Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Wade Bradford . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Wade, thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
As the owner of this business for the past 22 years, I have seen quite a bit of change in how this business operates. As the third generation owner in this business, I have always taken pride in educating myself on products and how they are used. Like I have always told everybody, you never stop learning. Although it feels good to be recognized, if I was to say what I wish my legacy would be when I am gone, I guess it would be great to be known as a man who took pride in his workmanship and had integrity in how he ran his business.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I started painting at the age of 18 and was taken to the job sites as early as 10 years old. Just like any trade, I learned prep work first. I didn’t like it at first, I really wanted to go to college and become a sports broadcaster., but it’s funny how God has different plans for each of us. 22 years ago I was handed the keys to the business and I knew that I wanted to grow the business. I went from having two guys all the way to having up to 15 guys who were all painters. Needless to say, managing that many people can be quite challenging and I had a few failures that I learned from the hard way. we traveled all across Texas painting schools, churches, residential houses and custom homes. With learning how to paint an array of structures, I learned quite a bit about products and how they are applied. Experiences help me grow into the painter and professional that I am today. I believe one thing that sets me apart from other painters, is my knowledge of industry standards as well as treating people the way that I wanna be treated witches with kindness and respect. I want to treat every customers project as if it were my own house or property and I think that goes a long way with helping clients feel comfortable around me.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Five years ago, I was offered a position with a company in Denver Colorado. I thought and prayed about the big move and felt like the time was right to make that move. After such a long and successful career, I started selling my tools in order to make the move to Denver easier. I really thought that the chapter of being a business owner was closing. After about a year and a half of project managing and estimating, I decided to re-open Bradford Painting. It was the dead of winter up in Colorado, I was quite nervous taking the big leap of faith, but I did. I will say to this day, I have not missed a day of work.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
I would say that in order to manage a successful team, it first starts with you being the first one in the office and the last one out. It helps also to hire the right people and put them in places that are going to help them succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bradfordpainting.com
- Facebook: @wadebradfordpaint