How 48 years in the trade has changed what success looks like to Ohio paint pro Terry Begue.
Charting your course
After 48 years in the painting business, I expected retirement to feel obvious. I thought there would be a clear moment when I’d know it was time to walk away. That moment hasn’t come. Instead, I’ve realized something I didn’t expect – I still enjoy painting, just not in the same way I used to.
That surprised me. After all these years, I expected to be tired of ladders, schedules, customers and the constant pressure that comes with running a business. But the truth is, I still enjoy the work itself. What I don’t enjoy anymore is the chaos that can come with it – managing crews, chasing growth, and carrying stress that no longer serves me.
So rather than stopping altogether, I’ve decided to change how I think about work.
You have a choice
These days, I’m preparing for retirement, but not in the traditional sense. Instead of thinking in terms of stopping, I’ve started thinking in terms of choosing. Choosing how I work, who I work with, and how much of my time and energy the business deserves. That shift alone lifted a surprising amount of weight. It reminded me that retirement doesn’t always have to be an on-off switch. Sometimes it’s simply deciding what still belongs in your life – and what doesn’t.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years is that your relationship with work changes as you do. Early on, it’s about building something – proving yourself, staying busy, growing the company, and believing every dollar matters. Later, it becomes more about intention. You start asking better questions. How much is enough? What kind of work do I actually want to do? What do I want my days to look like?
For a long time, I thought slowing down meant giving something up. Now I see it as gaining control.
Steady wins the race
Owning your own business also gives you an important advantage if you plan properly: you get to decide when it’s time to step back. You’re not forced out because of your age or replaced simply because someone younger is waiting in line. That flexibility is something I didn’t fully appreciate earlier in my career, but it’s become one of the most valuable benefits of ownership.
That shift in thinking didn’t happen overnight. Like most painters, I spent many years focused on the next job, the next season, or the next problem to solve. The work demands that approach. But eventually, you realize that staying busy isn’t the same as moving forward, and being successful doesn’t always mean doing more.
The financial side of that realization matters just as much.
If there’s one thing I wish more painters understood early in their careers, it’s that financial security rarely comes from one big year or one great project. It comes from consistency. Small, steady decisions made over decades matter far more than most people realize at the time.
Starting an IRA early and contributing to it consistently was one of the smartest decisions I made. I didn’t always put in large amounts, especially in the early years. Some months, it wasn’t much at all. But I stayed consistent. Looking back now, that habit mattered far more than the dollar amount.
More from Terry: My 5 Biggest Mistakes, and the Lessons I Learned
Early in your career, it’s easy to think you’ll catch up later. But later has a way of filling up quickly with responsibilities, expenses, and distractions. Starting early – even modestly – gives time a chance to work for you. You don’t need to hit home runs. You just need to stay in the game.
I’ve also learned that simplicity becomes more valuable as the years go by. Financially and professionally, complicated systems tend to create stress. Simple plans are easier to stick with and easier to manage over time. The same holds true for work. When you’re younger, you can muscle through almost anything. As you get older, you start appreciating decisions that make life easier, not harder.
That perspective is probably why I still enjoy painting today.
Are you enjoying the work?
What I love now isn’t the hustle or the size of the operation. It’s the craft – working with my hands, taking the time to do things right, and working with clients who trust the process. There’s a satisfaction in that kind of work that hasn’t faded with age.
In fact, I appreciate it more now than I did earlier in my career. Back then, I was always thinking about what was next. Now I’m more present in the job itself. There’s pride in finishing a project well and knowing I don’t have to rush off to manage the next fire.
Over the years, I’ve also learned that when you consistently take care of customers, those relationships often last far beyond a single project. Not long ago, I was working for a client whose home I’ve painted several times over the years. While I was there, we spent as much time talking about life as we did about paint colors. At one point, they mentioned how comforting it was knowing they could call someone they trusted to take care of their home. Moments like that remind me that the relationships you build in this business often matter just as much as the work itself.
That’s where my new rules come in.
At this stage, I take only work I can do myself and only for clients I enjoy working with. I’m not trying to grow anything. I’m not trying to prove anything. I’m choosing work that fits my life, not the other way around.
That approach won’t be right for everyone, and that’s fine. Every painter’s path is different. But if there’s one thing I hope painters who are still building their careers take away from this, it’s that success in this trade isn’t just about how big you grow. It’s about building something that can support you for the long haul – financially, professionally, and personally.
Making good decisions
After 48 years, I’ve learned that longevity in this trade isn’t just about skill or stamina. It’s about the decisions you make over time – and whether those decisions are building the future you actually want.
Many painters spend their careers focused on finishing the next job or the next season. At some point, it becomes just as important to step back and think about where all that work is leading. Retirement may not look like a finish line. For many in this trade, it simply means choosing a different pace and deciding what parts of the work are still worth holding onto.
When that time comes, you may find retirement doesn’t feel as obvious or final as you once expected. It may feel more like the freedom to shape your work – and your time – in a way that finally fits the life you’ve spent years building.
I’m not finished painting. I’m just finished doing it the hard way.
And if things keep going the way they are, reaching fifty years in the business is starting to look pretty good.
About the author
Terry Begue is the owner of Begue Painting, Inc. and author of Attract & Keep Customers for Life and Crushed It! How I Made $7.5 Million as a House Painter & How You Can Too.
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