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On a mission: Former military man succeeds in painting business
May 2008 — As a former Army officer and highest ranking cadet at the Virginia Military Institute, Bill Sharp knew the importance of honesty and hard work.
The 36-year-old Loganville man, a father of three, is now applying those same qualities to his second career as the owner of a CertaPro Painters franchise.
"I like to know that I am delivering certainty in a very uncertain industry," says Sharp. "So many of my clients have told me stories of how horrible their previous experiences have been, painters that were prepaid and never finished the job or a paintjob that looked good when it was done but didn't withstand the test of time. We really respect the individual and follow through with our promises."
Sharp began his career with CertaPro in 2003 and has completed countless residential and commercial jobs in Lilburn, Snellville, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Lithonia and Conyers. However one project still stands out in his mind. During his second year in business, Sharp was hired by the Gwinnett County Historical Society to refurbish the exterior of the Elisha Winn House, the oldest house in Gwinnett County.
With the current crawl of the housing market and more people electing to upgrade their homes instead of moving, Sharp says he has had his hands full. Sharp recently hired a Gwinnett County fireman as a sales representative for the company to help generate business.
CertaPro Painters is the largest painting company in North America and the only large-scale, full-time, franchised commercial and residential painting business in the home improvement industry.
"So many people have told me that they were going to move, but then decided to stay put at the last minute. I really love working with people in their homes."
The transition from military life to the business world isn't always an easy one, but Sharp says he had the right ethical foundation for his line of work.
"Integrity is something that really means a lot to me," he says. "As a cadet at VMI, I was taught not to lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do. This code of ethics carries over to everything that I do."
This story originally published in Gwinnett Business Journal.