Five Star Painting

Puts a Brand New Coat on a Weather-Beaten Profession

By Gregory Flail

Five years ago, Dan and Meredith McMillan had reached a crucial juncture in their lives. They were ready to make a change a big change. Meredith had been a preschool teacher for several years, and Dan had been successful in his career as a business-to-business executive sales leader for a large communications corporation. Like many established professionals, Dan found himself faced with the choice of continuing in corporate life or opting for an early retirement. Of course, early retirement sounds tempting to most people, but it also begs the inevitable question, and then what?

Dan and Meredith knew they had to do their share of soul searching both for themselves and their children. They reflected on what they truly valued in life faith, family, and home and they decided to put these values at the forefront of their decision-making process.

Dan wanted a chance to work for himself, and, if possible, with his family. Together, they wanted to connect to the community around them, get to know other local business owners and homeowners, and be a part of the many emerging projects in the area. What they did next might seem counterintuitive. Nonetheless, they saw a unique opportunity to fulfill their vision. They purchased a painting franchise from Neighborly, the nations largest home services provider.

As part of a national company, the McMillans did not have to start completely from scratch. They were able to benefit from time-tested processes, procedures, and systems that produce great results nationwide.

From the outset, Dan said, Five Star Painting was intended to be a unique painting company.

There was plenty of competition in the area, both large and small. Often, it seemed as if anyone with a stepladder and a paintbrush could become a housepainter, but Dan believes that the difference between amateurs and professionals lies primarily in the quality of their customer service.

Meredith and I realized that we had the skill sets to re-energize a tried-and-true business model, said Dan. We wanted to bring a white-collar experience to a blue-collar profession.

As it turns out, the McMillans approach to the painting business is exactly what many customers in the north Georgia area want. Five Star Painting offers a full range of interior and exterior services for residential and commercial projects. In addition, they offer cabinet painting, pressure washing, deck/fence staining, and carpentry. All services include a wide selection of premium paints and eco friendly painting options.

With over 385 projects completed in 2019 alone and several freshly painted prominent buildings in the community to their credit, it seems clear that Five Star Painting has lived up to its name. Consequently, the company has grown 40% every year since 2016.

We strive to give our customers exactly what they want, Dan explains. One of the ways we do that is to assign a professional Project Manager to each client. All our estimates are conducted on-site, so we can accurately assess the cost. Our estimates dont change either, unless clients request additional services.

While Five Stars success has exceeded even the McMillans own expectations, Dan and Meredith couldnt be happier with the additional benefits of running a local business. They have found an opportunity to contribute to the beautification of the surrounding community as well as the welfare of their fellow Georgians.

Five Star Painting has played an integral role in revitalizing the look and feel of many north Georgia homes, businesses, and churches including the City of Woodstock Municipal Court, the Towne Lake Hills Golf Club, the South Cobb Community Center, and the Resurrection Anglican Church.

During the holidays, Five Star offered its customers a discount on painting when they donated toys for needy children. The McMillans also regularly serve the community as a family by volunteering for MUST Ministries, which is a faith-based social service provider that has helped Georgians access food, clothing, shelter, and employment opportunities for over 47 years.

Five Star Painting is based in Woodstock, and serves Bartow, Cherokee, and Paulding counties as well as most of Cobb County. Free estimates are Five Stars standing policy. To discuss an upcoming project or schedule an estimate, prospective customers can visit Five Star Paintings easy-to-navigate website or give them a call.

Five Star Painting
404-969-4602
FiveStarPainting.com