COMMUNITY is at the heart of everything we do at The Paint Bucket. As part of our ongoing effort to best serve our community, we started using Rundoo for all of our software needs last month. Today, I want to share my philosophy on running a paint store and how it led me to using Rundoo. But first, I think it would be helpful to share a bit about my journey into the paint business. Although I don't like to talk about myself, I'll keep it brief.

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In college, I studied business management and philosophy, two subjects that still fascinate me. Searching for a way to apply these skills, I worked as a suit salesman for JC Penney and then as a financial planner for American Express. As I approached thirty, I felt like I still hadn’t found my purpose. My wife and I took a break and backpacked around the world for a year. When we returned, I took off my suit and put on my comfiest pair of jeans, ready for something new.

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I found myself managing a paint store, and I loved it. My business education helped me improve operations, and philosophy guided how I ran the business. I came to see our business as a way to help community members achieve their visions—whether it's a farmer building a new barn or a homeowner renovating their kitchen. Thirty-five years later, I am both the manager and owner, and I still enjoy every second of it. That’s my story. Now, let's discuss my business philosophy.

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I believe in being laser-focused on our customers. Customers don’t just buy paint from us; they come to us to bring their ideas to life. Therefore, my team and I work hard to understand their goals and ensure we recommend the best products and practices. Afterwards, we follow up. Did they achieve their vision? How can we serve them even better next time? This is how we provide real value to members of our community. I view our transactions as community-building efforts, not just financial exchanges. If we focus on empowering our community, the money will follow.

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The way customers shop is changing, evolving with technology. We need to change with it. This brings me to Rundoo. Over the past thirty-five years, I’ve used three different point-of-sale systems. None of them kept up with the times—until Rundoo. Here’s one key example. Rundoo is the only system I’ve seen that has a mobile app for customers. This has transformed our customer experience by providing the convenience and immediate access to information that people today expect when they shop.

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Since Rundoo imports all historical sales data, our customers can view every color and product they’ve ever purchased from us. They no longer have to call us every time to check what’s on their walls. Finally, our customers will soon be able to place orders in the Rundoo app, including sending photos of formula labels. This will save them time—they can place an order and know when it’s ready for pickup. They can operate on their schedule; they could place an order after hours, and we’ll see it in the morning.

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Rundoo’s mobile app is just one example of how they push the boundaries. I want a technology partner that is flexible, and Rundoo has already made more improvements in the month I’ve used it than previous systems did in years. I’ll close by saying that independent paint stores like ours are not in competition with each other. We are a collective that can help one another navigate the changing economy.

I hope my story resonates and connects with you. If you’d like to contact me, feel free to reach out. I’m always excited to meet other paint store owners like myself.