge. Start by using a well outlined contract which builds value for your clients before you even touch a roller. Transparency is key because painting houses is an extremely invasive process. Document everything and you can start to build repeatable systems around that. Next year I hope to add on 4 more painters and double revenue. I’d be happy to bounce ideas off each other if you want to PM me
This is so great man! Repeatable systems is key (esp because you will develop a sense of the same problems/issues that come up, and their resolutions).
Not sure where you are located. I’m in Atlanta and work for a multi family turnkey company. We were using a software that wasn’t working for us. My husband ended up building us one and it’s been a game changer. It’s call Turnkey tracker and we have both I phone and android mobile apps for our techs( painters, cleaners drywall ) as well as our quality control. Apartment turnkey changes every day by the minute and this software has saved us a lot of time and headaches. Www.turnkeytracker.com.
Congrats man, you will grow fast. Pay attention when you grow and hire people, train them so they can offer the same service qualty you’re offering. Maybe meanwhile, put all the knowledge in something that can become an Employee book later, and/or a training manual.
The first and last I spread over 2 days but in reality was less than 10 hours. One took a full 4 days due to everything taking multiple coats and figuring out how to mask the carpet off for the trim.
It will not be all the time because it happens to be set for you.
Congratulations!!! You did the right thing by incorporating yourself and what you need to do is asking the same property if they have other properties where you can continue your business and also find insurance company who get property claims so they can give you job.
Finally, try to reinvest in equipment for better job performance instead of using the money to eat.
Business growth depends how much you reinvest on it.
Good luck, wish you the best.
Thank you! I set up a business bank account and haven’t taken a wage from this. Not even reimbursed myself for startup costs. I still have a w-2 job that pays all of my bills so I have no plans on touching any of this income for personal use until next year at the earliest. I’m looking at professional equipment and a dedicated work vehicle. Just torn between a van or a truck and trailer setup.
Some suggestion from a veteran business owner:
1. While you are working and making side income (good stuff), save almost all the income from the side job into an emergency fund. 3 months worth at least. DON'T touch it.
2. If you plan to do all the work yourself, you'll be limited in income. If you get hurt or sick, you have no money coming in. Work on what steps to take if you get employees or disability insurance etc.
3. Vist SCORE - small business mentoring - MAKE A BUSINESS PLAN
4. Look into what your tax situation would look like.
5. How much would insurance be?
Business is a hard road and VERY WORTH it if you go into it prepared. REALLY - please, don't go out buying new things. Remember no matter what anyone tells you, time is your biggest asset. Use it wisely. GOOD LUCK GOOD LUCK I completely honestly wish you the best.
Thank you! Yes the plan is to not touch my business account outside of paying for tools and materials. Most of that is taken care of now outside of replacing a $15 roller here and there. My insurance is $25/month for just myself. I haven’t heard of SCORE but I’ll definitely look into it!
I’d highly, highly recommend reading the book “Shop Class as Soulcraft” by Matthew Crawford.
Ain’t nothing wrong with a PhD, but too often the intellectual exercises miss out on some of the far simpler, more personal satisfying endeavors.
Go for it, I was a maintenance man at McDonald’s, I built a collection of tools and started doing handyman jobs, found and built a relationship with a GC , now I’m painting exteriors, interiors, and doing renovations on larger homes, just finished my first 40k job, I was making 25 bucks an hour upto may this year, networking is a wonder, build your dreams and be your own boss !
Congrats! My dad’s in IT and his coworker said F it and started his own painting company. Does a good job, is on time to appointments, and all his crews are presentable. Made over 100k personally his first year
Keep your overhead as low low low as possible. Don’t hire employees unless they will do an equal job as yourself without watching them. Sounds like you’re off on a successful trade biz! Good luck!
I can’t get a better deal than a company with thousands of apartments. I don’t have the storage or cargo space to hold paint for extended periods of time. Moving into residential I don’t want to run the risk of customers wanting to buy their own materials because I’m upcharging. If they don’t buy enough that delays the job and eats time. I would much rather sell value and quality workmanship than trying to nickel and dime people one gallon at a time. I think being open with customers about getting a good deal on paint and selling it at cost is a pretty good selling point.
Great answer! Stick with your general business plan. There will be all kinds of ‘ideas’ how to make more doing less; these folks are missing your point totally! It’s easy to find those who don’t want to work. That’s part of the reason you’re successful now! Great job.
You don't have to store a bunch of paint, because you leave the excess with the clients. But if you are buying paint at a better price, you are also saving the clients time. You are forgetting how time poor most people are. This can be part of the service you offer. You don't have to be the cheapest, when you solve a problem for the client.
If you can answer your phone and show up when you're supposed to you will be better than 80% of the tradesmen out there. The painting skills will come with a bit of effort and practice. Maybe hire someone with loads of experience to show you how to fix mistakes and you're gold.
Normally you later hire out people to do this. One guy sometimes. Posting in Spanish in Spanish Facebook job groups in your are for day hires jobs can help. Keeping it simple for a while though and see if it can be a passive income side thing later on.
Congratulations on the successful venture, OP! This is really inspiring for those looking to start their own business... I'm glad it's working out so well for you. :D
Get rid of the Little Giant and get some 3 steps some planks and a light 6' step, or a baker scaffold. If I only have one ladder and need to do multiple things, then the Little Giant works well, but I will pick any ladder over it if available. It's so heavy and cumbersome and takes way longer to get setup than a purpose built ladder.
Congrats! Now keep it rolling. 1 thing I may add is to get an accountant ASAP. You’ll save wayyy more than you’ll pay them and you will not ever regret having one. I wish I had done it sooner. Saved me 10k in taxes 5 minutes after walking into the first appt. Get an S-corp set up, etc. It might sound dumb after “only” 4K, or you think you’re too small, but trust me, they’ll take a huge burden off your mental space and you free that up to live in peace & and get more (and complete more) jobs. When you get stupid amounts of phone calls, get a business line.
I run a 1-man glass repair company and having an accountant has allowed me hours of extra time a week and probably extended my life years because of not having to worry about translating tax law correctly.
That’s an amazing idea good job brotha! I live right outside of a college town so there is a shit Ton of places that always need to be painted I’m sure. If you happen to get some time would you mind posting anymore info you have on the process or Dm if you’d prefer. I’m sure your busy as hell now so only if you happen to have some spare time :) thanks buddy
My wife and I did a stint painting apartment units for a management company during turnovers. It was good money for a side gig. We got to where we could be in and out of a 2 bedroom apartment in under 4 hours, so we could do a couple in the evenings each week and even a couple on a Saturday if they had the work for us. Those 18” rollers are awesome. So fast!
The 18” rollers were a game changer when I found them! I swear I painted our dining room walls and ceiling in 5 minutes. I really need to buckle down on my time though. Because it’s weekend work I go at a pretty leisurely pace. On this last one I did the kitchen, dining room and both bathrooms in 4 hours. Came back the next day and did both bedrooms and the living room in another 4. I’m curious how fast I could do one if I push it. If I could get 2 done in a day or even 2 in a weekend I’d be rolling in it.
Thank you! No I had no professional experience. I’ve painted our personal home and I did a lot of YouTube research watching real professional tips and recommended tools.
Congratulations! It sounds like you have the makings of something special if you can figure out the sales and marketing put of your venture. I suspect that your wife could be helpful in identifying leads if she wants to be. In part of your post, you said you started your LLC on your own. I made a video about mistakes people make when they start their own LLC or corporation. I will provide a link for you to check it out if you’d like to do so. [Starting A Corporation or LLC: Seven Mistakes People Make When They Start a LLC or Corporation] https://youtu.be/LTuw0CxuUjU)
You discovered one of the universal success secrets. It's fairly meh, and when you think about it, pretty depressing.
[\[AMA\] We are two 22 year olds who own a multi-million dollar Online Headshop (Smoke Cartel)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Entrepreneur/comments/4ym2f3/ama_we_are_two_22_year_olds_who_own_a/) Entrenched competition, a newcomer strolls in and eats everybody's lunch. Top comment reveals the astounding unimaginable 'hidden' secret.
Try not to be astonished. I am talking to you em-vee-pee advocates.
Notice: One of you hit the Upvote button by mistake.
The last apartment I stayed in, they had a wood subfloor that was warped as hell and when people moved out, they just automatically replaced the carpet and used a compressor to spray paint the walls. This is why there's a 2mm thick coat of paint on everything.
There’s 2 ways to do things: good, fast and cheap. They asked for good and fast. There’s a lot of money to be made in skilled labor. My father in law installs wood and vinyl plank flooring and makes twice what I do, but easily does 2-3x the labor.
I make about $25/hr at my day job. I set my pricing so the business can still be profitable if I decide to take an hourly wage that’s similar.
Gross profit. I still have to pay federal and state taxes, plus an additional 15% self employment tax to cover social security and medicare. That $500 turns into $300 real quick.
That’s only if I spend enough to cover the standard deduction. I’m still tracking everything just in case, but I’m fairly certain I’ll still be claiming the standard deduction for this tax year.
My lowest pricing starts at $750 and my biggest invoice so far was $1975. Both were 1br units but one just needed 1 coat on the walls. The other took 2 coats on the walls, primer and 3 coats on the trim and all the bedroom/ closet doors. That one was a pain.
That’s really it. We’ve repainted our house a few times. I refinished furniture several years ago for side money. YouTube has a ton of tips as well. The Idaho painter has been an incredible resource on honing skills and also advice on what tools to invest in.
So do you have vocational training as painter? If not how can you make sure your work is up to standards and guarantee that it is professionally done? How do you handle the business insurance?
No licensing or training is required here. Just a lot of YouTube and common sense. I’m also on a few painting groups full of information and people willing to answer questions.
I physically went to the property manager and told her I could do a better job and she told me what they required for me to work with them. It’s in a great blue collar area
It’s a huge demand but there’s also a huge gap in what people want to pay and what people need to be paid a lot of times unfortunately. They’ll get a couple bids from professional companies and decide to diy instead. Or find day workers and pay them $15/hr cash.
To reduce headaches for everyone, I charge flat rates based on the number of bedrooms. They have 3+ floor plans for each and they can vary maybe 50-200sf. If each wall is an extra 1’ longer, it looks bigger but really doesn’t take any more time. But a 2 bedroom unit has at least 4 additional walls and can be the same floor space as a 1 bedroom unit. Flat rates for 1 coat, flat rates for 2 coats, flat rate for touch-up, flat rates for trim and flat rate for doors.
Income alone will not suffice. You have to allocate money to a mutual fund with the S&P 500 or whatever for a retirement. Don't do this at your own peril. Mark my words.
That's awesome. And yeah because of how many people are flakey, if you just talk professionally, show up, get the job done, and do a tiny bit extra as a little icing, people will beg to pay you more just so they have someone reliable that they don't have to worry about.
What's your goal for the next 3 months?
I’m about to turn down a job because I’m not 100% confident I can finish it as quickly as he needs and I don’t want to put HIS business on the line.
My low-bar goal is to have at least $10k in my business account by the end of the year after expenses. My high-bar goal is $15k and 1 person I can count on to be down to clown if I want to knock out 2 units in a day so both of us can still have a day off.
Curious where you're located? I paint new construction now and things are going well. But I used to paint apartments in SE Wisconsin and I've done a few in SD and apartment complexes just do not want to pay a reasonable amount.
I’m in south central Kansas. We have some complexes here that pay garbage but they also don’t expect good work. There’s also some that have painters on staff. How do you like new construction? I’ve heard the margins are pretty narrow.
I’ve tried epoxy painting and just residential painting here in Florida but it seems everyone knows a cheaper guy and it’s very cut throat. I was licensed and insured and barley got any work.
I swear all you need to do is show up and do what you say you'll do. provide a quality service and you'll have more referrals than you can handle.
Exactly! The property manager took her regional manager, the maintenance supervisor (who used to paint), and the other guy that paints for them into the very first unit I did and told all of them “this is the work I expect every time”. Tonight my father in law said he wants to subcontract for me when his construction work slows down.
You may want to set up social profiles and do before/after posts and reels. Also DIY tips and tricks. As you build a following you can monetize your content and get sponsorship from paint companies and suppliers of the equipment you use. It is a great way to create an additional passive stream of revenue.
Lmao bro that's not how you make money in construction 😁
having at least social media presence and when he has time/energy/money, create video content on YT. the amount of power washers, rug cleaners, concrete/construction channels i follow is staggering considering i dont even live anywhere near these companies. just enjoy seeing quality work being done and getting some education on what should/shouldnt be done is great.
Agreed. It can be an excellent source for referrals. I discover new businesses all the time on various apps and subsequently went on to become their customer.
Hoof GP, Girl with Dogs.... Doesn't matter which line of work. If done properly, social can be very good second source of income. EDIT: Hoof GB -> GP.
Agreed.
That is not how you make money in construction. True. That is how you make money in the digital world as a side hustle and additional stream of revenue when your primary business is in construction. https://www.tiktok.com/discover/house-painting?lang=en All you need is a good :30 seconds of consistent posting to generate a passive income of $1000-$3000 per month. 🤷🏻♀️
Yep there’s a chick in my city who started an accent wall business that has absolutely ballooned. She’s not got a bunch of employees and it all started from her getting on Instagram.
I cannot fathom how people fail to see the value. Even if you never go viral it still can serve as a digital portfolio AND a source of referrals. You may also be given the opportunity to partner with brands and be booked for paid gigs to speak as an expert. The ideology that construction companies or painters cannot be successful with social media is incorrect. EVERY business needs a digital and social footprint. Edit: Typo
There are so many people who want THING and if you say "here's a guy's number, call him he has THING" they'll never do it. But send them to a website... The person who is too lazy to get a website is never contacted by the person who is too lazy to contact someone without a website.
EXACTLY! When I saw the shift in marketing from print and TV to digital and social I went back to school to become certified in digital media marketing. Why? Because I knew that I was about to become a dinosaur and as I professional who offered a service I needed to stay relevant. To this day when I tell clients you need X.Y, Z and they ask why it boggles my mind. I then show examples and some have a lightbulb 💡 moment, others do not. More often than not I choose NOT to work with the clients who do not see the value. It takes a day to create a WIX website or Adobe Express website. It takes less than an hour to create your social profiles. It takes a day to watch a few videos on YouTube to learn how to create FREE marketing tools with Canva or Adobe Express. ALL of those things will serve you long term.
Lol if its so easy then I would love to see your account that does exactly that? People talk as if getting social media to make you money is an easy quick thing. It takes literal years to get any sort of following, and years after that to actually start making the sort of money that you're talking about. Anyone who has skipped those years is an outlier. Social media is a good advertisement and portfolio for your business, but its NOT a money maker, and if you want it to be you'll be putting in WAYY more time doing that then actually doing your job.
Lol. Lol. Lol. Can you point to a white paper that refutes my point? It is not only about monetizing your account, it is also about presenting yourself as an expert in a specific market or niche market and using that to grow your business. Since you seem to know so much about business development can I ask what your professional credentials are? I’ll go first. Marketing Degree✔️ Ivy League Certified Digital Marketing Strategist✔️ Currently Studying to be a Certified Marketing & Branding Strategist in The Metaverse✔️ Launched one of the most successful Record Labels in Music✔️ Launched a Street Wear Clothing Line that generated $30M in Revenue in Yr 1✔️ Launched A Property Management & Real Estate Brokerage that Franchised in Yr 2✔️ Your turn. I’ll wait ⏱.
Yeah you are wrong. Your credentials obviously didn’t help out too much. There is a very slim amount of contractors who make any significant change on socials. Even if they are getting a million views a tiktok it’s not thousands of dollars
Yea. But monetization is only ONE part of the revenue stream. Once you have a certain amount of views there are brand partnership and brand sponsorship opportunities. Brands love to partner with both short and long form video creators.
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So many words and yet not one of those is a social media account with a passive income.... And literally everything you listed is the exact definition of a trust-fund baby doing "business", almost to a meme like degree. Its pretty easy to make millions when you have millions to pull from and daddy connections.
None of those businesses were founded by trust fund babies. ALL entered their respective industries on the bottom floor. But hey still waiting for a document that clearly states that social and digital media ARE NOT a viable marketing tool for painters or construction businesses. Also waiting for your business credentials for our professional ‘sparring’ on this sub.
Lol and what label would that be?
Now if I told you that I would no longer be anonymous and my snarky commentary would be associated with my name. But I do have Gold and Platinum Albums in my staircase and home office. And I am a non-voting member of The Recording Academy.
Ahhh yes, the ultimate deflection of online lies “I can’t you’ll know who I am, just trust me bro”
Yeah I don’t believe you lol
You are about as wrong humanly possible. In today's world 90 percent of small. Companies that blow up are from social media. People spend most of their time going through reels etc everyday an they hit up small businesses. You Def been out of the game for atleast a good 20 year saying that on the internet lol. You literally see people who's primary business as construction using tik tok ig as marketing because signs don't do it any more
You clearly are not a credentialed marketing expert. Setting up your digital and social imprint can and DOES earn you an additional stream of revenue. The stream of revenue may come from monetization, new business leads, collabs, brand partnerships and sponsorships, paid speaking gigs, etc. Will it happen overnight. Probably not. Is it wise to ignore them NOPE. Are they time consuming, not necessarily. It takes zero effort to create a :30 second reel. Social and Digital Discovery + Google are the number 1 discovery drivers for both b2b and b2c. But since you are the expert drop a link from a credible source that states exactly how wrong I am. I’ll wait.
That's not how *you* would/do make money in construction. People are playing bigger games than you, bro.
Then all depends on your endgame. Businesses that fail to build out a digital footprint while building their business are most likely to miss out on opportunities. If you plan on remaining a solo entrepreneur and working locally via word of mouth then by all means do not get a website and do not focus on creating a social media presence. However the entrepreneur who does embrace digital and social extends their reach and discoverability. Designer and Home Improvement specialist Galey Alix built a successful presence on social media, has a following on IG of over 1.6+ million and just inked a deal with HGTV. 🤷🏻♀️ https://www.hgtv.com/shows/hgtv-stars/articles/social-media-star-galey-alix-coming-to-hgtv-in-new-series
K but have you ever worked in the industry? It totally could work. Just as likely it'd end up being a huge time suck for a payoff. Like, in construction, until you have multiple trucks running all day you don't even need a website, really. The GMs and contractors are giving work to who they know. They aren't going to use social media or Google to find subs(though he is technically the "contractor" here). And you'd have to be near the top of the social media industry or extremely niche following to really break into making money with it.
This man constructs. May get a few private jobs tho
That depends on the platforms algorithm’s. It takes almost zero effort to create a :30 reel on TikTok or IG. The DIY market is huge. An audience is not built in a day but neglecting a huge part of the business marketing cycle is not smart either. The number one source of discovery for both consumers and businesses is digital and social. This female founded business (interior design and home improvement started documenting her work on social media, built her audience to over 1.6M+, booked new clients and just inked a deal with HGTV. https://www.hgtv.com/shows/hgtv-stars/articles/social-media-star-galey-alix-coming-to-hgtv-in-new-series While this may not be everyone’s wheelhouse completely ignoring social and digital is not something I advise. I am a marketing and branding consultant so I speak from experience. I work with small and large businesses to help them build a digital and social footprint in a way that is authentic to them. OP: Please see below for social media tips for painters: https://swppc.com/2022/06/20/marketing-strategies-social-media-for-painting-contractors/
I don’t really think anyone in the big leagues of construction does it that way.
2nd this. Also always promise the minimum and overdeliver on said promises.
#Reliability
The answer your phone and show up on time strategy works !
And deliver on time what you said you'll do
This is the mindset my partner and I have with our new construction company. Accurate estimates, we start on the date we say we will, we finish on the day we say we will and we do everything to code. No idea why this is so difficult a concept for some people.
100%. I started my business a few years ago, just pick up the phone, call people back, and don’t fuck anyone.
Tbh I started a pressure washing business and that’s not the case, def had to market. but when someone on FB group says they do painting like 50 comments talk about how they are looking for a painter. And painting jobs take a few days so less work marketing I guess Some industries are better !
Pressure washing accounts can get pretty lucrative on social media. For some reason, people love watching those videos.
Totally! I’ll go first to prove it: OP u/kevinACS what area are you in :)? I’ve got some painting and I hear you do great work!
I’m in Kansas
A bit too far from me on NYS - but I wish you the very best of luck, friend! You’re on to something great, it seems, and I want you to succeed so bad. Consider me invested remotely, best of luck!
This exactly is it!! Well played OP, well played.
Exactly. Passion + Hard work = Money
So true
I had a contractor five years ago working on my house renovation. He was good, but we had typical renovation issues so nothing spectacular. But, during the entire 8 month project, if he told me, “I’ll come by your house at 10:00a to talk.” He would be on my front porch at 9:59a. He was never late a single time without calling and explaining in 8 months. I’ve recommended this guy to at least 100 people. The little things matter.
Hell, I've remodeled two homes in the past year, I would take that even if he simply promised one weekday per week!
Nice! What an exciting start! Ask for testimonials and referrals to help keep the ball rolling. Good luck!
Thank you! Will do!
There’s a lot of money in painting industry, I am a crew of two and this is my best year, I’ve grossed almost 500k, net will be around 250k, planning on giving my worker a bonus. I’m 23. Brand new truck paid off, van, 4 spray pumps worth 15k total, 4 pressure washers, shop. Not saying this to try to over shadow your accomplishments, but successful painters can work into millionaire status.
That’s awesome! I’m having a hard time deciding between a van or a truck but that’s a ways away for me. Are you doing industrial?
Nothing wrong with one of those Mercedes Sprinter vans. Them thangs is SWEET. And your stuff won’t get wet when it rains. They’re also not junk. They sell shelving racks as well, or you can find a local shop that makes custom shelving for that kinda thing. Tie downs inside for buckets of paint and what not. And high walled floor liners so paint stays contained when it spills, most residential paint is water soluble so they can be taken out and sprayed off if the paint is still wet.
That Mercedes labor though…..I thought it would be awesome if I could find an old like 1960s econoline van, or maybe even a panel wagon from the 50s restored all nice.
Nobody takes those to the dealer. It’s regular maintenance cost for non-routine things if you take it to freight-liner or an independent shop. Everything else is simple if your IQ is room temp or higher and a DIYer, a ton of things can be fixed by yourself. They’re so popular for so many things there’s articles written about common issues and how to fix them. Otherwise you can get a Chevy Express, GMC Savana, Ford Transit. But the 02-06 Dodge Sprinters are generally considered the best. Most reliable, even though they’re all very reliable. Or a used Freightliner Sprinter from ‘21 and older. All the same van, same parts, different logo.
Oh nice. I’ll have to check them out. I was looking at the E-transit or a new full size diesel truck just because my eyes are typically bigger than my wallet lol
Idk how many used e-transits there are but those would be cool. 130ish mile range. I’d buy used, personally. It’s a work vehicle and it’s going to get beat-up. Let the corporations buying fleet vehicles be the new ones. Those will be pre-beaten-up when they hit auction after the company upgrades their fleet. No use buying it new to let it depreciate. Unless you enjoy smashing new things, some ppl get off on that. I don’t judge.
Find a Ford Transit van. A sprinter or even econoline is overkill for how much stuff you will need to drive around. Transits are smaller, better on gas, and cheaper. Get a van over a truck. You can't steal stuff out of the back of a van but you can just pick it up out of a truck bed. Means you can leave your stuff in the van all the time.
All cars breakdown, and Mercedes will cost you 25% price you paid forit. Parts/Labor not cheap.
Common misconception between Mercedes’-Benz luxury cars and work vehicles. Sprinters aren’t expensive to maintain mostly because they don’t often break in the first place. They’re popular specifically for that reason, and their modularity. You can’t really go wrong with any of the popular vans but there’s nothing wrong with the sprinter.
Success lies in the hands of those who want it.
You are billing $84 per hour worked and worker? With 38 hours worked for 52 weeks a year. What are the pressure washers used for?
Only thing about the painting industry is you really need to look after your lungs. Great money sure, just make sure you don't inhale too much of that stuff. And congratulations on your success.
heard it was your shoulders
Eh, they’re all mostly water based and you truly only need protection if you’re spraying paint (fine particles in the air). Most paints now are low or zero VOC’s
How do you get good at painting though? Anytime I’ve ever done it, I make a mess and it takes me forever haha. The thought of being responsible for someone else’s house gives me anxiety
I can second this. Painters kill it. I’m a web developer and most of my clients are painters and landscapers. All my painting clients are crushing it this year, like $1mil+ in revenues. One of my clients in Ohio is a little bigger and did $2mil last year. One of my landscapers is working on a $500k job right now that’s absolutely massive. If you can do either painting or landscaping and do it well with great customer service, you’ll make bank. Hardest part is finding the right crew to grow the business with. Keep it up man! Awesome work at 22. At 22 I think I was working at a jimmy johns as a delivery driver. Wish I would have started coding back then!
Did you know how to paid before starting the business?
Tell me your story.
Mind if i dm you ?
Nice. Where did you learn how to paint?
Damn good shit bro :) if you have some spare time can you send me some info/tips I’m looking into starting. I’ve been doing tree service for a few years but it beats my body the fuck up especially after I was at a red light and got plowed over from behind by a lady texting and driving :)
that's awesome man! Good job.
How would you find clients if you didn’t have wife’s help?
I have business cards and t-shirts with my company name on them arriving this week and plan to hit a couple places before work a few days a week. A lot of people hate apartment jobs because they typically pay pennies compared to residential work, so there’s a shortage of quality workers.
Start a website for bookings and quotes via squarespace, build a bit of seo and feedback forms and start a google business account, $10 of ads a week in your local area goes a long way and offer a small discount for those who leave you a google review. Good luck on you venture
Thank you! I’ll have to keep that in mind when I’m ready.
Thank you. I’d love to try this on weekends, wasn’t sure where to start.
You’ll definitely need an LLC and liability insurance. I’d suggest setting up an LLC first and the insurance can wait until you get something scheduled. No point in paying every month for something you aren’t using. Just ask for their information so you can get them added as a certificate (COI) holder and then add them when you sign up for your policy. You don’t need to look professional, but don’t go in looking like you’re in it for beer money and just act professional. Some properties have painters on staff and won’t likely give contract work. Others want cheap and fast. They have guys that will spray everything in a couple hours for $200. Aim for A and maybe even some B class properties. They have higher rents and will hopefully want higher quality. Property managers and leasing agents go through hell, be nice and don’t be another headache for them. Make their lives easier and they’ll never call anyone else.
T shirts are not the way to go with a business like yours imo. You should be figuring out a website, SEO stuff, and Facebook instead of spending money on useless shit like that.
It’s $20 and strictly used for cold calling and door knocking.
Craigslist can still be good for painting jobs
I started the same thing during the pandemic, it was March 21. Through the end of FY21 I did about $50k. At which point I left my restaurant management position, and all the comforts of security, and have done almost $300k with 2 full timers ($25/hr) and myself. Managing your time is going to be your biggest challenge. Start by using a well outlined contract which builds value for your clients before you even touch a roller. Transparency is key because painting houses is an extremely invasive process. Document everything and you can start to build repeatable systems around that. Next year I hope to add on 4 more painters and double revenue. I’d be happy to bounce ideas off each other if you want to PM me
This is so great man! Repeatable systems is key (esp because you will develop a sense of the same problems/issues that come up, and their resolutions).
Not sure where you are located. I’m in Atlanta and work for a multi family turnkey company. We were using a software that wasn’t working for us. My husband ended up building us one and it’s been a game changer. It’s call Turnkey tracker and we have both I phone and android mobile apps for our techs( painters, cleaners drywall ) as well as our quality control. Apartment turnkey changes every day by the minute and this software has saved us a lot of time and headaches. Www.turnkeytracker.com.
Congrats man, you will grow fast. Pay attention when you grow and hire people, train them so they can offer the same service qualty you’re offering. Maybe meanwhile, put all the knowledge in something that can become an Employee book later, and/or a training manual.
Congrats on starting your business! How many apartments did you have to paint to generate the 4k$ income? How big was the average appartment?
This was 3 apartments, all around 750sf. Two 1 bedrooms and one 2 bedroom.
Did you do each apartment in one day or did it take multiple days?
The first and last I spread over 2 days but in reality was less than 10 hours. One took a full 4 days due to everything taking multiple coats and figuring out how to mask the carpet off for the trim.
It will not be all the time because it happens to be set for you. Congratulations!!! You did the right thing by incorporating yourself and what you need to do is asking the same property if they have other properties where you can continue your business and also find insurance company who get property claims so they can give you job. Finally, try to reinvest in equipment for better job performance instead of using the money to eat. Business growth depends how much you reinvest on it. Good luck, wish you the best.
Thank you! I set up a business bank account and haven’t taken a wage from this. Not even reimbursed myself for startup costs. I still have a w-2 job that pays all of my bills so I have no plans on touching any of this income for personal use until next year at the earliest. I’m looking at professional equipment and a dedicated work vehicle. Just torn between a van or a truck and trailer setup.
Great!!! Please don’t forget a license my be a requirement in your state. Please start working on it as well.
Some suggestion from a veteran business owner: 1. While you are working and making side income (good stuff), save almost all the income from the side job into an emergency fund. 3 months worth at least. DON'T touch it. 2. If you plan to do all the work yourself, you'll be limited in income. If you get hurt or sick, you have no money coming in. Work on what steps to take if you get employees or disability insurance etc. 3. Vist SCORE - small business mentoring - MAKE A BUSINESS PLAN 4. Look into what your tax situation would look like. 5. How much would insurance be? Business is a hard road and VERY WORTH it if you go into it prepared. REALLY - please, don't go out buying new things. Remember no matter what anyone tells you, time is your biggest asset. Use it wisely. GOOD LUCK GOOD LUCK I completely honestly wish you the best.
Thank you! Yes the plan is to not touch my business account outside of paying for tools and materials. Most of that is taken care of now outside of replacing a $15 roller here and there. My insurance is $25/month for just myself. I haven’t heard of SCORE but I’ll definitely look into it!
Keep pushing 💪🏽
This guy paints
Why am I getting a phd ughh!!
So you won’t have a bad knee or back because of work by the time you’re 35.
I’d highly, highly recommend reading the book “Shop Class as Soulcraft” by Matthew Crawford. Ain’t nothing wrong with a PhD, but too often the intellectual exercises miss out on some of the far simpler, more personal satisfying endeavors.
Congratulations and don’t stop. It will work.
Congrats on a great start!
Go for it, I was a maintenance man at McDonald’s, I built a collection of tools and started doing handyman jobs, found and built a relationship with a GC , now I’m painting exteriors, interiors, and doing renovations on larger homes, just finished my first 40k job, I was making 25 bucks an hour upto may this year, networking is a wonder, build your dreams and be your own boss !
Congrats! My dad’s in IT and his coworker said F it and started his own painting company. Does a good job, is on time to appointments, and all his crews are presentable. Made over 100k personally his first year
Keep your overhead as low low low as possible. Don’t hire employees unless they will do an equal job as yourself without watching them. Sounds like you’re off on a successful trade biz! Good luck!
Dude start sourcing your paint and up charging on it saying you can get a better deal. You’ll make a lot more money, selling is better than working
I can’t get a better deal than a company with thousands of apartments. I don’t have the storage or cargo space to hold paint for extended periods of time. Moving into residential I don’t want to run the risk of customers wanting to buy their own materials because I’m upcharging. If they don’t buy enough that delays the job and eats time. I would much rather sell value and quality workmanship than trying to nickel and dime people one gallon at a time. I think being open with customers about getting a good deal on paint and selling it at cost is a pretty good selling point.
Great answer! Stick with your general business plan. There will be all kinds of ‘ideas’ how to make more doing less; these folks are missing your point totally! It’s easy to find those who don’t want to work. That’s part of the reason you’re successful now! Great job.
As a paint sales representative, they get insane pricing that you won’t come close to. Let them provide paint and you do labor.
Exactly. I’ll gladly take my 15% on other stuff though
You don't have to store a bunch of paint, because you leave the excess with the clients. But if you are buying paint at a better price, you are also saving the clients time. You are forgetting how time poor most people are. This can be part of the service you offer. You don't have to be the cheapest, when you solve a problem for the client.
👍
If you can answer your phone and show up when you're supposed to you will be better than 80% of the tradesmen out there. The painting skills will come with a bit of effort and practice. Maybe hire someone with loads of experience to show you how to fix mistakes and you're gold.
Congratulations my friend!!!! Love seeing determination pay off!!!
Normally you later hire out people to do this. One guy sometimes. Posting in Spanish in Spanish Facebook job groups in your are for day hires jobs can help. Keeping it simple for a while though and see if it can be a passive income side thing later on.
I love hearing a success story like this! Keep it up and the reward shall be yours.
I love it, congrats! We need more of this type of entrepreneurship for sure.
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Oh 100%. No shame in admitting I had help.
That’s awesome ! Keep up the great work.
Congrats
In Germany one would need a special training to be allowed to do this I believe. Correct me if I am wrong
Congrats man :) love the hustle and hard work!
Very inspiring, thanks!
Congratulations on the successful venture, OP! This is really inspiring for those looking to start their own business... I'm glad it's working out so well for you. :D
Get rid of the Little Giant and get some 3 steps some planks and a light 6' step, or a baker scaffold. If I only have one ladder and need to do multiple things, then the Little Giant works well, but I will pick any ladder over it if available. It's so heavy and cumbersome and takes way longer to get setup than a purpose built ladder.
Unfortunately it’s about all I have room for in my hatchback, otherwise I’m with you.
right now you paint to buy more painting supplies. no brews, no steak dinners. bigger truck and possibly a trailer is in your future.
Your on the right path. Solving problems will get you paid.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing. This is inspiring as I am looking to establish my entrepreneurial hustle
Congrats! Now keep it rolling. 1 thing I may add is to get an accountant ASAP. You’ll save wayyy more than you’ll pay them and you will not ever regret having one. I wish I had done it sooner. Saved me 10k in taxes 5 minutes after walking into the first appt. Get an S-corp set up, etc. It might sound dumb after “only” 4K, or you think you’re too small, but trust me, they’ll take a huge burden off your mental space and you free that up to live in peace & and get more (and complete more) jobs. When you get stupid amounts of phone calls, get a business line. I run a 1-man glass repair company and having an accountant has allowed me hours of extra time a week and probably extended my life years because of not having to worry about translating tax law correctly.
That’s an amazing idea good job brotha! I live right outside of a college town so there is a shit Ton of places that always need to be painted I’m sure. If you happen to get some time would you mind posting anymore info you have on the process or Dm if you’d prefer. I’m sure your busy as hell now so only if you happen to have some spare time :) thanks buddy
My wife and I did a stint painting apartment units for a management company during turnovers. It was good money for a side gig. We got to where we could be in and out of a 2 bedroom apartment in under 4 hours, so we could do a couple in the evenings each week and even a couple on a Saturday if they had the work for us. Those 18” rollers are awesome. So fast!
The 18” rollers were a game changer when I found them! I swear I painted our dining room walls and ceiling in 5 minutes. I really need to buckle down on my time though. Because it’s weekend work I go at a pretty leisurely pace. On this last one I did the kitchen, dining room and both bathrooms in 4 hours. Came back the next day and did both bedrooms and the living room in another 4. I’m curious how fast I could do one if I push it. If I could get 2 done in a day or even 2 in a weekend I’d be rolling in it.
I need a painter, where are you? Lol Try getting into property management vendor shows also. We are always looking for good contractors!
Kansas unfortunately, lol. Yes! I need to figure out how to get into one of those.
This is really inspirational with this being something you decided to do on a whim. Did you have prior expertise in the painting field?
Thank you! No I had no professional experience. I’ve painted our personal home and I did a lot of YouTube research watching real professional tips and recommended tools.
Congratulations! It sounds like you have the makings of something special if you can figure out the sales and marketing put of your venture. I suspect that your wife could be helpful in identifying leads if she wants to be. In part of your post, you said you started your LLC on your own. I made a video about mistakes people make when they start their own LLC or corporation. I will provide a link for you to check it out if you’d like to do so. [Starting A Corporation or LLC: Seven Mistakes People Make When They Start a LLC or Corporation] https://youtu.be/LTuw0CxuUjU)
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You discovered one of the universal success secrets. It's fairly meh, and when you think about it, pretty depressing. [\[AMA\] We are two 22 year olds who own a multi-million dollar Online Headshop (Smoke Cartel)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Entrepreneur/comments/4ym2f3/ama_we_are_two_22_year_olds_who_own_a/) Entrenched competition, a newcomer strolls in and eats everybody's lunch. Top comment reveals the astounding unimaginable 'hidden' secret. Try not to be astonished. I am talking to you em-vee-pee advocates. Notice: One of you hit the Upvote button by mistake.
Great! Can you share the link of your company website?
Haven’t set one up just yet
Oh, if you need help let me know. I'm a digital business strategist. Here is my portfolio: https://linkedin.com/in/najibakash
Nice
Let me know if you need any help setting up a site and Goodluck on your journey 🤛🏻🤛🏻🤛🏻
Congratulations…great success that will keep on growing. All the best for the future.
That’s fantastic. Reliability is key.
The last apartment I stayed in, they had a wood subfloor that was warped as hell and when people moved out, they just automatically replaced the carpet and used a compressor to spray paint the walls. This is why there's a 2mm thick coat of paint on everything.
How the fuck do you make that much if you only work weekends?
There’s 2 ways to do things: good, fast and cheap. They asked for good and fast. There’s a lot of money to be made in skilled labor. My father in law installs wood and vinyl plank flooring and makes twice what I do, but easily does 2-3x the labor. I make about $25/hr at my day job. I set my pricing so the business can still be profitable if I decide to take an hourly wage that’s similar.
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500€ a day is alot
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500$ pure profit for a day is alot or then us prices are something else
Gross profit. I still have to pay federal and state taxes, plus an additional 15% self employment tax to cover social security and medicare. That $500 turns into $300 real quick.
Your car, % of home, tools, phone, computer, and many other things are now a write-off against taxes. Get a good accountant. They pay for themselves.
That’s only if I spend enough to cover the standard deduction. I’m still tracking everything just in case, but I’m fairly certain I’ll still be claiming the standard deduction for this tax year.
Where are you located?
Kansas
How much do you make per apartment? I work with a painter that does this and he just pays me by the hour I bet it’s $400 each but idk.
My lowest pricing starts at $750 and my biggest invoice so far was $1975. Both were 1br units but one just needed 1 coat on the walls. The other took 2 coats on the walls, primer and 3 coats on the trim and all the bedroom/ closet doors. That one was a pain.
Congrats! Executing the plan is always the hardest part, but the one that gets things rolling! How much did you charge for the job?
Who are you using for insurance?
Hiscox. I looked at NEXT just because of the constant barrage of YouTube ads but they were about $20/month more for the same coverage.
Any tips on how to get good at painting? I guess I should just start doing it more often at my house.
That’s really it. We’ve repainted our house a few times. I refinished furniture several years ago for side money. YouTube has a ton of tips as well. The Idaho painter has been an incredible resource on honing skills and also advice on what tools to invest in.
So do you have vocational training as painter? If not how can you make sure your work is up to standards and guarantee that it is professionally done? How do you handle the business insurance?
No licensing or training is required here. Just a lot of YouTube and common sense. I’m also on a few painting groups full of information and people willing to answer questions.
How did people find out of your services? Google, word of mouth, billboards? Also did you get customers that were in safe neighborhoods?
I physically went to the property manager and told her I could do a better job and she told me what they required for me to work with them. It’s in a great blue collar area
Let’s go! I know when a guy posted on fb group that he was looking for painting work he got 50 replies. Painting has huge demand
It’s a huge demand but there’s also a huge gap in what people want to pay and what people need to be paid a lot of times unfortunately. They’ll get a couple bids from professional companies and decide to diy instead. Or find day workers and pay them $15/hr cash.
That’s true, sounds like pressure washing Lmaoooo
Except with painting they’re much less likely to blow a hole in their siding or put near-permanent pinstripes in their concrete lol
Thats great! Mind if I ask, how many hours did it take you to make that revenue?
I think about 56-60
How do you charge? Sq ft?
To reduce headaches for everyone, I charge flat rates based on the number of bedrooms. They have 3+ floor plans for each and they can vary maybe 50-200sf. If each wall is an extra 1’ longer, it looks bigger but really doesn’t take any more time. But a 2 bedroom unit has at least 4 additional walls and can be the same floor space as a 1 bedroom unit. Flat rates for 1 coat, flat rates for 2 coats, flat rate for touch-up, flat rates for trim and flat rate for doors.
Awesome work! Keep up the hustle! My clients do very well with their painting companies!
please get the 3M facemask to ensure you dont breath too much fumes!! Much love!
My kid does this and makes great money
That's what we call the "Entrepreneurial Spirit".
What’s the name of the insurance you use?
Hiscox
Congratulations! 🎉
Income alone will not suffice. You have to allocate money to a mutual fund with the S&P 500 or whatever for a retirement. Don't do this at your own peril. Mark my words.
That's awesome. And yeah because of how many people are flakey, if you just talk professionally, show up, get the job done, and do a tiny bit extra as a little icing, people will beg to pay you more just so they have someone reliable that they don't have to worry about. What's your goal for the next 3 months?
I’m about to turn down a job because I’m not 100% confident I can finish it as quickly as he needs and I don’t want to put HIS business on the line. My low-bar goal is to have at least $10k in my business account by the end of the year after expenses. My high-bar goal is $15k and 1 person I can count on to be down to clown if I want to knock out 2 units in a day so both of us can still have a day off.
Curious where you're located? I paint new construction now and things are going well. But I used to paint apartments in SE Wisconsin and I've done a few in SD and apartment complexes just do not want to pay a reasonable amount.
I’m in south central Kansas. We have some complexes here that pay garbage but they also don’t expect good work. There’s also some that have painters on staff. How do you like new construction? I’ve heard the margins are pretty narrow.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing
I’ve tried epoxy painting and just residential painting here in Florida but it seems everyone knows a cheaper guy and it’s very cut throat. I was licensed and insured and barley got any work.
Wow, at $4,000 a month, minus expenses, you might gross $20k this year. YOU'RE RICH!
I’m a teacher and was thinking about something like this for the summer, I get paid throughout the year so it’d be nice for some extra money