inPAINT Magazine Sep/Oct 2018

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THE MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONALS | SEP/OCT 2018

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Substance use disorders in the workplace Retaining employees Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

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Our expert advice may be our most popular product of all.

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To make sure you get the job done right. So, next time ask Sherwin-Williams.

We’ve always got time to talk. sherwin-williams.com

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WARNING: Limitations apply; MISUSE MAY RESULT IN SICKNESS OR DEATH. See product packaging and insert, or call 3M in U.S.A. at 1-800-243-4630. In Canada, call 1-800-267-4414. © 3M 2018. All rights reserved. 3M and Cool Flow are trademarks of 3M.

CUTTING IN

“Paychecks can’t buy passion.”

—Brad Federman, author, speaker and COO for F&H Solutions Group

T

here’s no question; happy employees make a business thrive. The challenge for business owners is keeping them as employees.

In this issue of inPAINT, we give quite a bit of page space to the topic of employee retention—from what one pro is doing to maintain a steady crew year in and year out (Ask a Pro) to implementing PTO to increase employee satisfaction and loyalty (Bottom Line).

We also take a look at a specific retention challenge that more and more owners are contending with: substance use disorders (SUDs).

SUDs are rampant across the country and, in particular, the trades. Though prevalent, there isn’t much agreement on how to address the issue in the business setting. Many owners follow their first instinct and cut employees loose at the first sign of trouble. However, we found some experts who offer compelling reasons to reconsider that approach (Trend in Focus).

We also covered this topic with insights from pros who are currently dealing with this problem in our August e-Newsletter. Like our print version, the e-News are free. To sign up, visit inPAINTmag.com/subscribe and be sure to choose ‘Both Print and Digital.’

We hope you find it and all the content in this issue useful.

Cheers!

Amanda Haar Amanda Haar Managing Editor, inPAINT

2018 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Ciro Affronti Operations Manager/Field Supervisor, Affronti Property Solutions, LLC

Cliff Hockley President, Principal Broker CCIM, CPM, Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services

Steve Burnett President, DYB Coach

Doug Imhoff Owner, Imhoff Fine Residential Painting

Darylene Dennon Owner, Solid Energy, Inc.

Mike Kelly VP & General Manager, Crestwood Painting Scott Lollar DYB Coach

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inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

Nick Slavik Owner, Nick Slavik Painting & Restoration Co. Art Snarzyk Owner, InnerView Advisors, Inc. Michael Stone President, CertaPro Painters, Ltd.

WE’RE PRO PROS Pros need tools that will help get a better finish.

That’s where we come in.

• Surface preparation & paint application tools • Drywall, plaster & wall repair • Tile removal and application

HYDE GROUP Construction Division hydegrp.com / 800.872.4933 ©2018 Hyde Group All rights reserved.

PUBLISHER Edward McAdams MANAGING EDITOR Amanda Haar DESIGN Carl Bezuidenhout CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Cindy Puskar

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Stephanie Conner Meghann Finn Sepulveda

EDITORIAL amanda@inPAINTmag.com ADVERTISE 602-296-5391 ed@inPAINTmag.com SUBSCRIBE inPAINTmag.com/subscribe inPAINTmag.com

This issue’s contributing experts Kathy Boyd KB Designs Rachael Cooper National Safety Council Roger Coulter RWC Painting & Decorating Shawn Deskins Deskins Painting Service Kathryn Freeman Nolan Consulting Group, Inc, Janice Hartgens UPS Harry Heise Specialty Coating Solutions Aaron Hockel AltaVista Strategic Partners Miron Lulic SuperMoney Jason Lunn 3M

publishing group REM Publishing Group LLC 8924 E Pinnacle Peak Rd Suite G5 #575 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Ryan Moore Moore Painting & Pressure Washing Adam Philhower Paris Painting Josh Quinn Quinn’s Painting Ken Serviss Allied Trades Assistance Program Ryan Toelkes Neighborhood Painting, Inc.

©2018 REM Publishing Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of content in any manner without written permission by the publisher is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed in signed columns and articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Publisher assumes no liability for any damages or loss of any kind that might arise from the use, misuse or inability to use the materials or information contained in this publication. All material and information appearing in this publication is distributed and transmitted ‘as is,’ without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, and is subject to the terms and conditions stated in this disclaimer.

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inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

Gina Tumbarello Koert Shamrock Painting, Inc. Amy Woolf Amy Woolf Color Consulting

CONTRACTOR ROUNDTABLES Contractor-to-Contractor.

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Paint ED is PDCA’s Education Center to train painting contractors across the globe. Educational resources include Podcasts, Ask-a-Peer Networks, Contractor Roundtable Discussions, Accreditation, In-depth Training videos, and much more!

See everything PDCA has to offer from member-exclusive content to FREE contractor resources at PDCA.org/PaintED

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Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

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inPAINT® Sep/Oct 2018

CONTENTS FEATURES

Harnessing the Power of Color

18

The Google Evolution

22

Pro Picks

26

Streamlining the colorselection process

Pros talk brushes and rollers

The inPAINT Interview

Commercial painter

26 DEPARTMENTS

30

10 The News Industry ins and outs

32 Tools of the Trade What’s in today’s professional toolbox?

14 Trends A fast look at the forces at work in our industry

34 Teach to Fish How are masks and respirators different, and when should I use which?

15 Trend in Focus The high cost of substance use disorders in the workplace 16 Ask a Pro How do you build employee satisfaction and loyalty?

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inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

Photo Courtesy of Zibra

and what it means for painters today

36 Upcoming Events The what, where and when of the industry’s leading events 39 Bottom Line Increasing employee retention through PTO

SUBSCRIBE Painting Contractors | Remodelers | General Contractors Property Managers | Architects | Designers

inPAINT inPAINT OUR 2018 SURVEY RESULTS ARE IN! T inPAINT COATINGS inPAIN EXTERIOR ®

TH E MA GA ZIN E FO R PRO FES SIO NA LS | MAY 201 8

TH E MA GA ZIN E FO R PR OF ES SIO NA

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LS | JU NE 201 8

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TH E

FO R PR OF MA GA ZIN E

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2018

COLOR TRWEHATN’SDNEWS, WHAT’S NEXT

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Pros talk marketing tools levant?

Is ‘green’ still re ifts for Must-do mind sh future ble ta ofi pr re mo a

| DE C

18 2017/JA N 20

INS IDE :

The inPAINT Product Guide Coatings & Applicators

NA LS FOR PRO FES SIO TH E MA GA ZIN E

UPDATE:

NEW AND IMPROVED PRODUCTS FOR PROS

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APR IL 2018

The brands pr trust most os

PREP MISTAKES

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Rewarding referrals

AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Pros talk deck coatings

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The realities of #DeleteFacebook May 2018 | inPAIN T

Managing overspray 1

Pros talk work vehicles Business financing options

IT’S FREE!

inPAINTmag.com/subscribe

Pros on their go-to

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primers

How brush manufac tur are meeting your ne ers eds June 2018 | inPAINT

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THE NEWS

There’s foot traffic, and then there’s foot traffic

T Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo sees more than its fair share of human foot traffic throughout the year. But the foot traffic that really takes a toll is that of the zoo animals—think alligators, lions, otters, tigers, sloths, flamingos, and more—that regularly pass through the halls of the animal hospital for treatment or to use one of two rehabilitation pools.

Earlier this year, the zoo reached out to Specialty Coating Solutions (SCS), which specializes in zoo, aquarium and industrial applications, regarding recoating floors in five rehabilitation rooms, the tile in the animal hospital hallway and storage room, and the marine coatings used on two rehabilitation pools.

According to SCS founder Harry Heise, a site visit revealed that high moisture levels contributed to numerous floor coating issues including delamination, cracking, chipping and peeling. To get to the bottom of the problem, he hired Special Testing Laboratories, Inc. to install relative humidity probes then, based on the data collected, he decided to spec special moisture vapor transmission (MVT) primers to prevent future issues.

Working with Triad Concrete Restore & Decor out of Burlington, NC, SCS removed and profiled all the existing flooring. Wolverine Coatings Corporation provided the specialized MVT primer BondTite 1503 for the rehab rooms then ‘soft floor’ applications were applied. The rehab pools were primed with Wolverine Coatings BondTite 1101 then coated twice with LiquaTile 1187, a cycloaliphatic epoxy. And General Polymers FasTop Primer was applied in the hallways and storage room, then a double layer granite broadcast of the company’s 3746 plus a clear-coat finish of the same product were used.

Even with the numerous coatings and required cure times, the project was completed in only eight days and the beasts of Beardsley Zoo once again had access to their rehab pools and hospital. SCS-US.com 10

inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

The tape measure has met its match: the Bosch BLAZE Pro laser measure T ‘Pew! Pew! Pew-pew-pew!’ Take that tape measures. The Bosch BLAZE Pro has taken measuring high

tech. With a range of 165' and accuracy up to ±1/16," the point-and-shoot laser device captures square footage and delivers real-time measurements, plus area and volume, in seconds. Features include addition/subtraction functionality; an easy-to-read backlit display for low-light or no-light conditions; and rugged construction designed to withstand rainy or dusty jobsite conditions.

Other significant advantages over considerably heavier traditional tape measures are that it weighs a mere 6.24 ounces and features a 10-measurement storage capability. Try scribbling that detail down on your old metal measurer.

Available at Amazon.com, AcmeTools.com and Grainger.com, as well as select retail stores including The Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Connect your customers to instant financing with SuperMoney TOne of the fastest-growing financial technology companies in the U.S., SuperMoney recently launched a program that allows contractors to connect their customers to financing.

SuperMoney’s no-fee financing platform takes customers only minutes to set up and requires no effort on the contractors’ part beyond sharing a customized link to

a co-branded web page, which is set up and maintained

by SuperMoney. From there, customers can explore their options for receiving financing in amounts ranging from $100 to $100,000. They choose the deal they want, then the contractor is notified once funding is approved so that work can be scheduled to begin.

According to founder and CEO Miron Lulic, SuperMoney offers a significant competitive advantage to contractors who often end up paying exorbitant fees just to offer financing. “SuperMoney drives sales by offering their customers instant loan preapprovals at no extra cost to the contractor,” says Lulic. “Plus, helping your customers secure financing means you can get paid up front and let our lending partners worry about collecting payment.”

SuperMoney.com

Match real-world colors real easy T Throw pillows, paintings, appliances, handbags, even lawn ornaments. Color inspiration

You say potato, they say film former

can be found in all kinds of places. And thanks to the factory-calibrated Nix Mini Color Sensor, matching them just got a whole lot easier.

Measuring just 1.5" x 1" (think smaller than a ping-pong ball), the Nix Mini can provide an accurate reading of virtually any surface—wood, fabric, vinyl, leather and more—and match it to a color library featuring more than 31,000 brand-name paint colors. Compatible with smartphones SPECIAL OFFER FOR and tablets, it weighs a mere 0.6 ounces and fits nicely READERS OF inPAINT on a keychain or in your pocket.

For a limited time, readers of With the Nix Mini, users can easily build out their inPAINT magazine can get 10% off paint projects by saving colors into folders, which they their purchase when they enter can then share with their customers or even send to a ‘inpaint’ as the coupon code when paint retailer to place their order in advance. purchasing through NixMini.com Available at: NixMini.com, NixSensor.com, Amazon.com and NixSensor.com

T In the quest to create more sustainable, environmentally friendly coating products, one organization has turned to tubers. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam, Germany has been experimenting with using modified potato starch as the main component of water-based dispersion coatings. Early experiments focused on applications on glass and aluminum have offered very promising results in terms of film forming and adhesion. Encouraged by the results, researchers are testing the coating on steel and galvanized steel with an eye toward seeing how it resists corrosion, as they believe modified potato starch has the potential to eventually replace petroleum-based film formers. Fraunhofer.de

Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

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THE NEWS

Turning pollution into paint T For years, the Appalachian village of Corning, OH has dealt with the fallout of roughly one million gallons of polluted water leaking from abandon coal mines in the area. The iron oxide-laced water turns streams bright orange and kills aquatic life. But a new pollutionsucking plant near Corning is not only cleaning the water, it is also capturing the iron oxide and turning it into pigment for paint.

Initially conceived by Guy Riefler, a civil engineer professor at Ohio University, a streamside plant filters the water to the point that it’s clean enough to safely enter the stream and, in the process, captures the iron oxide and converts it to a dry, powdery pigment.

Initially orange in color, the pigment turns deep red when heated to a certain temperature and, with further heating, turns violet.

While the pilot plant only processes a fraction of the polluted water spewing from the mine, the intention is to build a full-scale facility that could intercept 100% of the pollution and create up to 2,000 pounds of pigment a day.

Currently, oil paint manufacturer Gamblin Artists Colors of Portland, OR is selling paint produced from the harvested pigment. According to Riefler, the goal is for the sale of the paint to fund the building of the larger plant and its employees—and the ultimate cleanup of the stream. GamblinColors.com

DUR-A-FLEX INTRODUCES RESILIENT WALL SYSTEM FOR HIGH-DEMAND AREAS T Yes, everyone wants a paint that cleans easily but for some spaces—think operating rooms, ERs, clean rooms, labs, patient rooms, and animal holding areas—it’s an absolute requirement.

It was specifically with these constantly sanitized areas in mind that DUR-A-FLEX, Inc. developed DUR-A-WALL HP; a three-step, two-part wall coating system.

Starting with a urethane-modified acrylic latex primer (DUR-A-WALL HP GRIPPER PRIMER or DUR-A-WALL BLOCK FILLER) followed by two coats of a pigmented, low-odor urethane formulation (DUR-A-WALL HP TOPCOAT), the system rolls easily over concrete, wood, drywall, cement board, or block for outstanding chemical and moisture resistance.

Two additional systems—DUR-A-WALL HP Plus and DUR-A-WALL HPF—offer other benefits. DUR-A-WALL HP Plus features a two-component epoxy build for rough surfaces while DUR-A-WALL HPF includes an integrated fiberglass mat for added strength over Sheetrock wall applications. Dur-a-flex.com

HomeKeepr puts word of mouth to work for pros T There are lots of online service sites but none that rely on genuine word of mouth. Until now.

Launched in 2015, HomeKeepr features actual referrals from 125,000 (and growing) real estate agents across the U.S. A custom-branded app that agents can add to their own site, HomeKeepr provides new homeowners with access to service pros their agent knows personally and recommends. Agents have complete control over which pros make the cut and there’s zero opportunity for fake reviews to sneak their way in.

Pros interested in being included in agent listings should contact their local real estate agents to learn if they use HomeKeepr. If an agent likes your work, you’ll receive an invitation to create a profile, which can include a company descriptor, service overview, photos and videos. Alternatively, you can create a profile at HomeKeepr.com that will be synced with agents in your service area. Interested agents can then add you to their portfolio of preferred service providers.

HomeKeepr.com

The latest paint additive: insecticide T Earlier this year, the Kansai Paint Group of Japan received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its Kansai Anti-Mosquito Paint. Designed for interior use, the coating contains a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, which has been shown to significantly reduce the presence of mosquitos in painted areas. The active ingredient disables the nervous systems of mosquitos through contact and prevents them from flying and biting. The ingredient has not shown to be dangerous for humans, either by physical contact or oral ingestion.

According to Kalpana Abe, VP, President’s Office at Kansai Paint Group, testing has shown the paint was able to exterminate on contact more than 90% of mosquitoes and is effective for at least two years. Kansai.com 12

inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

QUALITY MEETS CONVENIENCE

GET THE HIGHEST QUALITY PAINTS AT THE LOWEST PRICES UP TO 20% SAVINGS THROUGH PRO XTRA PROGRAM

DEDICATED FIELD SUPPORT

A LIFETIME OF COLOR HISTORY BY JOB

© 2018 Home Depot Product Authority, LLC. All rights reserved.

Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

13

TRENDS

Recovery is good for business

New home, new improvements

According to the National Safety Council, providing resources to assist workers with substance use disorders (SUDs) is a good investment.

83% of recent home buyers made improvements to their new home. Here’s what they did:

37%

Kitchen

32% 31% 30% 27%

Bathroom Landscaping/Cement Den, Family or Living Room Bedroom SOURCE: HIRI Recent Home Buyer Study 2016

1,626

$

in turnover & replacement costs

+

Color ‘Cravings’ for 2019 PANTONE has developed eight color palettes they believe will be trending in 2019. One palette called ‘Cravings’ is meant to tempt the eye. Here’s how five paint manufacturers represent a few of the tantalizing hues.

Workers in recovery help employers avoid

Workers in recovery miss

5 DAYS

Borscht SW 7578 Sherwin-Williams

Santa Fe Sunrise DET468 Dunn-Edwards

Coffee Beans N150-6 Behr

Candy Apple PPG13-10 PPG Paints

Post Office Red BS0006 Fine Paints of Europe

LESS WORK

PER YEAR than workers with an SUD SOURCE: NSC.org

How framing lumber prices are shaping up A comparison of the first seven months of the year, $559 $564 $520 $502 $496 $498 per 1,000 board feet: $453

Ahead of

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES

According to a recent survey by The Home Depot, the motivation behind 50% of home improvement projects undertaken by millennials is to outshine their neighbors.

SOURCE: RLPI.com, Random Lengths 14

inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul

SOURCE: ir.homedepot.com/news-releases/2018

TREND IN FOCUS

The High Cost of Substance Abuse in the Workplace

D

ealing with substance abuse in the workplace is one of the toughest challenges any business owner can face. Fraught with personal and emotional issues and very real economic impact, substance use disorders (SUDs) are incredibly sad and difficult to handle.

Hard facts, harsher realities Collectively, tobacco, alcohol, prescription opioids, and illicit drug use cost the U.S. more than $740 billion annually due to lost productivity, health care and crime.

And then there’s the unfathomable price paid by those who lose their lives to addiction—one in 10 deaths among working adults in the U.S. is alcohol-related and there are nearly 100 deaths daily from opioids.

The figures are alarming and the reality for those in the trades is even starker. Between 2008 and 2012 the construction industry ranked second among all industries for SUDs, with 15% of workers affected, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Think about that. What does 15% of your workforce look like?

Policies, treatment and recovery in the workplace While it may be impossible to prevent an employee from succumbing to addiction or to recognize that they have an SUD, there are steps employers can take to both protect their business and still lend support to employees.

Rachael Cooper, senior program manager for Substance Use Harm Prevention at the National Safety Council, notes that a clearly defined policy related to substance use benefits both owners and employees.

“Employees often think policies only benefit the company but a well-crafted policy can work for both,” says Cooper. “A policy needs to be free of any ambiguity in terms of what’s expected and what the outcomes will be, but recognizes that treatment—as well as recovery— for an SUD can take many forms, and it typically doesn’t conform to a universal time line. But it can also define the ways in which a company will support an individual facing an issue. Ideally, a policy is shared with each employee upon hiring so that if they get into trouble, they can ask for help without fear of being fired, and they know that the company will connect them with an employee assistance program (EAP) or other resource.”

She adds, “The key is making sure employees understand that if you, the employer, have to bring the issue to them, their options for continuing employment may be limited. Help is available, but the employee has to ask for it.”

Cooper advises businesses without policies to put one in place. “When introducing a policy to existing employees, you want to cover the same points (it’s better if you come forward before I do), and provide a time line for implementation. If you say, ‘this goes into effect in 30 days,’ that gives people time to raise their hand for help.”

Back from the brink While many business owners are quick to let employees go at the first offense, Ken Serviss, executive director of the Allied Trades Assistance Program, which provides EAPs to building trades members, thinks that’s a mistake. Serviss says, “The reality for contractors is that if you don’t offer assistance with rehabilitation, you won’t have a workforce.” Serviss also cites the financial sense of employee SOURCE: SAMHSA assistance, “Say that over several years you’ve invested $200,000 in salary and training in an employee prior to an SUD arising. Doesn’t it make sense to spend a little To find resources in your area, more on treatment than to simply toss them—and that contact your local health investment—aside? If they’re successful, you’ll get your department. In addition, the investment back many times over and you’ll get an National Safety Council offers a employee who feels valued and appreciated.” free Prescription Drug Employer Kit Transportation giant UPS is one company that (safety.nsc.org/rxemployerkit), has wholeheartedly embraced supporting employees which includes tips and advice on dealing with SUDs—and with good reason. According everything from drug testing and Janice Hartgens, director of global occupational health polices to structuring benefits and calculating the cost of SUDs. and wellness for the shipping company, “Eighty percent of employees who enter the company’s EAP successfully return to work.” Hartgens adds that To learn how two owners, the company works hard to make sure employees one in recovery himself, appreciate that the program, which includes random are tackling this issue in follow-up drug testing, is not a ‘gotcha’ program’ but the workplace, read inPAINT's rather, one that ensures the safety and overall wellAugust eNewsletter. If being of employees and customers at every level. you aren’t receiving our free monthly eNewletters, subscribe at: Providing paths to success inPAINTmag.com/subscribe While not every company offers an EAP, there are resources available to all. Cooper advises, “Employers should be aware of their local resources and direct employees to them. If you have managers, they should also be familiar with the resources, as well as with recognizing the signs of substance use.”

In a comparison of industries, construction ranks 2nd for rates of heavy alcohol consumption, 4th for rates of illicit drug use, and 2nd for the percentage of employees who report suffering from an SUD.

Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

15

ASK A PRO CUTTING IN

Q:

How do you build employee satisfaction and loyalty?

A:

RYAN TOELKES is the owner of Neighborhood Painting, Inc., an award-winning residential and commercial painting company in Kansas City, KS. Toelkes founded his company in 2002, as a young entrepreneur of 21 years.

KCNeighborhoodPainting.com

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inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

I think the most important thing we do that contributes to the long-term happiness and tenure of our employees is to maintain a steady, consistent workload all year.

It doesn’t sound that exciting or interesting and it actually takes a lot of planning and effort. But, in a business where seasonality can take a toll, I find it’s really important to give my crew members the security of knowing they’re going to have hours.

Sometimes we get creative and I pay my crews to do work on my house and property when I don’t have other projects. It sounds a little crazy but I’ve been in business for 16 years and I’ve never had to lay anybody off. The average tenure of our employees is around six years.

Another thing we do that I think contributes to retention is build a positive company culture. It is basically required practice that everyone values the contributions others are making to get every job done.

That means the carpenters appreciate the painters, the painters appreciate the admin folks, and around and around and around. Nobody is more important than anybody else. It creates a real team spirit and it’s something that we make sure new crew members understand and value.

Something we do that is different from many other paint companies is hire specialists. That is, we have dedicated carpenters and dedicated painters. We let the guys focus on the thing they enjoy doing and do well. The truth is, we all know what we’re good at and it’s never great to be asked to do something that we’re

not that comfortable with. There’s not a lot of pride that comes from doing a job just okay. With this approach, we not only get better-quality work, we also have higher levels of employee satisfaction.

Now that’s not to say we don’t lose people. Sometimes they make family moves, sometimes they go out on their own. It doesn’t happen a lot, but it happens. The thing I do to prepare for that is to always be looking for talent.

And I pull all employees into the effort.

… I’ve been in business for 16 years and I’ve never had to lay anybody off.

The average tenure of our employees is around six years.

We have a great reputation in our area. In our monthly meetings I’ll remind the team that our reputation is great because our team is great. Then I ask, “wouldn’t you like to choose who else should join this team?” This gets them really thinking about people they know and would want to work with. Yes, they get a bonus if the person stays on six months but, honestly, I think they’re more concerned about how that person’s presence impacts their reputation with the rest of the team.

Right now I’m working on a new employee bonus program. We presently offer some production incentives—basically crew leaders get a small percentage of the job based on quality and getting work done on time. I’m aiming to create a team-wide bonus opportunity that helps reinforce the idea that everyone contributes and everyone matters.

every smile

comes from a place of safety and security that only a home can bring.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better life.

Donate or volunteer at habitat.org.

Harnessing the Power of Color Using the color-selection process to streamline projects and improve customer satisfaction

By Amy Woolf

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inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

W

hat sets you apart as a painting contractor is your skilled application, excellent customer service, and business acumen.

But at the end of the day, if your customer is not happy with the color they have chosen, it reflects poorly on the job as a whole and may inhibit them from moving forward with the next painting project. We all know that keeping an existing customer takes significantly less work than landing a new one, so it’s always in our best interest to make sure that every facet of the job goes smoothly—including the colorselection process.

Thoughtful color considerations Perhaps the most important pathway to successful color selection is not rushing the process. Giving your customer the opportunity to consider a handful of colors in various lighting conditions and at different times throughout the day will allow them to become comfortable with new colors, especially if they have been living with Linen White and are shifting to more colorful walls. Last-minute decisions can sometimes be successful, but they may leave them with a sense of selfdoubt, wondering whether they should have dedicated more time and energy to the process.

When my clients are evaluating colors, I suggest they look at color swatches against something that stays rather than taped against the existing wall color. This might mean leaning samples up against a sofa to see how the color relates to the fabric. For an exterior, I will often ask them to tape sample chips to a window rather than against the surface to be painted. Looking at a new color against the current paint color sets up a color

relationship that will never happen, so it’s better to look at new colors apart from the current ones.

Most of the major paint manufacturers provide large sample chips to professionals and I order them for every client after every consult even if they say they’re happy with my suggestions and feel ready to move forward.

I also suggest that they do as much sampling as they feel is necessary to ensure their own comfort. In other words, I ask them to engage in the process and take responsibility for their selection. Most of my clients go from paper samples right to paint, however for those who tend to be more anxious, I suggest they buy actual paint and test a color to be sure. You may want to add this service (painting up samples for clients) but be sure to build the extra time and expense in to your quotes.

The color-light connection In the past five years, we have seen more changes to the world of lighting and light bulbs than we have for the past five decades! With so many options and so much confusion, it is helpful to discuss lighting with your customers because, as we all know, color is reflected light.

Sometimes, a simple change of a light bulb can save a color, before or after a job. I had a client who hated her mint-green stairway walls, and we simply replaced the CFL bulb with one with a warmer color temperature. We moved on to select colors for the rest of the house, but she was relieved not to have to include the cost of the stairway walls in the project, and my advice built trust that I wasn’t just changing colors for the sake of it. Most homeowners are not familiar with the new labeling guidelines for light bulbs—including Lumens, Color Temperature and Color Rendering Index—so it pays to be familiar with this terminology and ready to educate them for the best color outcome.

Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

19

Too many options can lead to color paralysis.

When customers are struggling, lean on color collections to streamline the process, such as this one from Farrow & Ball.

Looking at a new color against the current paint color sets up a color relationship that will never happen, so it’s better to look at new colors apart from the current ones.

Planning (and pricing) for the color-challenged

AMY WOOLF consults with residential clients on both interiors and exteriors, and on commercial projects including restaurants, retail and corporate workplaces, helping clients through the complexity of the color-selection process.

She works on-site in New England, as well as virtually with clients across the U.S. and in the UK. She is a five-year winner of the Best of Houzz Service Award.

AWColor.com

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Another in-home assessment that is critical to the success of a job, both for color selection and mechanics of application, is determining how particular a customer is. You have probably developed a sense over the years about which want your finest work and which prefer a less-exacting job in exchange for a better price or faster turnaround. Learning to determine which customers are color-challenged can be equally important.

Sometimes the signs are obvious—think of the customer who has 15 color chips in hand when you come to quote painting one room. Other times, it’s less obvious. Those are the ones that can be costly, as you may potentially end up wasting valuable time or delaying a project while they sort out color choices. One approach is to ask at the time of the quote if they have decided on color and, if not, what their previous color-selection experiences were like. Based on their response, you can either build in additional time to offer your own color advice or, for the most difficult-appearing customers, refer them to a full-time professional color consultant.

A growing number of painting contractors now offer color consulting as part of their bids, either having someone on staff who is trained in color, or adding in a few hours for an independent color consultant to their quote. These painters tell me that this value-added service helps set them apart from their competition and helps them more reliably close sales. Their customers also report greater satisfaction, having had help with the decision-making process, which is daunting for most.

If you do decide to offer color consulting services, it makes sense to get some training, or at least read up on color, so that you have some useful vocabulary for discussing the subject with your customers. As a professional painter having worked with color for years, you likely have an innate sense of how color functions.

But, communicating those ideas to a homeowner who just doesn’t think about color all that often and doesn’t

have the vocabulary to discuss color is quite a different skill set. Good color advice is partly knowing how colors play together and partly knowing how to convey that information in a way a customer can understand and, ultimately, feel empowered in their choices.

Another approach to reining in the color-selection process is using a limited palette of colors. Examples include The Williamsburg Paint Color Collection from Benjamin Moore, the Sherwin-Williams Concepts in Color collection, and the tightly edited collection of 132 colors from Farrow & Ball. Especially for beginners in color, having a narrower range of colors to work with can streamline the process. Some color consultants develop their own set of favorite colors and draw on them for all of their consults. Obviously, it is better to have the full range of thousands of colors to choose from, but only after developing some deeper expertise.

The lasting impact of color done right Color is commonly considered the very best return on investment for the decorating budget. Paint can transform a room for hundreds of dollars, whereas furniture costs thousands. There is an opportunity to help your customer make the most of their investment in your services by ensuring they are happy with their selections. They will live with your work, surrounded by the colors they chose, for years to come. They will either remember the experience positively and feel happy about their surroundings or feel regret that they could have done better and, ultimately, wonder whether they want to go through the process again any time soon. Any lingering negative feelings have the potential to lower your chance for repeat business.

So, the choice is yours … you can side-step the power of color and its ability to transform your business.

Or, set yourself apart and close more sales by growing your color skills and providing professional color assistance—and leave a trail of raving customers who love their color choices as well as your work. -

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CUTTING IN

Google’s Evolution and Benefit to Painting Contractors Today Since the official incorporation of Google 20 years ago, it has revolutionized the way consumers find and hire contractors—including painters. And in fact, it would be hard to argue that anything has ever changed how contractors market their services like Google has.

Like any product growing from infancy to its 20th birthday, Google has changed dramatically. Gone are the company’s earliest iterations, which featured numbered search results and did not include ads or images.

T

oday, Google has grown to control approximately 90% of every online search. This includes its search engine, YouTube, Google Maps and affiliate partners. As a result of its market share, Google has created four distinct paid marketing opportunities painting contractors can take advantage of.

Here’s a breakdown of each:

1

Video Advertising on YouTube

Painters not using video ads are missing a huge marketing opportunity. Google video ads are powered

by YouTube and typically appear as ‘commercials’ before a main video starts and, in some cases, they can also appear during the middle of a very long video. If you have watched videos on YouTube, you have likely clicked ‘Skip Ad’ to bypass these commercials.

What most painting contractors do not know is that YouTube video ads are incredibly affordable. The typical cost is around $0.25—and the advertiser only pays when their entire ad is viewed. When a user clicks ‘Skip Ad’ it costs $0.00, but they still have to watch the first five or so seconds, and while the best case scenario is for them to view the entire ad, that short exposure still created some free brand exposure.

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Even better, YouTube ads can be highly targeted based on location, income, sex, age and interests. For example, a painter can pay just $0.25 to show their ad to a local homeowner in the top 10% of income earners. Compared to traditional TV advertising, YouTube offers better targeting, guaranteed branding, and painters only pay if their ad is viewed in its entirely at a fraction of the cost.

Plus, video ads can be retargeted to your website traffic, further increasing the impact they can have on your future business.

2

Google My Business

Launched in 2005, Google Maps initially focused on helping users find local businesses. Today, it has its own mobile app that works as a search engine and provides GPS-based directions. Then nine years after its launch, Google My Business debuted. This platform was built to help businesses provide more information about their services. Today, it includes business information, ratings, reviews, and a host of other features. Information from Google My Business is relied on heavily to power the Google Maps search results. Combined, these platforms helped create the need for painters to develop a local search marketing strategy.

With Google’s location-based search results becoming the norm, Google Maps results appear prominently for most searches, directly under the paid search results and before the organic search results. The Google Maps results typically feature three unpaid listings for searched businesses, plus one paid ad. This is yet another opportunity for painters to use paid ads on Google to appear above the organic results. (We cover this later in this article.)

Painters can boost their Google Maps ranking by doing a few things, which are all entirely free. First and foremost, set up and verify your Google My Business listing. This makes your painting business more legitimate in Google’s eyes and increases your chances of appearing in the Google Maps results. Also, post photos on your listing that show off what you do. According to Google, businesses that add photos to their listings receive 42% more requests for driving directions on Google Maps and 35% more clicks through to their websites than businesses that don’t. Next, ask customers to post authentic reviews on your Google My Business listing on a consistent basis.

3

Paid Search Marketing

While it seems hard to believe, for the first two years of its existence, Google did not have keyword-based (pre-selected terms) ads. In fact, its founders initially wanted the search engine to have no ads at all. All of that changed two years after the company launched, and in 2017 Google made $95 billion in revenue from paid advertising.

Known as Pay-Per-Click, PPC, or AdWords, paid search has been around in various forms since 2000 and some of you may have experimented with this form of advertising. If you’ve been disappointed in your results, evaluate the expertise of the person running your ad campaign. Paid search can be very effective when done correctly, but it is not a DIY project as there are myriad options and variables that take an expert to stay on top of.

Today, paid search results typically occupy the top four slots on Google after someone searches, followed by three additional slots at the bottom of the page. Advertisers’ ads are triggered when users search for keywords. While the fundamental principal has remained the same over the years, new features continue to make it the premier Google marketing opportunity for advertisers, including painters. The best of these features is a top-of-page bid strategy, which guarantees their ads appear above both the organic and Google Map results. Want your painting business to appear at the very top of a Google search? This is how you do it.

Paid search is a crucial part of marketing on Google today due to the transactional nature of searches. When a user searches ‘house painter near me,’ it is because they are looking to contact

Google video ads are a huge marketing opportunity for painting contractors. Powered

by YouTube, they will typically appear as ‘commercials’ before a main video starts.

I joined Summit in 2009. Since then, our revenue has grown over 400% and I have a solid team around me.

Summit is, by far, the best money I’ve invested in my business.

- Sean Kennedy, Owner Kennedy Painting St. Louis

Find out how other painting contractors are growing their business & profits with Summit.

• Personal Coaching • Peer Groups • Hiring Help • Sales Training • Build Systems • Crew Training and much more...

For more information, contact us at

summitservicesinc.com or (610) 449-0960

Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

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Paid search marketing: Very few marketing channels position painters so close to consumers when transactional intent is at its highest.

a house painter at that moment in time. Very few marketing channels position painters so close to consumers when transactional intent is at its highest.

4

AARON HOCKEL is the VP of Digital Marketing at AltaVista Strategic Partners, an agency that specializes in marketing commercial and residential painting businesses. He also leads online marketing workshops at the PDCA Expo and is a regular guest on their paintED podcast series. Aaron can be reached at aaron@altavistasp.com

Display Advertising on the Google Display Network

Display ads appear everywhere online from mobile browsers and apps to desktop browsers on laptops— appearing above, next to, and inside content. Digital ads are normally image-based and sometimes include a call to action such as ‘Learn More’ or ‘Free Quote,’ however text-based display ads, powered mainly by Google, have become more common in recent years.

Despite being the oldest form of online advertising, even predating Google, display ads still have a meaningful place in a painting contractor’s Google marketing strategy today. Here’s an approach painters can use today: Display ads can be used to retarget website traffic.

Retargeting is a very simple concept. Here’s an example of how it works: After you visit the Sherwin-Williams website, you begin seeing ads for Sherwin-Williams on other websites you visit. That’s because Google views every website visitor that does not contact that business as essentially a ‘window shopper,’ and it uses retargeting to keep their brand and logo in front of its window shoppers until they are ready to make contact.

In terms of display ads, retargeting is the most impactful use for painters with a limited advertising budget. Google helps make this possible by allowing you to spend as little as $1 per day on retargeting.

Understanding Google Advertising Costs Most ads on Google run on a cost-per-click basis. For paid search and Google Maps ads, the cost can range from $5.00 to $20.00, and even more than $40.00 in 24

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major U.S. markets. Advertisers have control over what they are willing to pay for each click. Clicks on paid search ads are expensive because of the high transactional intent of searches on Google.

Display ads also run on a cost-per-click model, but at significantly lower prices. The typical cost ranges from $0.05 to $0.15. Unfortunately, clicks on display ads have much lower transactional intent, but one benefit is that your budget can be as low as $1.00 per day, making advertising with Google an option for any painting business.

Video ads operate on a cost-per-view system. Every time someone watches an ad for at least 15 seconds, that advertiser gets charged by Google; you can expect to pay between $0.25 and $0.35 per completed view.

Launching a Google Marketing Campaign With so many options, marketing on Google can be intimidating. Further complicating matters are the variable expenses involved. While it is not impossible to do your Google marketing, it is incredibly challenging.

Thankfully, there are resources in place for painting contractors to find certified Google partners to assist with their Google marketing campaigns. Simply search ‘Find a Google Partner’ on Google to access the directory of consultants and agencies who meet Google’s testing and performance-based standards.

Here, you can review specific credentials an agency or consultant holds to help you choose an expert in search, display or video advertising.

Given that Google’s role in how consumers find and contact contractors in not likely to change dramatically in the foreseeable future, it’s imperative that you, the contractor, have a concrete Google marketing strategy. -

PRO PICKS

6 pros share their favorite brushes and rollers

OUR PROS

1 2 3 4 5 6

JOSH QUINN Quinn’s Painting (570) 730-9669 ADAM PHILHOWER Paris Painting Paris-Painting.com KATHY BOYD KB Designs KBDesigns.biz ROGER COULTER RWC Painting & Decorating RWC-Interiors.com RYAN MOORE Moore Painting & Pressure Washing MoorePaintingandPressureWashing.com SHAWN DESKINS Deskins Painting Service (843) 990-2157

You know having the right paint for the job is essential and that your prep work is critical. But application tools matter too. Your brushes and rollers help you produce beautiful work and can impact the time you spend on a project. So we asked six pros about their favorites.

1

JOSH QUINN

As the owner of Quinn’s Painting in northeastern PA, Josh Quinn has one favorite line of brushes for most jobs— Purdy Chinex brushes, which are designed for use with oil-based paints, solid stains, and textured paints and compounds, as well as water-based primers/sealers and urethanes. He and his team like the Dale and Glide brushes for trim and the Swan for walls.

“It seems like they maintain their sharp edge a lot longer than other brushes,” he says. “Some brushes fan out after four or five washes, but these last us up to six to eight months.”

When it’s time for a roller, he likes the Whizz Maximus Polyamide roller cover (1/2" nap for walls, 3/4" nap for ceilings). “The Whizz is similar to the Purdy Colossus,” he notes. “It’s something you can use two to three times then get rid of it—and it’s not going to cost you a lot of money. I’m pretty pro-Purdy, but these are just as good as Purdy. And every dollar matters.”

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2

ADAM PHILHOWER

In painting for more than 20 years, Adam Philhower, lead painter for Paris Painting in Minneapolis, tackles mostly residential work with a smattering of commercial jobs.

His favorite brushes for both interior and exterior projects are the Purdy Pro-Extra brush line. “They clean up well, and the bristles don’t get short fast,” he says. “I like to have a brush that holds a lot of paint, but I also like to have a good point on it. These really hold a lot of paint, and you can cut nice lines with them too.”

He also likes a Purdy Chinex brush, particularly for interior enamels. “It holds a lot more paint, but it doesn’t drip all over the place,” he says. “And it doesn’t leave a lot of brush marks.”

Currently, he uses Purdy Ultra Finish roller covers, which, he says have a nice nap and leave a beautiful smooth finish. “I like that you can take one out of the bag and start rolling,” he says. “It holds a lot of paint, yet releases it really well. And they clean up really well too.”

MIGHTY

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CLEAN POWER FOR EVERY JOB

The Zibra Chiseled Wedge offers a smooth application and more coverage with less drips.

3

KATHY BOYD

The owner of KB Designs in Duluth, MN and founder of the inspirational ArtFusion Event and Faux Retreat, Kathy Boyd loves the way Zibra brushes fit in her hand.

“They’re great,” she says. “I find they have a smooth application, and they hold paint very well.” Her favorite is the 2" Chiseled Wedge, but the Square and Triangle brushes have a place in her collection as well for detail and touch-up work.

“No other brushes have the angles Zibra does,” she adds.

Boyd, who specializes in decorative finishes and restoration work, has used her Zibra brushes with an array of materials including acrylics, chalk paints and metallics.

You can also find her painting with Earth Tones brushes (a Sherwin-Williams brand), which are made from recyclable and renewable materials.

And when a roller is called for, you can bet on Boyd using her Shur-Line Twist-N-Reach Extendable Roller Frame, which lets her navigate spaces with ease.

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4

ROGER COULTER

Owner of RWC Painting & Decorating outside of Chicago, Roger Coulter says the Proform Picasso 2-1/2" Oval Angled brush is his team’s go-to.

“What we like about it is how much paint it picks up and releases and how sharp of a line it cuts,” he says. “They last about five to eight jobs, but the efficiency pays for the replacement of those brushes. We’ve been using that brush type for three years, and we’ve experienced dramatic productivity increases.” Other brushes, he says, might last longer, but don’t retain the pickup and release.

His favorite roller cover is the ArroWorthy Microfiber with a 9/16" nap.

The walls he works with tend to have a smooth finish. “So, we can’t have any shedding,” he says. “There’s no lint off those roller covers, plus they have extremely great paint pickup and absorption, and they release a lot of paint.”

A synthetic-blend brush, the Wooster ALPHA holds more paint for increased production.

6 SHAWN DESKINS

The owner of Deskins Painting Service near Charleston, SC, Shawn Deskins has two go-to brushes for all of his jobs. He likes Purdy Clearcut Elite brushes for their durability, and for higher-end projects, he turns to the Wooster ALPHA, a synthetic-blend brush. “It holds more paint, goes on smooth, and cleans up well,” he says.

His favorite roller cover, which works for most jobs, is the Purdy White Dove. “It’s easy to clean up, holds a lot of paint, and the paint rolls on really easy,” he says. “And the finish is almost as nice as with a microfiber roller—but it’s a lot less expensive.” -

Zibra Brushes: Shaped for Success The ArroWorthy Microfiber roller cover doesn’t shed lint.

5

RYAN MOORE

Moore Painting & Pressure Washing has served homeowners throughout central Mississippi since 1976. In 2008, Ryan Moore took over the family business from his dad. Both father and son, he says, are Purdy fans.

For walls and trim, he likes Purdy’s 3" Nylox Sprig brush.

“If you’re doing trim, a stiff brush will leave build-up,” he says.

“The Purdy is so soft it conforms to the profiles of the trim and lays down really nicely.”

Ceilings, Moore says, call for the company’s Clearcut Elite Angular Pip brush. “It holds a lot of paint, and it’s maneuverable.”

And on exterior projects, he turns to their Clearcut Elite Swan, a stiffer brush that Moore says holds a lot of paint.

When choosing rollers, he opts for Purdy Colossus roller covers (size and nap will depend on the job and substrate). Why the Colossus? “They last,” he says.

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Since painting surfaces come in many shapes—flat walls, narrow window grids, spindles, moldings, etc.— doesn’t it make sense for brushes to come in different shapes, too?

That’s what the good folks at Zibra were thinking when they designed this line of detail brushes in five unique shapes. Here’s what each does best: Fan brush: the tapered bristles hug the unique shapes, sizes and crevices of contemporary moldings

Round brush: perfect for spindles and cylindrical ornate surfaces Triangle brush: designed for corners, it’s also a great go-to for cutting in around trim and ceilings Square brush: ideal for narrow surfaces like windows, window grids, and ledges Half-round brush: holds enough paint to unload at the right spots; its shape provides multiple options for coverage and touch-ups EnjoyZibra.com

THE inPAINT INTERVIEW

COMMERCIAL PAINTING CONTRACTOR

Q

How did the business get started?

Q

When did you decide to join the family business?

In the 1970s, my father was in the painting industry doing sandblasting for the union in California.

He eventually relocated to Denver in the early 1990s where he began his career as a commercial painter.

He built and developed relationships with general contractors but, ultimately, decided he wanted to be in business on his own. He recruited a good friend, who was also an experienced painting estimator, and launched Shamrock Painting, Inc. in 1991.

Like father, like daughter: The evolving roles of a family owned commercial painting business A new era, but the same vision and trusted service for more than 25 years

BY MEGHANN FINN SEPULVEDA When Eugene (Geno) Tumbarello decided to appoint his daughter Gina to president of Shamrock Painting Inc., it didn’t come as a surprise. For years, Geno had been mentoring her in hopes she would someday take over his company, one of the largest and most reputable commercial painting businesses in the Denver area. Gina worked summers alongside her father while she was in college then in 2006, she joined the family owned and operated business at 38. In January 2018, Geno officially turned over the reins to Gina, who has since led the company, focusing on rebranding, hiring new staff, and seeking high-profile commercial painting projects.

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I was a senior in high school and got a speeding ticket, so my father made me work for the family business after school and during breaks so I could earn money to pay him back. I wasn’t too happy about it, but the experience eventually complemented my areas of study (business and architecture) when I attended college at the University of Colorado Boulder. I was able to assist him on estimating jobs and learned drafting.

I never planned to work for the family business.

After college, I received an offer to work for an international consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. It was there I did cost-estimating and reviewed renderings and architectural finishes for U.S. embassies, boutique hotels and other multimillion-dollar projects.

I gained a great deal of experience, but I got burned out trying to juggle the demands of long work days and travel.

During a visit to D.C., my father and I discussed the potential of having me work for the family business in Denver. In 2006, I decided to move back to Denver and joined the team at Shamrock.

Q

What roles have you held within the business?

My father felt it was very important that I learned every role in the business so I would be prepared to take over.

I had already learned brushing, rolling and masking that high school summer. I later spent time learning payroll and bookkeeping, and going out in the field with the crew to learn estimating. He and I worked side by side and, over the years, he began giving me more responsibilities.

My experience in D.C. helped me feel more confident when we would bid large-scale commercial painting projects at universities and hospitals in Denver, which once seemed daunting.

Unlike my father, who taught himself how to build a successful business, I was the first person in my family to graduate from college and was fortunate to have an academic background, which helped me in my new role.

I took full control of the business at the start of this year.

Q

What types of changes have you made to the company?

We are currently going through a brand refresh, which I felt was necessary after I began my new role. Our name, vision and values have always remained constant, however I want to make sure we were current on new business trends so we could stay relevant and noticeable. It has been exciting to experience the buzz the new brand has generated among existing customers.

Other changes I made include hiring a director of operations who manages our team of highly experienced professionals, plus two more estimators and an additional field superintendent.

Q

How does the office operate?

We have ten people in the office and 50 to 60 employees in the field. The commercial painting industry is very fast-paced, and you have to be able to move quickly to meet deadlines. It’s critical that I have the best team in place. I oversee the office and preconstruction employees while my director of operations coordinates with me and oversees the superintendents, foremen and painters in the field.

I truly value my employees and never want them to feel complacent in their jobs. I am also a firm believer in quality of life and make it a point to encourage employees to take time off so they are happier and work more efficiently. We also host a company picnic and many social events throughout the year, which I think are important to promote camaraderie.

When I transitioned into this role, I brought several new technology platforms including an online project management system along with estimating software.

Our superintendent and foremen utilize iPads in the field, so they can receive emails about the project, view their tasks, and access status reports.

Q

What services do you provide and to what type of customers?

We provide all substrate painting and specialty coatings on new construction, and also do office and warehouse building repaints. We offer textured exterior coatings, exposed structure and mechanical painting, high-performance coatings, wall coverings, and murals in various industries such as education, health care, multifamily housing, retail and hospitality.

Some of our high-profile clients in the Denver area include Amazon, Google, the Denver Broncos, and all the Colorado universities—the University of Colorado Boulder, Metropolitan State University and Colorado School of Mines.

Q

How do you win bids?

Q

Are there any new and exciting projects on the horizon?

My father established good relationships with large general contractors, which has helped us get our foot in the door when seeking new business. He also made sure work was done correctly and would do whatever it took to make that happen. He was never greedy and always fair. I believe this approach speaks volumes to our reputation and our continued success.

We have an advantage in the market because of the wisdom, strong work ethic, and core values he instilled.

Fortunately, there is a lot of work available in this market. In fact, we currently can’t get to 20–30% of all the bid invites requested, and we are lucky to have the freedom to pick and choose our work.

Recently, we bid an 11,000-sq. ft. vehicle operation facility in Antarctica operated by the National Science Foundation. This is a very unique project that I would not normally consider, but I collaborated with my team to get their input and we decided to submit a bid. We are currently waiting to find out the status.

Q

Do you maintain a close relationship with your father today?

Yes, I speak to my father on a very regular basis about my professional and personal life. He makes himself available and told me he would always be a sounding board if I ever had questions, wanted to bounce an idea off him, or needed help.

At 66, he has largely stepped away from his role.

He still makes appearances in the office, but he has finally realized he can’t do it all anymore. He’d still put on whites and join the guys in the field in a heartbeat.

His passion is a trait I’ll always admire. -

GINA TUMBARELLO KOERT is the president of Shamrock Painting, Inc. She currently serves as the company’s education chair and sits on its board of directors, is the chair-elect for the Painting Contractors Association, and is also a member of the National Association of Professional Women.

ShamrockPaintingInc.com Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

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What’s in today’s professional toolbox?

3M™ Respirator with Cool Flow™ Valve #8511 Part of our Pro Series, the 3M™ Respirator with Cool Flow™ Valve 8511 is designed with the pro in mind to help bring you protection and comfort. Our most popular valved disposable respirator, it is equipped with a Cool Flow™ valve, which helps reduce heat build-up inside the respirator, helping to enhance your comfort during longer jobs. This N95 respirator features Advanced Electrostatic Media that enhances the capture of airborne particles while allowing you to breathe easier.

3m.com/propaintersafety

Dunn-Edwards ENDURAPRIME™ Dunn-Edwards has introduced ENDURAPRIME™, a high performance, ultra-low VOC, single component, water-based, acrylic metal primer. This product can be applied to interior and exterior ferrous metal, such as structural steel and wrought iron. ENDURAPRIME™ provides outstanding adhesion and superior resistance from corrosion and early flash rust where there is high humidity, and quick return to service times may be desired. ENDURAPRIME™ is a gray primer available in onegallons. Like all Dunn-Edwards coatings, ENDURAPRIME™ does not contain ethylene glycol (EG).

DunnEdwards.com/ENDURAPRIME

ColorReader by Datacolor With industry-leading color matching performance, the ColorReader helps you identify the paint color of existing wall colors and everyday objects, substitute paint brands with similar colors, and manage and share color palettes easily with clients across multiple fan decks of all major paint brands. The ColorReader is an ultra-portable, Bluetooth® connected color selection tool that works in conjunction with the free ColorReader mobile app on both android and iOS. Revolutionize your color tools and impress your clients today!

Datacolor.com/inpaint

Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

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inPAINT ® presents an industry-specific question and invites an expert to share their insight.

Q:

How are masks and respirators different, and when should I use which?

A:

JASON LUNN is a Sr. Application Development Engineer for 3M and provides training and education on safety products, including respirators.

Here’s a common question he hears from both painting professionals and DIYers.

We get this question a lot. There are some similarities, but let’s start with the major differences first.

A MASK is simply a barrier to prevent contamination of the environment from large particles generated by the wearer. That’s it. It is not designed to help protect the wearer from exposure to airborne contaminants, does not seal against the face, and may not have undergone any government filtration performance testing to confirm that it is capable of providing respiratory protection.

A RESPIRATOR, on the other hand, forms a tight seal to the face to help reduce exposure to airborne contaminants such as gases, vapors and particulates that are small enough to be inhaled— which are typically considered to be particles less than 100 microns in size.

Respirators come in both disposable (also known as ‘filtering facepieces’) and reusable (also known as ‘elastomeric facepieces’) offerings, both of which have certification requirements. OSHA requires that all respirators used in the U.S. be certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

The importance of fit Fit against the face is one of the important differentiators between masks and respirators. Respirators, such as N95 filtering facepieces, are designed to seal to the face of the wearer. Therefore, inhaled air is drawn through the filter media and not through gaps between the respirator and the wearer’s face. Per OSHA, respirators required for the worksite must be used under a respiratory protection program, which has several elements that employers must follow. Regardless of the use setting, the wearer must also perform a ‘user seal check’ each time the respirator is worn to ensure the 34

inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

seal is properly adhered to the face prior to entering the contaminated environment.

Masks do not have either adequate filtering or fitting attributes to provide respiratory protection and are not allowed in an OSHA respiratory protection program.

Disposable vs. reusable respirators When choosing a respirator, a user might wonder whether a disposable or reusable product should be used.

Designed only to help protect against particulate exposures, disposable respirators are not designed to protect against gas or vapor exposures. Some disposable respirators do offer a layer of carbon in the media to help reduce nuisance odors, but are not appropriate for chemical exposures that are exceeding OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). In that case, you would use a reusable respirator with chemical cartridges.

Reusable respirators are assemblies that include a facepiece and cartridges and/or filters. Cartridges feature color designations that help workers identify which chemicals they help protect against. For example, a black label indicates that the cartridge is approved for organic vapors. Cartridges can sometimes be used with a pre-filter to help filter particulates as well. This is intended for tasks such as spray painting, which may generate a particulate mist as well as vapors.

Reusable respirators can also be used with standalone filters if you’re only concerned about particulate hazards, such as that from drywall sanding. If you see pink or magenta, this signifies the filter is a P100 particulate filter—the highest NIOSH level of filter efficiency.

Understanding the type and level of airborne contaminant exposure you’re facing is key to choosing the right product for your needs.

OWN THIS NUMBER AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS!

1-800-painting

With the best number in the painting business, your company will appear more established and trustworthy.

“My business has quadrupled since I purchased this number.

Over 25% of my calls come directly from the phone number, because it's so easy to remember.

I highly recommend using 1-800-PAINTING.” — JOSH ABRAMSON, PRESIDENT, ALLBRIGHT PAINTING, VALENCIA, CA

1-800-PaiNtiNG invokes an image that you’re the market leader in your area.

BRANDING THAT PAYS OFF

since no one else can own this number in your market, there won’t be any confusion. you will be the only one with a truly unforgettable number!

GET MORE REFERRALS

Referrals are the best form of advertising and with 1-800-PAINTING they become easier to get. it becomes effortless for someone to refer you!

1-800-We-PaiNt is also available.

CheCk availability

before your competition does!

Call Josh today at

661-857-3554 or visit 800Painting.com

UPCOMING EVENTS

6

ADVERTISER INDEX 1-800-PAINTING 800Painting.com Page 35 3M 3M.com Pages 3, 11 & 33 DATACOLOR DataColor.com Pages 21 & 33 DUNN-EDWARDS DunnEdwards.com Page 33 GRACO Graco.com Page 38 HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Habitat.org Page 17 HYDE TOOLS HydeTools.com Page 5

What, Where & When

NOLAN SUMMIT SERVICES SummitServicesInc.com Page 23

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2

1

3

8 7

OCTOBE R 1

2

DECEMBER

3–5: CONSTRUCT, Long Beach, CA constructshow.com

6

9–11: Remodeling Show l DeckExpo, Baltimore, MD remodelingdeck.com

14: 34th Annual TRENDS Rental Housing Management Conference and Trade Show, Seattle, WA trendstradeshow.com

F E B R UA RY 2 01 9

NOV E M B E R 3

7–9: DBIA’s Design-Build Conference & Expo, New Orleans, LA dbia.org

4

13–16: PastForward: A Conference of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, San Francisco, CA pastforwardconference.org/pastforward2018

5

14–16: Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, Chicago, IL greenbuildexpo.com

IPG iTape.com Page 25 MI-T-M MiTM.com Page 27

5

4

7

11–14: SSPC 2019 Coatings +, Orlando, FL sspc2019.com

8

13 & 14: Campus Connex, Orlando, FL naahq.org/campusconnex

9

19–21: NAHB International Builders’ Show, Las Vegas, NV buildersshow.com

NAHB International Builders’ Show February 19–21, 2019

PDCA PDCA.org Page 7 SHERWIN-WILLIAMS Sherwin-Williams.com Page 2 THE HOME DEPOT HomeDepot.com Page 13 TITAN TitanTool.com Back Cover TOWER SEALANTS TowerSealants.com Page 29 36

inPAINT | Sep/Oct 2018

The largest annual light construction show in the world, the NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS) brings together more than 1,500 manufacturers and suppliers from around the globe, showcasing the latest and most in-demand products and services. IBS also features hands-on demonstrations, numerous networking events, and an extensive education track. With topics ranging from sales and marketing to construction and codes, there’s something for everyone.

As in years past, this year’s IBS will feature pre-show education courses February 16–18, designed to develop skills and earn NAHB designations.

To register, visit buildersshow.com

Stay informed with inPAINT

®

Teach to Fish eBlast “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

This wise adage served as inspiration for a new type of communication that offers industry professionals education and instruction to learn from—and build on.

Here, we present an industry-specific question and invite an expert to share their insight.

Prepare to sharpen your skills.

inPAINT eNewsletter Our monthly e-newsletter delivers industryrelevant articles to your inbox—many expanding on our magazine articles—offering additional valuable content professionals find essential to continue to learn and grow.

Stay informed. Watch for it monthly.

To receive these valuable tools, subscribe to inPAINT magazine. They’re all FREE! inPAINTmag.com/subscribe

60 YEARS OF GETTING THE JOB DONE. This year marks the 60th anniversary of our first airless sprayer. While we’re taking time to celebrate this milestone, we’re also pushing forward because we know that you are too. Our obligation is to equip you with the most advanced, dependable and jobsite-ready airless sprayers in the world.

THAT’S THE GRACO COMMITMENT. LEARN MORE AT graco.com/60yearsairless

MADE IN THE USA WITH GLOBAL COMPONENTS

©2018 Graco Inc. Form No. 344350A 6/18 Printed in U.S.A. Product covered by issued and pending patents, see graco.com/us/en/patents.

BOTTOM LINE

Increasing Employee Retention Through PTO

F

inding and keeping good employees is an ongoing challenge. It is up to you, the business owner, to find ways to increase engagement and provide a place where your employees want to work and will stay long term. One way to do that is to offer paid time off (PTO).

While less than half of painting businesses we deal with offer some form of PTO, those businesses not only increase employee engagement but also see a nice bump to productivity. There are lots of reasons owners cite for not offering PTO—you can’t afford it, your schedule is too tight, or you have goals that require all hands on deck. But the truth is, with the right planning, anything is possible. And if you can do something to keep hard-won employees on your team, you are well on your way to hitting goals, no matter how ambitious.

PLANNING AND MANAGING PTO Implementing PTO isn’t without challenges. It takes planning, funding and logistics. As you look ahead to the next year, here are some considerations you need to make when implementing a PTO program: 1. Decide what amount of PTO each employee will be eligible to take.

2. Understand your monthly revenue goals and how it relates to your monthly staffing needs.

3. Understand your turnover rate to hire appropriately.

4. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

Let’s look at these individually.

Determining how much PTO to give: Start with one week of vacation for each frontline painter.

Crew leaders and field leaders may be eligible for more.

You may also consider giving an additional week for anyone who has been with you for longer than five years. Additionally, you may choose to include some or all federally recognized holidays.

Monthly revenue and staffing needs: As part of your preparation for the next year, determine your monthly staffing needs. This, in conjunction with your sales rate, establishes revenue targets.

With this information, you can then plan for ‘nonproductive’ (non-painting but still paid) time. Take the average hourly wage for your business and multiple it by 40 hours to determine costs for each person.

Don’t forget to include payroll burden and any holiday time when accounting for all of these costs in your budget. Knowing these numbers gives you the power to have control over them, rather than being controlled by the numbers.

Turnover rate: Look at when you have hired in the past and when employees have left then, based on that cycle, hire more than you need to get the job done.

If your turnover rate is 25%, make sure to adjust your staffing goals. Never stop hiring, even when you have the right number of people. Someone will leave or get fired—or should leave or be fired. If you think you may have three employees taking a week of vacation in June, target hiring one more painter to cover their absence.

Aim to hire team members and not subcontractors.

Even seasonal help—students home from college or from trade schools—will work to get you through.

Communicate: Have a form or process for your painters to follow when requesting time off. If you have a handbook, include language outlining the process and identifying times of the year when you may need to limit the number of people out. If your highest producing month is August, restrict that time. On the flip side, be flexible enough to handle extra time off during less busy times, or even the seemingly odd requests (i.e., you may be able to lean on the crew leader who regularly leaves early on Fridays to really take the lead in training). Finally, discussing revenue goals and coverage needs with your crew can actually contribute to vacation requests that work with your schedule.

While much of this may sound like a lot of work without much return, I assure you it will be worth it to both your team and your business. With some thought and planning, you can keep good employees on your team by providing the opportunity to take time off.

It’s really a win-win.

KATHRYN FREEMAN is a senior business coach and director of operations with Nolan Consulting Group, Inc, where she works with dozens of business owners to help get them out of being the only person that can solve problems and to create a plan so they can achieve their future vision. Kathryn came to Nolan after more than 20 years in retail management in both big box environments and independently owned stores.

NolanCG.com

Sep/Oct 2018 | inPAINT

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