I began working as a painter while I was in school and living in Bozeman. At the age of 25, I transitioned to the other side of the industry and managed an independent paint shop called The Paint Pot. It is located near Big Sky and Yellowstone Club. Many movie stars and affluent individuals live in the area, creating a good market for our services. I spent five years at the shop before taking a break to return to painting. After a year of painting, I received a call in January from the owner of The Paint Center regarding the sale of his business. In March, I quit my job and began a year-long negotiation process, which eventually resulted in a favorable deal. After acquiring the business, I rebranded it as Billings Paint Center to better reflect its new direction.
My educational background is in applied math, and I previously managed a paint store for five years. This experience equipped me with a solid understanding of all aspects of owning a paint shop. I find working behind the counter more enjoyable than painting. However, my time as a painter provided me with a unique perspective on what a paint shop should be like. One key lesson it taught me was the importance of being an independent dealer. Locally, I am the sole independent dealer, giving me a strong competitive edge. Unlike large chain stores, I am able to truly prioritize customer service. Additionally, I focus on serving mid- to high-end customers whom the large corporations cannot effectively support. Although I run a local, small business, independent shops offer something distinct that large chains cannot replicate. Though there are certain products I cannot compete with, I am designing my store to stand apart from Sherwin's offerings through my focus on customer service and personal relationships with my customers.
I place a strong emphasis on service and offering higher-quality products at my store. I expanded the inventory from what the previous owner had and hired two employees, with plans to bring on a third. One of the challenges I face is effectively managing employees, an area I am constantly working to improve. The previous owner had been there for 40 years, and although he was well-established in the community, he had not kept the store's equipment and practices up to date. For instance, the point-of-sale system was from the 1990s and could not even run on a modern computer. I took over on a Monday, and that Tuesday, I was already looking at other point-of-sale solutions. The old point-of-sale system would have been detrimental to my business.
A Benjamin Moore rep recommended I speak to Rundoo, and when speaking to Max and Nick, I really liked their energy. After months of searching for a point-of-sale system tailored to the paint industry, Rundoo stood out. It was being developed from the ground up for this very purpose. Nick's openness to my ideas and his willingness to collaborate on them was a stark contrast to the old software I had previously used. Rundoo also offers features that are tailor-made for independents, such as customizable pricing tiers. This really helps us stay competitive.
