Speaker 1: 0:30

People would say oh wow, you're pivoting again. Oh wow, then I realized that's the only way to actually survive. Yes, as a small business I'm sure businesses do the same thing but when you're smaller you have to consistently shift and pivot, otherwise your old news things get stale. People get used to the message, they get used to the things that you're doing.

Speaker 2: 0:54

And you get bored.

Speaker 1: 0:55

And I get bored. And as long as the products and the service is pretty much on the same track, at least for me, the way that I see it, it doesn't matter how you package it, it's all the same, it's all your heart 100%.

Speaker 2: 1:12

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:12

Because I always tell people I'm not a photographer, like I don't do this because I love photography or videos. I do this because I love people and it's just kind of the way that I get to light and see people.

Speaker 2: 1:22

I do love people too, and that's why my husband's like you go, because you love people and he loves what he does as far as estimating. But it's so funny when he comes home he's done, he's been talking to people, and then he releases, you know. Then I'm like my turn like slap Tag your end. Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1: 1:39

Tell me a little bit about what you guys do?

Speaker 2: 1:41

We have a painting business, so it's family owned residential, interior, exterior, some commercial. But we paint and really paint your neighborhood beautiful, so it's really transforming homes.

Speaker 1: 1:54

I love that.

Speaker 2: 1:54

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:55

And like, how did you guys get into it? Like, what was inspiration? Did he just pick up a brush?

Speaker 2: 2:00

It's a really crazy intertwined God story kind of where we're from, new Jersey. So my husband was born and raised third generation painter and we thought for sure he was going to inherit that business. He worked towards it right out of college and sometimes you know, we have this plan, you think you're going to live in this one house for like forever, right next to your family, and that's not what was in our path. So he decided that that business, although he loved it, wasn't the best working with his family. So we put applications all over the country and ended up in Northern Virginia working for the previous owner of Manoworks. So that's kind of how we ended up purchasing the business after working there for a couple of years.

Speaker 1: 2:42

Oh, that's awesome. What made you want to purchase it.

Speaker 2: 2:47

Well, we knew we'd always eventually have a business, but it was really funny, it wasn't planned. We didn't want to purchase it, but the old business owner had started a new business and his passion went elsewhere and he said well, Vic, you're ready. You know, this is kind of what he's been groomed to do. And we had a family meeting. I'm a graphic designer so I could take care of the media. My mother-in-law moved with us from New Jersey. She's an office manager, so she hopped in and was like true, we had like a family meeting with the kids and our driving force was one. We did love the company. It was set up really well. My husband loved all the employees He'd worked alongside them.

Speaker 2: 3:25

And also we wanted to be able to give back, and when you're not a business owner, you kind of have a limit to how much you can give with a business. And so we were able. We're like now we're able to do the community things that we want to do. So Can you explain on that? Yeah, when we first moved here we had no friends, so really church and nonprofits were where it was at to connect with people. So my husband connected with passion for community, OK, and so he delivered furniture to people coming out of shelters, and so we really love that and we wanted to be able to. We're like wouldn't it be nice if we could stroke a check and help them, or help them with a fundraiser? And that's what we've done since.

Speaker 1: 4:05

Oh, that's awesome, Doesn't?

Speaker 2: 4:05

that feel good, it feels so good? Yeah, it really does, and that's our why. And sometimes you forget your why, because it's been six years and I'm just like got to remember our why. Every year we do the fundraiser with them. So the next one's coming up October 15 at Topgolf.

Speaker 1: 4:21

Nice. Yeah, that's so cool, so it's great Tell me what's been some of the biggest struggle, pain points that you've had as you're helping grow and build this business.

Speaker 2: 4:30

I think it's just staying top of people's minds being out there. That's why I appreciate being here. It's just there's a lot of competition and you can get in your head and it can be a lonely place. Being a small business owner, so I like to just get out there, network, get to know other small business owners and just be everywhere. That's kind of I'm a connector, that's kind of what I love to do, and so that's what has been. Without doing that, I noticed that things start to kind of fall off. So I've learned that through COVID, when I've taken a break from networking, I see the results.

Speaker 1: 5:06

I was going to say are you an extrovert? Do you naturally thrive on crowds and people.

Speaker 2: 5:12

I'm an introverted, extrovert, so I'm both. So, yes, yes, and I did actually take a test, though for five voices, and my top voice was connector and I'm like that makes sense. So I do love people.

Speaker 1: 5:26

Yeah, no, that's awesome. Yeah, I actually really really hate networking, so I would just create my own events. Yeah, I was like I don't like the way that that's done, not because there's anything wrong with it, but it just doesn't like vibe well with how I like to.

Speaker 2: 5:39

Yeah, I loved your tribe. Yeah, I love watching that. That's great.

Speaker 1: 5:42

And I was like, yeah, I'm going to do it my way and it's been really good. And I think a lot of business owners maybe start off like that. They worked with somebody or they've had an experience and they're like I didn't like the way that happened, I want to do it myself.

Speaker 2: 5:56

Yes, right, like I want to inject my own, and why not in such a friendly community that we can do that and people will come Correct. That's the great part.

Speaker 1: 6:04

So, besides networking and connecting, what is what have been your biggest success drivers?

Speaker 2: 6:12

I think the biggest has been the fact that our company is small and the guys that work for us are on payroll. So my husband knew them as an estimator and he's continued being an estimator. I keep saying, like, do you want to possibly hire someone? And for him it's very special to go into a home, meet the homeowner, get to know their personality and then also say like, okay, well, I think he or she would fit really well with this foreman. It would be a really good pairing, personality wise, and then also they would shine in this job.

Speaker 2: 6:45

So he loves that part and he knows that if he takes himself out, that would be a little trickier. He'll be like one person removed. So that's the nice part I feel like when people call, they're always going to talk to my mother-in-law, suzanne, and if they're out most likely, you know, at an event they'll see me and Victor will always show up as the estimator. So that's. I mean, there's benefits of growing. But what? Why we've loved staying the size that we are is that he has that intimate touch point and he, if there's ever a problem, he's been there, he met you and he knows he'll figure out how to solve that. So I think that's been positive and that's why we bought it too. We're like well, we know we've hired other people, but we know everybody, and everybody loves the mission.

Speaker 1: 7:31

So what's the thing that you love about Long County or Northern Virginia?

Speaker 2: 7:35

overall, I love the family friendliness. Coming from New Jersey, I was just really impressed that everything is expanding, growing new and all tailored towards families, and so I really love that part. And the champion behind small business. I did have a small business in New Jersey and it was lonely, just a small graphic design business, and I never knew that like this world of talking to you or going to a chamber breakfast the way that Loudoun does it. Yeah, I didn't know that existed.

Speaker 1: 8:07

So it's really fun they do. They make it the speed dating like for business owners, like not actually dating, but you know like, yeah, the round table.

Speaker 2: 8:15

And it can be intimidating. I can be shy, but when you and I would say that maybe for the B&I if you were to break it down, I probably fail at getting to know the business, because I'd rather know who's behind the business.

Speaker 1: 8:32

Well. So I think that that's when you recommend people. Somebody we were talking to earlier kind of said something on a similar vein of like, when you're referring people or recommending people you're not really like they're really good at painting yeah, they're honest, dependable, they are going to get the job done. They're good people yeah, they're like our type of people, like that's how I recommend people and remember them, sure. So I think that what you're doing I think that's the right way to do it is get to know the human Yep, cause those values come through in the actual business and the company, especially small businesses, like we are our business.

Speaker 2: 9:07

And we all have a story. 100%. It's never. It's very rare that it's like a straight line. You know. It's always like something has happened to get you to where you are and you've changed. Like we bought a farm in order to have space to store things and have parking and now we have a horse farm and we have summer camp and a whole other extension of things again to kind of like be with kids and help them be outside and love on animals. I love that. I never knew that was going to happen?

Speaker 1: 9:37

Are you going to get any of the like the Highland cows? No, but I have pigs.

Speaker 2: 9:42

Yeah, I wish if it was many and if you brought it to my house and it was a baby. It's going to stay, yeah.

Speaker 1: 9:48

I would see those freaking Instagram videos.

Speaker 2: 9:50

I know Look what I got.

Speaker 1: 9:51

It's like in the Raxi. I'm like, oh, I want one of those.

Speaker 2: 9:54

I want to buy another pig. And my husband's like do I have a choice? You know? Are you just telling me I'm like, you know, cause we've collected? Now we've got, you know, three horses, a bunch of chickens, two pigs. You know it's crazy. You got a farm, yes, yeah, no, I love that Legit. And did I think this was going to happen when I moved to Loudoun County? No way, and you can't like for me.

Speaker 1: 10:16

You can't create your future vision with life wise so clear that you end up saying no to certain opportunities cause it doesn't fit Exactly Right. Yeah, Cause, like you would have never known that you guys are going to have a freaking farm and like county Never, never.

Speaker 2: 10:32

20 years ago, yeah, I lived in New Jersey. I was going to live in that little spot forever.

Speaker 1: 10:36

Yeah, what advice would you give to business owners who are seeking to grow, specifically in Loudoun County, in terms of like marketing, networking, but then just overall like values of building your business?

Speaker 2: 10:52

I would say don't be afraid to ask other business owners for advice and to seek a mentor, cause I feel like if you find your tribe, just a couple of people who are truly honest about their struggles, then you don't feel alone and then you can like implement a plan and have people to hold you accountable. I think when you're just kind of working on your plan in your office, you could go crazy I'm not a silo and you could. Then, obviously, because everything's blasted out everywhere, you could start comparing and things like that. You don't want to go there. So just find like a core group that will be honest with you about their good and bad days, and I think that has helped me so much Big time.

Speaker 1: 11:35

I like that because? Because then you can also see like, okay, I'm at my low right now, but, oh my gosh, everybody else in this room has also been there, yeah, and they've been able to pick themselves up from there.

Speaker 2: 11:45

And if they're honest with you, you can look, you could really celebrate with them when they're in their high, because you're like I know that this isn't like Facebook just always happy. I know that they really work to get here, yeah, and I'm applauding them because I know that they will applaud me, you know when it happens for me.

Speaker 1: 12:02

Yeah yeah and my biggest advice that I have found along with the years which might be a little bit negative, but I say it to everybody that I care about in terms of like business, is don't look for others for that validation. Don't look to others to cheer for you. Mm-hmm, be your biggest cheerleader. Yeah, like, stand up for yourself. Have no problem saying like yeah, I, I did x, y and z. There is like this, the stigma, not just for women, but just for anybody to like be able to like clap for yourself. I don't know why. Yeah, it's like, you know, boastful, or it's not being modest.

Speaker 1: 12:42

That's true but it's like as a business owner, it's like my job is to market, is to Fill our book of business, is to be able to make payroll every two weeks, being able to grow, serve more clients. So if I'm not doing the steps, that's gonna get me there, but I'm not fulfilling on my job, yeah, and you got to celebrate the wins, my goodness.

Speaker 2: 13:02

If you don't, you know yeah, and you have to, you should be shouting them out. And that was one thing I did kind of struggle with at the beginning is, if I was giving back, I Would kind of hold that close, because you don't have to be like oh, she's trying to say, look at me, look at me, yeah but really like. Then someone else said to me no Lucia, no one can join you in that if they don't know that you're doing it.

Speaker 1: 13:26

And I'm like good point, yeah, you know it's just like changing your mindset right, like I'm not doing. If you can say, like I'm doing this, I'm putting this out there so that other people can be like, I want to do that too. I want to join her on that journey to raise a hundred thousand dollars or ten thousand dollars or a thousand dollars, yeah, then it's like okay, now I know why I'm doing it and I think that's where you need that tribe yes, to inspire each other, but don't look to others. Yeah, advice, at least for that validation, because not everybody is Mentally or confidently there yet. Yes, you don't want to stay down if they're there, you're always.

Speaker 2: 14:01

That's the one thing You're always like on the true. You know, pushing yourself up, you have to, yeah To, to make it in small business really awesome, all right.

Speaker 1: 14:10

so I have to ask you a specific and I heard the yeah network or a marketer, but specific question to your industry what's something that you wish somebody knew before Looking for your type of company, whether it's for residential or commercial?

Speaker 2: 14:27

I would say that they need to keep in mind, when they're price shopping, to compare apples to apples. A lot of times people just care about price and I think that they have to keep in mind the importance of being licensed and insured and that's kind of how we approach our estimating. It's like almost like education, like make sure that that person's carrying License, just in case something happens, accidents happen. You want to be covered and make sure that Everything is is clear and that you're asking the questions. You know, as the homeowner, don't be afraid to ask those questions ahead of time. And that that would be my, my biggest recommendation.

Speaker 2: 15:08

And we do color consultations Complementary, and part of that is, a lot of times people just think, oh, I'm just gonna paint, and they end up being overwhelmed and they go with the same color that they've had forever and they can get personal. They can get you know, make it them. So that would be another Bit of advice that I would say you don't have to. It's overwhelming, we have a color consultant or, if you don't, go with us, hire a color consultant and make that paint job worth it. I love that.

Speaker 1: 15:41

Thanks so much for being a guestline podcast. Thank you for having me.

Speaker 2: 15:44

This has been so great.