There is NO ROOM for Women In the Painting Business:

Today's blog is a response to an email we received last week. Here's what it said:

Dear Andy,

I am a female in the painting business and I would really like some inside trade secrets. I have a lot of men give me a hard time because they say a woman belongs at home. This is such old school.

I'm in a position to take on a lot of work as I have now found a great crew but don't really know how to bring that work to me. I have always done interiors and am certified in plaster finishes. I went to school for the plaster finishes.

I would love nothing more than to keep this crew busy and get myself off the ladders and just supervise.

What advice can you give me?
Thanks, Moon

Before I get to the tips, I just want to say that there is room for EVERYONE in our profession! There always has been and will always be more jobs to paint than there are painters to paint them.

One of the primary reasons women get a bad wrap in our profession, is that the guys are intimidated by them because homeowners have a tendency to trust women more, which gives them a significant selling advantage.

The guys who actually believe "there is no room for women in the painting business" are just afraid that they will be out shined by a female...

There is more than enough work to go around so get out there and start your business!

Here are a few insights to help women in our profession get and keep their painting businesses moving in the right direction.

1. Put the guys on ignore and go do business - The great thing about the painting business is that it doesn't discriminate... it's a business and a trade open to nearly everyone regardless of - gender, skin color, political affiliation, age, social economic standing, etc.
   
   
2. Create a better marketing and sales process - Use the fact that you are a woman in a male dominated industry as an advantage... Let homeowners know that you have had to work twice as hard to gain the respect of your peers and that work ethic translates into a better customer experience.
   
   
3. Educate yourself and develop a strong work ethic - Stay up to date on the industry trends as well as marketing, sales and customer service... Always keep working to improve your brand and image within your community.
   

In the end business is done between people and once you learn how to DO the "Painting Business" it matters very little if you are a man or woman... what color your skin is or who you vote for.

Honestly it comes down to three things:

1. Delivering a quality paint job the first time every single time...
   
2. Affordable prices backed by superior value... and
   
3. Being someone the homeowner trusts (Building long term relationships)
   

Ladies keep in mind, you are not doing business with other painters, you are doing business with homeowners. Let the "old school" talkers talk, they are only hurting themselves by having a bad attitude.

Go about your business, learn to market effectively, bid profitably and focus on delivering a value based customer experience... AND FOLLOW UP!

That is what will help you achieve your dreams in this male dominated profession. Keep the wise words of Charles Swindoll in mind:

ATTITUDE:

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failure, than success, than what other people think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.

We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the only string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes."

...and just for the record, one of the best bosses I have ever worked for was a woman (Michelle) and her knowledge and work ethic rivaled most of the men I've seen. Michelle set the pace and didn't give a second thought to what other painters had to say... and that's why she is still so successful today!

As for the advice I can offer to Moon about how to find and land painting jobs to keep her crew busy, that's easy... invest in a copy of 'Painting for Profits'. The step-by-step tips, marketing techniques and business growth strategies work just as well for women and they do for the guys!