In this article, Ohio painting contractor Terry Begue talks about the time that half his crew quit on him – and how it made him a better leader.
Most painting business owners start out small – many times, a one-person show until they get more established. I was no different. Gradually, I hired four painters and eventually we were painting 100 to 150 residential exteriors each Ohio summer – about eight months of the year. We were turning jobs over so quickly, most of my time was spent scheduling the work.
During the winter months I wrote articles to help other painters. Articles like this one, and eventually a book entitled Attract & Keep Customers for Life. I chose that title because I learned business success boiled down to knowing how to attract and keep customers. When my schedule was filled months in advance with customers willing to pay a premium price, life was good and I felt unstoppable!
That is until half my crew quit me with no notice… I was devastated!
A hard lesson to learn
I was so fixated on my customers, I never stopped to think about my employees. That was in 2018 and was a hard lesson learned, but things got worse. Not long after, the pandemic happened, causing hiring and employee retention in most all industries to look more like the wild, wild west.
Increased wages and offering better hours were not working either, and I wasn’t alone. It seemed like all the businesses where I live were experiencing the same problem… all but one. Hartville Hardware, the largest privately owned hardware store in the country, seemed unaffected. They did not have “Help Wanted” signs posted, their workers were happy and business seemed to go on as usual.
I’ve had the good fortune to get to know and paint for Howard and Wayne Miller, the owners of Hartville Hardware. I recently talked to Wayne about how they manage to keep their employees happy and thrive when so many other businesses are still struggling.
Good advice from people I trust
First of all, he told me, they look for the right personality to fit the job.
“We don’t try to fit a square peg into a round hole,” he says. “For example, if we see a person has strong interpersonal skills, we put them where they will deal with the customers. If they don’t, but still have a good work ethic, we put them in in the warehouse or shipping and receiving – someplace where they are more comfortable.”
As for his secrets for keeping employees happy, he said: “We treat them like family, as much as possible. If they need and have a good reason to change their schedule or if they require time off, we accommodate if we can. We are closed on Sunday so we can all be with our families. We also financially match donations our employees make, to an agreed upon nonprofit organization each year, up to $20,000. It’s a chance for all of us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, and has created a culture of giving, and a sense of community for everyone here.”
Taking care of your people is taking care of your business
I could not help but think that here is a man who truly cares and respects his employees as much as his customers. Maybe it’s just that simple?
Unfortunately, many companies do not think of hiring as an investment. That can be a costly mistake. According to data provided by the Association for Talent Development, the average training cost per employee is $1,252.
So, what can you do to keep your employees happy and protect this investment you have made in your business? Here are some strategies that have worked for me.
1. Give them a raise
My customers understand my price increases when I tell them I charge more because I pay more to keep quality people who do a quality job.
2. Make them part of the discussion
Occasionally asking employees for their opinion on work-related matters helps them feel like they’re part of the team. Sometimes that’s all it takes to keep them engaged and feeling valued.
3. Treat them with respect
“Please,” “thank you,” and even a sincere “how’s your family?” can go a long way when someone is having a bad day.
4. Have one-on-one time
In hindsight, I truly believe that if I had taken the time to sit down and listen to those employees who quit on me, they would still be with me today.
Bottom line
Your employees are your internal customers, and like your external customers (your clients) they need to see that you care about them the way you care about your clients.
It’s not just business, it’s personal too. Make time to get involved and show you care because everyone has an inherent need to feel respected and appreciated.
Terry Begue is the owner of Begue Painting, Inc. and author of Attract & Keep Customers for Life and Crushed It! How I Made $7.5 Million as a House Painter & How You Can Too. This article was originally published in the Spring 2025 issue of PPC/Pintor Pro magazine. ©2025 Fusable.
