When I was graduating from school and applying to Universities, I didn’t have a lot of help or direction on what program to take. As the first person in my immediate family – and for that matter my extended family – to go to University, deciphering the various programs and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life was pretty daunting. In school I had always done relatively well and I enjoyed science and math so, like a lot of people, I figured doing something in these fields be a good idea. In the end, I made my decision and the following fall away I went – living 3 hours from home in my snazzy 1960’s styled dorm room I settled into my first year.

I was pretty lucky in school. I had never really struggled in High School with grades and my first year wasn’t terribly challenging. There were the typical issues with time management and pulling all nighters, and some of the material was challenging, but, at the end of the day, I was looking for more.  During High School I had always played competitive hockey, and, now that I wasn’t playing any longer, there were only so many hours I could spend wandering the halls of rez and lying on my friends beds. It was then that I learned about an opportunity to run my own business with College Pro while going to school.

Being a bit of a science geek, the idea of running my own company had never really occurred to me. In terms of school, I had already realized that a general science degree wasn’t really going to cut it for me, and I had started making the transition into engineering – which is the degree I would ultimately complete. College Pro seemed like a cool option in terms of getting a more complete education while attending school. I could get my fill of the science from classes and learn more about the world of business in my spare time and during the summer.

After making it through the College Pro interview process– in many cases this in itself is a feat – I was offered a franchise for the summer of 2002. I registered my company and dove right into learning exactly how to launch a profitable business while still attending classes. From talking with other past franchisees, I knew my College Pro success would depend on my ability to balance these two major priorities – school and the business. To help me with the time management, I ended up going back to a schedule that was similar to what I would do in high school. I found most of my classes, labs and tutorials were during the day which meant I had a small window, usually in the evenings (where I would typically have had hockey practice or games) and on weekends, where I was finding I wasn’t very productive anyway now that I didn’t have tournaments and away games.

The first year wasn’t easy – and I didn’t achieve the College Pro success I was really looking for. I had made some money, learned a ton (I would have probably had more success had I listened to my coach more!), and knew that, given the time and money that I already put into it, I would run a business twice the size the following year. Now, confident I could take over the world with my experience, I signed on to run a franchise for a second year. While I didn’t quite double, the 64% increase in sales had to be considered a College Pro success! It was at this time that I was again looking for more challenge and I started working with new franchisees in the area around my own business to help them increase their success. With my own business, coaching five other franchisees and completing my Chemical Engineering degree, it was definitely hectic. However, I think that it was this time in my life that I realized that I was capable of significantly more than I had realized. I realized that I loved the business world, and that I was actually pretty good at leading people. Upon graduation, I decided to continue down this road and took a full time position as a general manager for the franchises in eastern Ontario.

Today I would attribute a lot of my College Pro success to simply working hard. I wasn’t afraid to put in the hours that it took to be successful. However, there’s something to be said about a system that consistently churns out successful young entrepreneurs year after year. Many of the franchisees that I’ve worked with have taken the skills they’ve learned at College Pro and launched their own successful ventures, and I think that’s really what College Pro success is all about. It’s about learning how to be self sufficient, and how to take control of situations that you’re not sure how to control. It’s about being comfortable with uncertainty, and making the best of things. It’s about continual learning and growth – every time you think you have a handle on what you’re supposed to be doing you are either given more responsibility or something happens to disrupt the cart. But, that’s what’s cool in the end – no one can take those experiences away from you. Just like your degree, once you’ve got it, you’ve got it.

College Pro has become so much of who I am in business that I can’t imagine where I’d be without the experience. It has helped me in so many ways I can’t fully describe it. I would encourage any young entrepreneurs who are thinking about the plunge to stop thinking and start doing it. Take the first step. Start with a simple model – painting isn’t rocket science – and then launch your billion dollar venture. Regardless of what you’ll do in the future, College Pro success on your resume will open doors. It’s helped me to get to where I am today, and if you want that success, it will help you as well.

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College Pro Painters has been following customer trends in the home painting services market.  In 2009, there was a sharp decline in home painting demand, therefore, the supply of home painting services suffered.   The recession followed many years of increasing home prices.

Part of what helped home value increase was maintaining your home, which included an excellent exterior paint job.  College Pro Painters helped homeowners preserve their homes and add value.   Since 2009, many people have delayed using home painting services.

However, the use of services like College Pro Window Cleaning did not suffer because the average annual cost is low, and customers do not like getting on ladders to wash second-story windows.  The delay in using home painting services has potentially caused painting customers to lose additional value in their homes. In fact, it is predicted that in 2012, there be a strong demand because of this delay.  There is a big difference in how the paint job is viewed in 2012. Now, it is expected that home painting services will preserve the value, not add to it.  Value preservation is one of the main goals of home painting service companies such as College Pro Painters.

Another customer trend College Pro observed is that customers are staying in their homes for longer periods of time, and therefore spending money on the comfort, maintenance and aesthetic beauty of their homes.  With College Pro Painters and College Pro Window Cleaning, customers also get to give back to their community by supporting students and young entrepreneurs who may live right next door to them.  This supports another growing trend of moving away from doing business with big box stores and towards doing business with local businesses.

Since 1970, College Pro has helped young entrepreneurs start businesses in their home town or neighborhood to give jobs to other students.   It is rare to be able to help yourself and help the community. Choosing local young entrepreneurs for your home painting services is one way to do that.

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If you are like me, you need a little help determining when it is time to do maintenance projects on your home.  Some things are obvious:  if a pipe bursts, you better fix it.  If the roof is leaking, you better fix it.  If a window breaks… you get the point.  Determining when to complete other home improvement projects – like house painting – is not as obvious.

A good rule of thumb with house painting is to treat it proactively vs. reactively.  In my example above with the leaking roof, the best solution would have been to get a new roof well before the old one every started leaking.  At College Pro Painters – we treat house painting recommendations the same way – it is best to paint your home proactively, before it really looks like it needs it.

From the perspective of an industry veteran, here are 5 things you can look for to help determine whether it is time to paint your home:

1)      Are you sick of the color?  Many people re-paint their home every 4-6 years because they like the curb appeal of a fresh color of paint.  In my experience, up to 50% of our customers at College Pro Painters paint their homes to refresh the look.

2)      Do you see peeling paint?  The first places to look are on the window-sills or door-frames.  Peeling will usually start at the bottom, where water settles.  At College Pro Painters, we have found that the #1 cause of peeling paint is exterior moisture in wet/cold climates.  At the first sign of peeling paint, you should start the re-painting process.  Water-damage to wood can be expensive to repair if not taken care of right away.

3)      Has it been 8-10 years?  If so – it is probably time to paint.  Even if the home is in great shape, we recommend painting proactively (see paragraphs above) and the 8-10 year point is a great time to pro-act on upcoming maintenance.  Note – if your home is done with a semi-transparent or solid-color stain, you should re-coat every 5-7 years.

4)      Is the color fading?  For darker colors, you will notice a fade over time.  It is tougher to tell with lighter colors.  New technology in latex paints prevents fading from happening as quickly with dark colors too.  If you start noticing it, that is a sign that the paint is wearing down, and you should get a fresh coat.

5)      Do you have a deck or fence?  These items require maintenance more frequently.  At College Pro Painters, we recommend doing your deck every 2-3 years.  Some homeowners even re-stain their deck every summer with a water-seal.  As with peeling paint on the siding and trim, having exposed wood on your deck or fence can cause maintenance issues down the road.

We hope the tips above help you determine when it is best to paint your home.  If you would like a quote on exterior painting or staining, or would like us to come out and determine if you need to do it this summer or next summer, don’t hesitate to give College Pro Painters a call.

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Are you looking to hire a professional painting contractor?  If so, there are a few things to consider when you start your search.  House painting is an important way to protect your most valuable asset- your home.  House painting needs to be completed every 5-8 years to protect the aesthetic beauty and also the condition of the wood.  Reputable painting companies, such as College Pro Painters, will be able to assess your home’s condition in a free house painting estimate.  It is important to call College Pro Painters in the spring months so that you can plan for your summer project.  In the northern US states and Canada, the exterior painting season is very short (summer months) which require you to select your painting contractor early.  College Pro Painters begins giving estimates for house painting in February and will start painting in May.

College Pro Painters offers a 2 year warranty.  A warranty is important as it will give you piece of mind knowing that, if the paint does not adhere, you will be protected and the work will be redone as needed if complications arise.  If paint is going to peel, it will start within the first 2 years and College Pro will happily come fix any issues free of charge.  College Pro Painters also offers $1,000,000 liability insurance and full worker’s compensation coverage on the work that they do.  This is another important consideration as you want to be protected in case of worker injury or damage during the time of the paint job.

College Pro Painters also employs student painters.  This will help to keep the cost of the project down for customers.  May companies use subcontracted labor who is most concerned with getting the job done quickly which can result in missed spots, thin coats of paint applied, and cut corners.  Since College Pro Painters trains all of its own employees, they are able to ensure that the painters paint the appropriate way with no bad habits.

College Pro Painters is an excellent choice for your house painting needs.  They have been in business for 41 years and have a reputation of providing top quality paint jobs at affordable prices.  Every summer they paint 20,000+ homes.

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College Pro Painters is the toughest and most rewarding summer job I ever took on.  While in my first year of University, I was taking criminology with hopes of being a Police officer.  As the semester rolled by, my classes seemed less and less engaging and I couldn’t wait to get out and start working in the summer.

One day, sitting on my desk in Psychology class was a small flyer reading “Have a summer job with College Pro Painters and make $15,000”.  My first thought was “that is a lot of money for a summer job”, so I figured I would look more into it.  It turned out they were offering a management position and a chance to run my own business.  Reflecting on my past summer job moving furniture I knew this would be a much better use of my time.  I could get an education in business while making money.

I ended up running a business with College Pro Painters for two years, and learned a lot.  I got to manage eight of my own employees my own age.  Let me tell you, we lived the motto “Work Hard Pay Hard.”   I would be up early getting materials for my crews, then working with customers on the job, hiring more employees, collecting cheques, and so much more.  In the evening, my employees and I would go market the business, handing out signs and flyers in the area where we were painting.  I would get in late and do my finances to see how much money I made for the day. Every month I took my painters out on an event to keep team culture.  We would go camping, do BBQs, and even have some backyard parties at my house.  I took pride in my Summer Job, and I think my painters did too.

College Pro Painters was not just a paining company to me.  It was my chance to be a leader in the real world.  We put in long days but had a blast doing it.  I learned I could be a great boss by coaching my painters and creating a team culture, instead of leading with fear like I had seen in so many of my summer jobs in the past.

It’s not easy to be a franchisee, but, for me, I was looking for a challenge and wanted to see if I had what it took to lead.  Looking at being a carrier in policing means you had better have some hands-on experience working with people, and my summer job with College Pro Painters did just that for me.

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Are you looking to build your resume?  Are you interested in having a fun summer while you do it?  College Pro may be just the place for you do both.

As a sophomore at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, I began looking into jobs for college students.  I was underwhelmed by the opportunities as I was looking to invest my time into something meaningful that would help me gain real skills, not just add bullets to my resume.  One day when I returned from class, I found a flyer under my door from College Pro.  It said “The most fun you’ve ever had building your resume- College Pro.”  I immediately became interested and soon my thoughts about jobs for college students changed.

I interviewed with College Pro and was offered the opportunity to run my own business.  That summer was the best I have ever had.  With College Pro, I employed 9 students, who all became good friends of mine, and was able to run all aspects of my own house painting company.  College Pro provided me with all of the training that I needed to be successful, and away I went.  As a College Pro manager, the days just flew by and it was the first time that I did not feel like I was working because I was having so much fun doing my job.  My crews and I transformed the exteriors of 45 homes that summer, built strong relationships, and my resume was FULL of outstanding real life experiences.

I was looking for something different and College Pro was my answer.  How many jobs for college students leave them saying “that was the best summer of my life?”  If you are looking for that kind of summer, College Pro may be your answer.  10 years later, I still remember the things that I learned that summer as a College Pro Manager and it has transformed my career and the trajectory of my life.  It may have been just a painting business, but to me it was my opportunity to show the world what I was capable of.  My summer with College Pro really was the most fun I have ever had building my resume!

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Graduation often comes much quicker than we are expecting, so an important question to think about is what is going to differentiate you when you finish school and begin looking for a place to start your career.

Nowadays most students complete some form of post-secondary education, so you need something more than academics and extra-curricular activities to help you stand out from your peers.  At College Pro, we believe that one of the best things you can do to really help you stand out is get experience.  As you’re thinking about where you want to work for the summer, don’t just look for any old job where you can make some money.  Look for a summer internship that will give you some real experience that future employers will value.

Unfortunately, most summer internships available to students are not all that challenging and do not give students an opportunity to really learn, develop, and grow.  In College Pro, we provide students the opportunity to learn skills and do things in their summer that many may never get the opportunity to do in their lifetime.  In our summer internship, students learn how to lead and get the opportunity to hire and manage their own employees.  They get the opportunity to deal with the financial side of a business and build and manage a budget.  They get the opportunity to learn how to market a business and how to take care of a customer.  The skills that you learn at College Pro while running a business are endless.  They are skills that are not just important for someone who wants to go on to a career in business, but are skills that can be applied to many different fields and will show up in many facets of your life.  At College Pro you not only get to learn about these skills, but you get to actually execute them and gain real hands on experience.  This hands-on experience is what will really give you the competitive edge over your peers.  Imagine being able to say to a future employer, “I had my own business.  I hired my own employees.  I acquired and took care of my own customers. I was in charge of the financials…..”  The experience you gain and could speak about is endless.

So, if you are looking for a summer internship that will really differentiate you from the rest of your peers, I would recommend looking into running a business with College Pro.  You’ll gain experience that will give you that competitive edge and be a great launching pad for your future career.

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It’s true, one summer can change your life forever; perhaps as profoundly as this first statement sounds, and maybe just as littler ripples throughout your future career.

The College Pro Painters Program is like the competitive sport of business as far as summer jobs are concerned.  Take what you know about athletics:  discipline, goals, training, coaching, leadership, team, and focus.  Now, roll this into a short-term, high yield summer job opportunity in business, and you have some characteristics of the College Pro Painters program.  It is a forum for young entrepreneurs to get into real business and see what they’re built for.

In the College Pro Painters program you enter a world of deep learning and accountability – which leads to development at a young age for most.  When you’re responsible for making the sales, selecting your team, delivering what you promise to customers AND making payroll, suddenly you’ve got the makings of a highly marketable skill set.  One year in the College Pro Painters program will set you apart from your peers; two or more years in the program and you’re looking at a summer job along the lines of a ‘real world MBA’.

Why this is so impactful is because it provides a broad skill set, at a young age.  In turn, this opens the door to significant opportunities.  Employers want skilled people who have had unique and challenging experiences.  Going through the College Pro Painters program is the proof that they have had some road testing.   The experience itself trumps results in the eyes of many recruiters.  I’ve heard recruiters say a number of times, ‘if they did College Pro, I know they can do this”.

Personally, my first summer in the College Pro Program turned into a decade of employment (to date) and development in over 5 different roles.  It was my first University summer job, and while it taught me some tough lessons along the way, it also helped me to understand what I was best suited for, which unfortunately wasn’t what I had picked to study in school.  What better lesson to learn in your early twenties than what you like, and what you are best at!

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Real life, right now. That’s a bold, challenging statement. But that’s what College Pro is all about, boldly challenging people to start living a meaningful life, right the heck now. My name is Chris O’Keeffe, and I’d like to tell you about my College Pro experience. It’s definitely been the biggest challenge of my entire life, but it’s also been the engine for the biggest positive change I’ve ever seen in myself.

Let me start at the beginning. In the spring of 2010, I didn’t have a lot going for me. I was midway through my college education, but I couldn’t afford to finish it at the time. So I was back home again, living with my parents. No job, no car, no real direction. That’s when I first found College Pro. I applied for a summer job as a painter, and little did I know that would be the first step towards changing my life. While working out in the sun for decent money was a good start, I knew I wanted more. That’s when I got the chance to interview for the Franchise Manager position. “Now THERE’S a summer job,” I told myself. Being a Franchise Manager seemed like such a great job; being able to make your own schedule, hire your own crews, and be the leader of your own team. I was really scared though, I’ll be honest. Deep down, I wasn’t sure I had what it took to achieve the level of success that I wanted. What I did know was that I needed to do something to move up from where I was, and College Pro was giving me an opportunity that I might never catch again.

Fast forward to January 2011. I had been hired to run one of the franchises in Olympia, Washington. There were several of us who all drove up to our first training session together in Seattle. Sitting in the car that morning, I’ll never forget how nervous and excited I was. Here I was, about to start my life as an entrepreneur. Everything in my life had led me to this point, but who knew where the future would take me. The rest of that day, and the next several months, are a bit of a blur for me. That period of time was the most instrumental part of my entire life.

Up until then, I had felt like such a failure. I hadn’t really accomplished anything and I had no idea where I wanted to go in life. Once I started running my franchise, I knew I was on to something. Every day provided me the chance to learn something new, and useful. Every obstacle became another challenge for me to overcome on my way to the next goal. It really was Real Life, Right Now. No more babying myself. No more boring classrooms and useless information. No more waiting around for some grand external factor to change me into the person I wanted to become. College Pro gave me the chance to pour myself into something that I cared about, something where I could see and feel the changes in me every day.

Like I said, those first few months were paramount to me. After that, my business really started to blossom. Driven to work harder and care more than I ever had during my entire life, I rose up the national rankings at a breakneck pace. By the time summer came, I had reached the Top 10 in the entire country. And that’s also when I started painting.

Painting season, or production as we call it, is the make or break portion of our year. Throughout spring, I worked as hard as I could to set my business up for a great summer, but nothing could have prepared me for all the learning I would experience over those three months. I don’t want to get too detailed, but suffice to say that I learned a lot this past summer, through both successes and failures. By the end of summer, and our overall year, I had reached number five in the entire country.

Through all my experiences, all my success and failure, all my learning, all the goals I hit and missed, I can honestly say I have never been happier. College Pro gave me a summer job that has literally changed my life. No more waiting to grow up. No more relying on others. I’m an adult now, and College Pro has shown me how to live my Real Life, Right Now.

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It can be tough nowadays to find student opportunities that really benefit your future.  Not only is the student job market really tough in general, but it is even harder to find a job where you can really gain experience.

College Pro is really the opposite of most jobs out there in the market, providing opportunities to students to take on a challenge, learn a bunch of new skills and to push themselves to excel and perform at a high level.  To run a franchise with College Pro, you don’t need to have experience running a business; you just need to be a hard worker, committed to what you do, and someone who really wants to learn and develop themselves.  Our franchisees come from many different colleges and universities and many different programs, because the skills you develop in College Pro are skills that are applicable to all sorts of future career paths.  Skills such as planning and scheduling, priority and time management, financial skills, selling skills, organization, and leadership amongst many others, are skills that will benefit your future no matter what direction you decide to go.  The skills you develop at College Pro are really “life skills”.  College Pro is a great opportunity for a student to really start to grow in a number of areas and begin to develop a really solid skill base which leads to a greater confidence.

A franchisee is learning and executing skills that most people, let alone students, may never get the opportunity to learn and perform in their lifetime.  By getting the opportunity to develop these skills at such a young age, you really are getting yourself ahead of the majority of your peers.  Nowadays it is not enough to go to college or university and earn a degree; you need something to really differentiate yourself.  Doing something special like running your own business is a great way to really separate yourself from your peers.

Most companies have slowed down or stopped hiring students altogether over the last couple of years, and, those that are still hiring, typically don’t offer students that much in terms of experience.  Most student jobs lack depth.  At College Pro, you can continue to get opportunities where you can really develop yourself and really help you plan for your future.  So, take a hold of your future and do something special – run a business with College Pro.

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