Run by three brothers, Triad Coatings & Sandblasting, LLC is a painting contracting company based in Morristown, New Jersey. PPC sat down with Nick, Jeff and Taylor Rossi to find out what makes their company a success.

How did you get involved with the painting business?

Nick’s business was primarily general contracting until Jeff came aboard with a painting background, which expanded our overall business portfolio.

Is painting a good industry to get into at this point and time?

The industry is booming, but the painting market is ultra-competitive and very tough to be on same level of pricing with unskilled painters entering market, slapping magnets on a van and becoming painting contractors.

What was the most important turning point or points in your company’s success?

Purchasing game-changing equipment to proactively stay ahead of the curve. Machines such as planetary grinders, vapor blasters, proprietary equipment for floors, etc.

What do you find is the biggest challenge for you at this point and where your company is at?

Meeting unrealistic architectural expectations and financially supporting projects when there are multimillion-dollar projects running.

Read about one of Triad Coating’s recent high-profile commercial painting projects.

What are you doing to overcome this challenge or challenges?

Provide customer’s realistic alternative approach depending on the project. In regards to finance, we utilize Sherwin-Williams’ credit line, which has enabled Triad to run these large projects.

Your company offers a wide array of residential, commercial and industrial services. How has offering a wide range like this helped you in getting work?

Being diversified enables Triad to enter into different markets. This is critical when certain markets are down. Having a tailored approach to each customer allows us to understand their needs and meet their expectations.

What systems have you put into place to help coordinate and schedule your crews?

Having an adequate knowledge of your team and knowing their skill set and allowing us to appropriately man each project.

What do you think is the most rewarding part of owning your own company and being part of the painting industry?

Understanding that you are the decision maker of your company and how it affects your company. Meeting all of the challenges that arise every day is also very rewarding.

Is there a project or two that have been most memorable for the challenges it presented and how you were able to overcome them?

We recently completed two large scale warehouse projects with difficult coordination of manpower as well as working around other trades and time and weather constraints.

What role does your paint supplier play in the success of your business?

Vital role. The heartbeat to the operation, based on support, education and service received.

What is the best business advice you have received?

Friends and family favors will put you out of business.

What advice do you have for young people entering the painting business?

Take a chance on yourself and build a company that you would like to work for.

Anything else that you think is important for them to know?

Know every aspect of every job, from start to finish, before getting involved. Understand expectations!

This article was originally published on June 14, 2018. The Rossi brothers were interviewed by Mike Starling, PPC Editor. Read more about what pro painters have discovered on the job in the PPC What I’ve Learned archive.