In this episode of The Painter Growth Podcast, Head Coach Jesse is joined by Coach Joel for his first Brush Busters session. Joel isn’t just a coach, he’s actively running a painting company doing over seven figures in revenue. Together, Jesse and Joel answer real letters from painting contractors, sharing insights on sales, hiring, marketing, and building systems that actually work.

Whether you’re trying to book more painting leads, struggling to find reliable painters, or figuring out how to scale past $100K, this episode is packed with strategies you can use right away.

Chris Davis never planned to build a million-dollar painting company. He was just trying to survive the pressure of doing everything himself while keeping jobs moving and clients happy. Most days felt like a firefight, with no time to slow down and no space to think. The business was growing, but it never felt like progress.

That started to change when he stopped trying to be everywhere at once and made the decision to lead instead of react. He got off the tools, started building systems, and began trusting a team instead of carrying the full weight himself. What followed was real momentum. Not overnight success, but steady, disciplined growth that took his company beyond $1.7 million in revenue.

This episode is an inside look at what that transformation actually feels like. It’s about the identity shift that happens when you let go of control, the uncomfortable work of building structure where there used to be chaos, and the clarity that comes when you finally stop playing small and start acting like a real business owner.

If you’re tired of carrying your company on your back and wondering if there’s another way to grow without burning out, this conversation will show you what’s possible when you step into leadership and commit to building something that can last.

Starting or growing your painting business? Got questions? We’ve got answers.

In this episode of Brush Busters, Jesse and Gavin tackle real questions from painting contractors, overing everything from forming an LLC to switching CRMs to figuring out where to focus when you’re just getting started.

Whether you’re launching your business, trying to stay organized, or just feeling overwhelmed by all the platforms and decisions in front of you, this episode brings clarity, direction, and some solid laughs along the way.

💡 In this episode, they answer:

• Should you set up an LLC before you start marketing your painting business?

• How to avoid “platform hopping” and actually commit to a system

• What to focus on when you're wearing all the hats

• Why progress beats perfection in the early stages

• And what tools or systems actually move the needle

If you’ve been searching for:

• "how to start a painting business"

• "best CRM for painting contractors"

• "painting contractor business tips"

• "when to start an LLC for painting company"

• "how to grow a painting company"
  …this episode is packed with real answers and real momentum.

ver feel like you know what to do in your painting business, but still don’t do it?

In this solo episode, Jesse shares raw reflections on mindset, personal growth, and what it really takes to go from ideas to results. After a conversation with Jason Paris (who runs a $15M painting company), Jesse unpacks why so many business owners stay stuck, and what to do about it.

You’ll hear:

• How mindset affects execution

• What high-performing painting business owners focus on

• A simple shift that could unlock your next level

• Real strategies to apply right now, even if you're feeling overwhelmed

This one’s honest, practical, and meant to get you moving, not just thinking.

🎧 This episode was sponsored by Hirebus! Want to stop wasting time on bad hires? Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to book a free strategy session with one of Hirebus top recruiters!

In this episode of Brush Busters, coaches Lucas and Chris tackle real letters from painting business owners and share their no-nonsense solutions.

From Marcus in Calgary dealing with chunky paint batches to strategies for keeping customers happy while holding suppliers accountable, this episode dives deep into the real-world challenges painters face every day.

Whether it’s quality control, client communication, or knowing when to push back on a vendor, Lucas and Chris break down practical steps to turn frustrating problems into opportunities to build trust and improve your business.

This episode is proudly sponsored by⁠⁠ ⁠DripJobs⁠⁠⁠! The CRM built for painting contractors. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use our code GROWTH60 to get a 60 days trial FOR FREE!

What does it take to go from working on the tools to running one of the fastest-growing painting franchises in the country?
In this episode, I sit down with Zach Tanner, founder of Painter Bros and FM Flow, to unpack his journey from an 18-year-old with a paintbrush to leading a company with over 140 territories across the U.S.

We talk about:

• How he scaled from one job site to a national franchise

• The mindset shifts that made rapid growth possible

• The systems he uses to keep quality high while expanding fast

• Why FM Flow might be the next big thing in the industry

Whether you’re on the tools now or already running a crew, Zach’s story will inspire you to think bigger and move faster.

Sign up for FMFlor here, just say you came from the podcast to get the discount 😏: https://fmflow.com/referral-source-pro/

This episode is proudly sponsored by⁠⁠ ⁠DripJobs⁠⁠⁠! The CRM built for painting contractors. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use our code GROWTH60 to get a 60 days trial FOR FREE!

When you’re running a painting business and raising a family, something eventually has to give.

In this episode of Brush Busters, Mike and Kit have a real conversation about what happens when fatherhood enters the picture.

Kit shares how becoming a dad forced him to rethink his schedule, his priorities, and the way he ran his business. Together, they break down how to work fewer hours, lead with clarity, and build a business that doesn’t fall apart without you.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between being a present parent and a committed business owner, this one is worth your time.

What would happen if you left your painting business for two full weeks, with no calls, no emails, no check-ins?

In this solo episode, Mike shares a powerful test every contractor should run: The Two-Week Vacation Test. It’s not just about taking time off. It’s about whether your business actually runs on systems, or just on you.

He breaks down:

• Why letting go is so hard (and so necessary)

• What happens when your team learns to operate without you

• The systems and leadership mindset that allow real growth

• Why freedom is the goal, not just profit

Whether you’re in the field every day or starting to build a team, this episode will challenge how you think about control, growth, and success.

Should you fire your best friend? What if your team ignores your systems? And how do you finally get off the tools without your business falling apart?

In this raw and unfiltered Brush Busters episode, Rich and Andy tackle three real letters from painting business owners navigating some of the toughest leadership challenges in the industry:

• Mario’s friend-turned-employee is slacking off—should he rip the bandaid or save the friendship?

• Daryl’s body is breaking down, but every time he steps back from the brush, the business crashes.

• Sean’s crew is talented, but they won’t follow a single system—and it’s costing him jobs.

You’ll learn the exact conversations to have, how to reset expectations without blowing things up, and how to build systems and teams that don’t fall apart without you.

Whether you’re hiring friends, managing burnout, or struggling with rebellious employees—this episode gives you the scripts, mindset, and strategy to lead like a pro.

🎧 This episode was sponsored by Hirebus! Want to stop wasting time on bad hires? Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to book a free strategy session with one of Hirebus top recruiters!

In this episode, Chase and Jesse pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to be on the customer side of the painting industry. After painting Chase’s own house, inside and out, they got a front-row seat to the exact experience homeowners go through when trying to find, vet, and hire a painting contractor.

And what they found was shocking.

From struggling to find a cabinet painter to evaluating Facebook ads and navigating sketchy follow-ups, this hands-on experience revealed major gaps in the way most painting businesses market themselves, and how much opportunity there is to stand out.

Whether you're trying to book more jobs, improve your Facebook ads, or finally stop relying on word-of-mouth referrals, this episode breaks it all down from a marketing and operations perspective.

You’ll learn:

• Why being “on the tools” limits your ability to grow, and what to do about it

• How to use Facebook ads and automations to attract better leads (even while you’re on the job)

• What most painters are missing when it comes to building trust with homeowners

• Real-world examples of what works (and what doesn’t) in the eyes of actual customers

• How to shift from being a technician to being a business owner with systems and scale in mind

Whether you're just getting started or looking to hit your next $100K, $500K, or $1M milestone, this honest conversation will help you rethink your sales process, your lead generation strategy, and your entire customer experience.

This is the episode every painter needs to hear, because when you finally see your business the way your customers do, everything changes.

🎧 This episode was sponsored by Hirebus! Want to stop wasting time on bad hires? Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠ to book a free strategy session with one of Hirebus top recruiters!