360 Painting - Mike Howard

The job market has certainly changed over the past 18 months. We are now in a new "Career Economy" where security in the job market is just a fraction of what it was years ago. In a recent conference call I attended, it was explained that the challenges we face in the job market today just might be the "new norm". Unemployment is pushing record highs and many employees are being asked to reduce their hours and their paycheck.

 

We will recover and be stronger in the future. Keep in mind that some jobs will never come back and some businesses will have to re-invent themselves. We will need to adapt and position ourselves to take advantage of the recovery. Various sources predict that small business will lead the way.

 

Wouldn't it be great if you could "paint" a picture of your new career or new life and then make it happen?  Our Entrepreneur of the month did just that.

Congratulations Mike, and welcome to the world of Entrepreneurship!
 

 

 

  

Mike Howard 

Mike Howard had been his own boss for 11 years. As a real estate appraiser, he loved the autonomy and flexibility that he had. He also loved that he never knew how much money he'd make. He thought it was great that it was under his control....work harder, make more money...as opposed to being dictated each year by some arbitrary company policy. Mike didn't love the current real estate market and the changes being made to the appraisal industry. And that's when he contacted The Entrepreneur's Source.

 

Mike couldn't see himself going back to work for someone else after having the autonomy of being on his own; he wanted to continue to have the freedom and flexibility that being a real estate appraiser had afforded him. He also knew that besides the changes to the real estate market and the appraisal industry, there were other factors that weren't ideal about his current business. The biggest of these was that it wasn't easily scalable. He wanted something he could grow beyond just himself and the number of hours he could work.   In his current business when he was working he was making money. And when he wasn't working, no one else could do the work for him, so therefore no income. He wanted to be able to have others do some of the work and make money for him. 

 

Since he's been in the real estate industry, Mike has a great network of contacts and he wanted to be able to leverage those contacts. After evaluating several options, Mike found that 360 Painting, a commercial and residential painting business, was a great fit for him. His role as the owner in that business meant he would be handling much of the estimating and customer service, which was a great fit for his skill set and his past experience in the appraisal business. In addition, since he would be managing subcontractors to handle the actual painting, it meant that he would be able to grow the business more significantly. It would also allow him to leverage many of the contacts he already had in the real estate industry.

 

Here's what Mike had to say about his experience with The Entrepreneur's Source, "My experience in working with my E-Source coach was very educational for me, both in the number and complexity of the opportunities that are available. We explored several options prior to selecting 360 Painting as the best fit for my skill set. I look forward to making the most of this opportunity and enjoying the rewards of building a successful business."
360º PAINTING is a fully licensed and insured. They pride themselves on customer service and measure their success based on the customer's satisfaction. They don't consider the job finished until the customer is completely satisfied. If you live in the greater Cary, NC area, contact Mike Howard at MHoward@360Painting.com or visit www.360PaintingCary.com to schedule your free estimate!

 

We've all heard the story about making lemonade out of lemons. Mike understood that the down housing market would require people to maintain their homes. He took advantage of his previous experience and contacts to re-invent himself in a career where he had the control, would be rewarded for his efforts and could work "on" his business rather than "in" it, i.e. leverage labor. He's "painting" a picture of his new life as we speak, or should I say his contractors are.

 

If you need help painting a picture of your new life, I can help you understand and explore your options and possibilities. It only takes a phone call to get started.