Celebrating 25 Years! How I did it.

How Did I Do It?

Longevity in any career or business is a rarity these days. So 25 years is something I am really proud of! Besides having a great boss (me), how was I able to keep it going all these years? Obviously, I love what I do! I love to paint, and it’s what I want to do. Every day. But it takes more than that. I spent some time reflecting and reminiscing, and put together this list.

APPROACH

I am not a hobbyist. This is my profession and I’ve treated it as such since the day I started. I take my business seriously.  I like my work, and I like to work. I am fair, and so are my prices. I want my clients to be happy and love what I do for them. Being able to give my clients exactly what they want gives me great satisfaction. If they need help refining their ideas, I have plenty to offer. My approach has always been the same as it was during my education and previous employment, I am artist/problem-solver!

SKILL

I’ve got the goods. I’m skilled, I’m trained. I have some natural talent, combined with my design degree, art and painting education, an enthusiasm for new products and techniques, and a steady variety of work experience, I have the confidence that I can tackle anything.

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FLEXIBILITY

The kinds of projects that I offer fall under a very broad range of decorative painting and design.  My skills are varied and I do everything with equal enthusiasm. I am flexible, so that when the market changes and when trends change, I can still work. I don’t need to rely on the popularity of one type of project or skill in order to keep working. I haven’t built my business around one product line. Those kinds of limits ended the careers of many of my colleagues. 

Meanwhile, click here for a great article about people’s perceptions of the word “faux”, faux finishes, and the outdated-ness of some paint finishes.

HEALTH

I’m physically healthy.  I have the capacity to handle the physical demands of my work. I rarely get sick, and I have enough energy to work consistently. Knock on wood, my knees, back, other various body parts all remain in perfect working condition! I’m not afraid of heights and I’m comfortable on ladders and scaffolds.  I have never had to turn down a project because I wasn’t able to do it physically.

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NETWORKING

I love meeting people!  I have the best clients. I love them for hiring me, and for trusting me to execute the perfect expression of their vision. I love them for referring me to new clients, and to designers who have kept me busy over the years! I love my clients, my colleagues and designers because they are so nice that many of them have also become my friends. Renovating my own home (OK, three homes) and working on my client’s renovations led me into the network of residential home contractors, another great source of referrals. My website and more recent focus on social media presence has expanded my network even further. So keep checking me out here, and on Instagram and Facebook! Spread the word to your friends and family, that’s how it works! Help me keep myself employed!

And finally…

VARIETY!

It’s easy to stick with something if you never get bored!   How many people can say that there is literally NO monotony,  boredom or repetition in 25 years of work in the same profession? Variety of clients, variety of locations, variety of projects. New challenges all the time! This is the thing that really keeps me at it. Go ahead, surprise me with an unusual idea! The day that my work is no longer interesting, challenging and enjoyable will be the day I am ready to give it all up. I hope that day is a long way off!

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Also read: Celebrating 25 Years! How I got started.