Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Sobecki.
Mark, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I simply got into powder coating because I always liked to my own stuff and I could not find a good place that did powder coating for small parts or one that would do a good job.
When I was building my car there was a lot of time I spent driving around and became very unhappy with the money I was paying for crappy work. From those days I decided I will just spray paint every part and that’s what I did, with a rattle can I was able to get a decent job but not the durability of what powder coating offers. From there I got a cheap powder coating gun as a birthday present from my wife and it simply became an obsession for me. I spent countless hours learning everything I could about powder coating. With the use of friend’s parts to practice on I learned how to powder coat the right way for a jaw dropping look with the durability that is unmatched to paint.
Since then it’s grown into what it is today and I hope to only continue growing and produce more high quality finishes.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No it has not been a smooth ride. I faced so many obstacles its crazy to think I’ve made it this far! I still question where I’m at and where I’m going.
I don’t know where to start on this question, I have been through so much and still have so many challenges today I could probably write a book about it. No joke!
From the problems you learn to deal with on the metals we work on, customers, to being shut down by the city of Rolling Meadows for working out of my garage, to say that I’ve been through a lot would probably be an understatement.
For Sandblasting, Powder Coating along with ceramic coating there is no schooling for this and is all self-taught. Powder Coating although it’s been around since the 50’s it is still somewhat considered new so there just really isn’t a school that can show you what you need to know in order to do this type of work. I was lucky to make some friends people at the companies I dealt with and they would give me numbers of other people to call in the business or they would be able give me advise on what to try when parts just would not turn out right and let me know what I was doing wrong. Sometimes the metals would out-gas and cause all kinds of defects in the final coating. Some of colors we do take multiple coats to achieve the final color and to go through hours of work only to do the final coat and see it come out looking like someone through sand at it is so heartbreaking, aggravating and frustrating all wrapped up in one emotion it’s hard to describe.
When I first started I had so many problems and times I thought I would never do powder coating again. But for some reason or another I would always come back, strip parts back to bare metal and start over. Sometimes it would happen again and again but that has all helped me to get to where I am today. I believe we learn more from mistakes then we do otherwise.
As mentioned before I used to work out of my garage as a hobby just messing around. It wasn’t until the economy went into the recession and the company I worked for closed its doors that I thought of possibly doing powder coating for a living.
I figured there wasn’t much going on and with 2 baby boys at home I had to make money somehow so I started to advertise a little and I was getting some work in. Nothing to go crazy over but enough that I was somewhat able to contribute to the bills we had. Well, one thing lead to another and someone called the city on me. The city sent me a letter saying that they got word I had a home based business and although it is allowed I was still required to register my business with the city and to fill out the forms for the proper licensing. Figuring I was already screwed but a possibly a chance it could go my way I filled out the forms and sent them in….
What I didn’t know was that this form was an omission of guilt….. I was sent a letter and received a phone call that I had to have an inspection and the community development personal was coming out with the inspector. At this point I knew I was in trouble… When they arrived a couple days later, I explained what I did and that I only did small parts like wheels and bicycle frames at the time. The lady for the community development department and inspector told me that I can no longer work out of my garage. I explained to them my situation with work and that there was no other job for me support my family…. I’ll never forget the lady from the community development department when she looked at me and said “well that’s just too bad, huh” with that I’m better than you attitude……
Anyways after that day I got sent letters every other day explaining to me the fines they were going to put on me and that I had only a certain amount of time to get all of my equipment out of my garage etc… It was such a devastating time for me and my family. At that point I had put so much into powder coating and in one short 5min “inspection” it was pretty much over….. I continued to do stuff but the pressure of the letters, phone calls & threats of being sued and fined by the city was overwhelming… I had a hard time understanding what I was doing that was so wrong.
After the problems with the city I eventually closed shop for a bit to “let the dust settle” if you will. I still did small stuff for some of the regular customers and businesses that I dealt with but nothing from outside people as I always thought someone was the snitch and probably was checking in…. After I “closed” I was able to get a job plumbing again but it wasn’t what I wanted to do… Every day I just hated life. You always hear that if you can do something you like doing, you never work a day in your life. That saying is very true. I continued to do plumbing for another year and thought maybe owning my own business just wasn’t in the cards for me.
About 1.5 years after getting back into plumbing work got slow again for the shop I was working for, I always wanted to get back into powder coating and thought maybe now is the time to reopen and give it everything I have once and for all in a shop where no one can bother me for working. Well, I decided right there at that moment that I was going to open my own shop weather it took off or failed I was not going to let someone else tell me what I had to do. Luckily I have a very supporting wife who encouraged me to make a go of it once and for all. Sink or swim, you have to take that risk and jump in the water
It’s been a journey, for sure! So far it’s been a lot of craziness but you learn a lot about yourself in the process!
Fresh Start Custom Coatings – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialize in powder coating, meaning that there is not one thing in particular that we concentrate on although we do seem to have seasons for stuff that comes into the shop. Like right now, we consider this patio season as we refinish a lot of patio furniture in the warmer months. Also there is car\motorcycle season which comes right before patio season and continues through the end of fall. During the winter it kind of becomes an everything season from patio furniture to mailboxes we’ll get it all.
As for what we do, when someone comes into the shop and drop of a patio set or a small part, all the parts/pieces are treated the same. From Sandblasting to finish coating we treat every part as if it was our own and if we wouldn’t use it or like the way it looks we don’t expect you to. Which is why we do everything by hand and personal.
I like to think what sets us apart is our customer service and ability to do our own work in house. We do not take in work we cannot do just to send it out to another company to be completed. We do everything, here, in house, by hand. We do not have any fancy automation lines that have robots spraying powder. Everything here is personal and if there is something we don’t like during the middle of the process we can stop right there and fix what needs to get fixed.
One thing that I am most proud of is the outcome of what we do, it’s cool to take something that is in really bad shape where the paint is peeling and rusty and really see it looking like garbage and be able to turn it around and have it come out so well. The best thing is the look on our customers’ faces when they see how good their stuff looks from when they dropped it off.
We’ve had a few times where people will bring us pieces and or a whole patio set to refinish because it was handed down by a grandparent or another family member that has passed away. One of the biggest joys is to see their face when I show them what we were able to do for their pieces. Not only does it look good but now it’ll last for them to be able to hand it down.
I also think what sets us apart from other companies is we personally care about your pieces and we are able to connect with customers on a personal level because we take time to hear what their looking for and not just trying to make a quick buck.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
If I have to put a word on it to define it, I would just say happiness. As long as my family is happy, I’m enjoying doing what I’m doing and my marriage is functioning well I feel I am successful.
I’ve been on the other side, doing work I didn’t care to do for many years. Now it is the opposite for me, I am very grateful and happy to own my own business and to be doing what I enjoy doing. It still seems like a dream to me in a way.
Contact Info:
- Address: 453 S Vermont St Unit H
- Website: freshstartcustomcoatings.com
- Phone: 847-485-7779
- Email: freshstartcustoms@att.net
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
