Like many professional painting contractors, Randy Fornoff learned the painting trade by working in his father’s company. Now he and his brothers are running the family business, MTS Painting and Property Services, Inc.

Keys to growth

One of the keys to their growth of their Mesa, Arizona-based company, Fornoff says, has been making the effort to learn more about business operations so that they can become better leaders.

“Painting is easy compared to management,” he says. “We don’t have MBAs. We haven’t gone to business school. We’re self-taught.”

Lessons in leadership

They’ve learned valuable management techniques and strategies by networking with other successful contractors in trade groups like the PDCA, and by incorporating ideas and business systems used in the corporate world.

Good communication between the family members serving as company officers, Fornoff has found, is crucial.

“I tell my brothers: We are going to bump into each other. We’re going to have disagreements,” he says. “We’ve got to work it out. We’ve got to get to the truth. We have to figure it out. And we have to apologize early, and quickly. But also don’t be afraid to put out ideas. And don’t be afraid to bump each other, because it’s the only way we’re going to get better and work as a team.”

Story and video by Mike Starling, PPC Editor. Watch more videos in our Pro On the Go series on the Sherwin-Williams painting contractors website