What does it take to build a successful, long-lasting professional painting business? With more than four decades in the industry, Mike Chambers is a perfect guy to ask.

Starting young

For him, the road to painting success started at the age of 16. That was when he moved to Texas and began to learn the trade from his father, Lee.

After many years of experience in Texas, he eventually made his way back to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky to continue his craft at a high-end residential painting company, earning his way up to be the youngest lead man in the company.

Growing in his career, he moved over to the largest local commercial painting company at the time, and upon seeing the work ethic and production ratings at the new company, he said “I’m going to be running this company.”

Getting to the shop early every morning, on his own time, he worked hard to get ahead. He would offer help to his supervisors with ideas of how to increase the company’s production. He worked weekends and any shift the company needed him to work. Within a few years, he earned his spot as a superintendent for the company, and then, head superintendent.

Betting on himself

After years of being 100 percent devoted to the company, he decided it was time for him to start something of his own for his family, and make a positive impact on the industry he was so passionate about.

In January 2011, at the tail end of the great recession, Chambers Painting was born. Within two years, it was one of the fastest growing painting companies in the multi-state region.

Valuing and taking care of employees has been key to the company’s growth.

“We were the first painting company in our region to start vacation pay for our employees, health, dental and eye insurance, 401K match, company trucks and cell phones for our key foremen, company shirts, and Christmas bonuses,” Mike says. “With a solid, hard-working team, we quickly became the No. 1 painting contractor in the region, with over 120 painters, 20-plus company vehicles, 6,000-plus projects and the reputation of ‘making it happen’ for our clients and their extremely tight schedules. We have been told by many clients that we are able to keep schedules better than any trade they have working for them.”

Today, Chambers Painting is the largest commercial and industrial painting contractor serving the Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky region. The company has also branched out geographically into the Florida market.

Visit the company website to see more of Chambers’ work

“We dedicate the same amount of detail and quality into every project – large or small,” Mike says. Their comprehensive line of project services include painting, high-performance coatings, epoxy floor coatings, dustless sandblasting, lead removal and encapsulation, vinyl wall coverings, murals, dry erase boards, faux finishes and more.

An EPA-certified firm that is fully certified to perform federal contracts, Chambers Painting has completed numerous projects at the Fort Knox Army Base, FBI headquarters and federal courthouses. Their work also includes numerous schools, retail centers, corporate buildings, banks, factories, hospitals and healthcare facilities.

In it for the long run

“Our overall mission is to bring life into every project, elevate painting and coating standards within our industry, and develop long-lasting relationships with our clients built on a solid foundation of integrity, trust and quality,” Mike says.

Helping him achieve his goals is a close working relationship with Sherwin-Williams and Louisville District Manager Adam Lawson.

“Sherwin-Williams has played a big part with the growth of Chambers Painting since day one,” Mike says. “Adam Lawson and his team are there for product questions, and much much more. They have a large inventory, great customer service and the best products on the market that helps to lower the project job cost.”

This story was originally published in the Winter 2024 issue of PPC magazine. ©2024 Fusable. Photography courtesy Chambers Painting.