Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin McVicker.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kevin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have a BS in Environmental Biology from Eastern Illinois University and worked for Abbott Laboratories as a research scientist where I was having a successful career. I was part of a research team that led to me having my name on 2 patents but I wanted more. I come from a family of small business owners and always knew I wanted to start my own company. McMaster Painting started as a dream with a roller, bucket, and a brush out of the back of my Mazda 626 in 2003.
My mother was an Interior Designer and my stepfather was a Painting Contractor so I was somewhat familiar with the industry. I had flyers made and purchased the largest ad I could afford at the time in the yellow pages. I struggled for the first 2 years to find enough business so I took a full-time painter position with the Accor Hotel chains as a painter where I had a base salary with benefits. I was allowed flexibility with my 40 hours per week so that I could also focus on growing my business.
During that time I met my lovely wife who was a rising star in the real estate business with a new booming real estate company called @ Properties. That is where I was able to network with other real estate professionals and gain their trust. I was working 80 hours a week for those 2 years until my wife convinced me that I could succeed by focusing all my energy on McMaster Painting so I took the leap of faith and the rest is history. The secret to my success has been very simple. I worked as hard as I could and always provided the best service and craftsmanship that I could deliver.
Over time I added key employees who have taken over specific roles and believed in the vision. With their help we have been able to grow into the business we are today. We have never tried to compete with the competition because I have always believed we provided a superior level of craftsmanship and always warrantied our work. We have made many mistakes over the years and have always worked with our customers to make the situation right.
Our approach has always been the same, we want to serve our customers for life, not just for one transaction. It took longer to build the business this way but now we have a loyal following that knows we stand behind our reputation. All of us at McMaster Painting and Decorating love what we do and who we do it for and it shows. I can’t wait to see where we can go with the business in the future!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been bumpy. In this industry more often than not clients care more about price than any other factor. They don’t always understand the difference between the lower priced contractor and us. Many of our clients have used other companies who cost less but the quality and service wasn’t there and their paint job didn’t last as long as they had hoped. At McMaster, we always use the best products and we take our time making sure the level of craftsmanship is at the highest level. That has been our recipe for success. Many of our clients want perfection and they know we can deliver.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about McMaster Painting & Decorating – what should we know?
McMaster Painting & Decorating is a Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, and Residential Painting Service. Our services include Interior and Exterior Painting, staining and varnishing, faux finishes, wallcovering installation and removal, deck and fence finishing and refinishing, pressure washing, and now snow removal in the winter season. We specialize in wrought iron preparation and painting, block and brick sealing, and cabinet refinishing with paints and lacquers. We are capable of doing aerial work with bosuns chairs, swing stages, or lifts.
We are most proud of our relationship with the Benjamin Moore retailer in Chicago called JC Licht and with Sherwin Williams Paints. Both of these Paint Industry leaders recommend us to their customers on a regular basis. We painted 15 Sherwin Williams stores in the last 2 years and we do the snow removal for several of the JC Licht locations. I am so honored that they think that highly of McMaster Painting & Decorating.
One of the areas that sets us apart is product knowledge and experience. Through years of trial and error and constant research into the latest and greatest paints, we know what works and what doesn’t in the Chicago area.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Honesty, people trust us in their homes or businesses and know that our entire staff is made up of good and honest people. They know I’m honest almost to a fault and I expect that from the entire team. If something goes wrong that honesty from the top down helps speed up the time needed to correct the problem and most of the time it doesn’t even get noticed by our customers.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1658 N. Milwaukee
Suite 411 Chicago, IL 60647 - Website: www.mcmasterpainting.com
- Phone: 773-268-2050
- Email: info@mcmasterpainting.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/McMasterpaintin/
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/mcmaster-painting-and-decorating-chicago-2
- Other: www.angieslist.com/companylist/us/il/chicago/mcmaster-painting-and-decorating-reviews-181495.htm
Image Credit:
Gerber/ Scarpelli Photography and Molly Vaughn Photography
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