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Jun
29
Bright New Day
Steve and Toni Watermeier get a new lease on life, and a new coat of paint for their house.
Jun
21
Two College Pro Staffers Participate in the Southern Ontario Amazing Race for Charity
Erin Scheel shares details about the race here:
Jun
3
Summer Work Season Under WayThe summer work season is under way for College Pro, and we are taking the opportunity to feature the work of our franchisees with Q&A’s from clients. The below Q&A and photos feature the work of Michael Gore-Hickman, College Pro Painters franchisee in Saskatoon North West.  College Pro Painters Saskatoon College Pro Standout Job
Mike actually came into the store first and asked the on duty manager if he could paint the building. He gave her a card, which she gave to me, from which I called him a few days after and promptly got a quote!
Jun
3
College Pro Exterior Home Painting
May
26
College Pro Alumni – James Snyder looks back at his time with us
Name: James Snyder James Snyder, current Director of Operations at PacNorthwest Drive Ins, worked for six years with College Pro, first as a franchise owner and then managing franchise owners. In the following letter, he reflects on his time with College Pro, what he learned and why College Pro is an ideal place for future business leaders to get their start.
Mar
17
College Pro Painters Alumni Interview with Jim MathewsonCollege Pro Alumni Interview with Jim Mathewson We recently caught up with Jim Mathewson, a former College Pro franchise manager, and now a National Account Manager over at AkzoNobel Canada, which is the largest global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals.
I was a college pro painter in 1999, franchise manager in 2000 and 2001 in Streetsville, Mississauga, and field advisor there in 2001 as well for Golden Horseshoe. I was then hired full time as a General Manager for 2002 and remained until 2006. I was responsible for Golden Horseshoe, then South West Ontario, and then was transferred to take over Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Northern Ontario.
Dec
29
Is there a Small Business Ghost in your ClosetAs an SMB owner, the face of your business is the same one you see in the mirror every morning. Sure, you might be able to file a document and convince the IRS to tax you twice, but that doesn’t mean that your potential customers will accept a distinction between your private and public life. Your personal reputation is a huge factor in your business’ health; if you’re known as a flaky party animal, you’ll have to overcome that every time you try to close a sale. For every Martha Stewart, whose business is still thriving despite her own personal financial transgressions, there are a hundred small business owners who have lost their businesses after huge downswings due to bad publicity.
Dec
22
Hiring for your small businessWhen contemplating your approach to the hiring process, it is essential to emphasize the attributes and qualities that accompany successful individuals in the business world. Nearly all managers would agree that ideal employees display exceptional work ethic, strong organizational and communication skills, and a consistent tendency to exceed goals. Qualities such as these can often be superficially determined by a brief look at a resume, however a piece of paper (or .doc file) does not provide a detailed perspective of a candidate’s complete skill set.
Dec
21
How to use video for your businessSince its invention, film has been used as an effective way to reach and influence the masses as a form of advertising; the most common of these being television commercials. With time it has naturally evolved and adapted to function in the digital age we currently live in. The current surge in household Digital Video Recorders in North America is steadily making TV commercials obsolete by providing viewer with the option to simple fast-forward through them, thus turning TV advertising budgets into an unnecessary expense. For that reason many companies are switching their focus to the Internet. Currently approximately 37% of Internet usage is made up of video streaming.
Dec
20
What is entrepreneurship to you?
Entrepreneurship to me is freedom Entrepreneurship to me is freedom. Freedom is challenging and can be challenged by others who are not of the same beliefs. Some people work hard for freedom and will fight to gain it, and will inspire others to follow them on their quest for success. The Entrepreneur is a special type of person who is not afraid to blaze their own trail and go against conformity. Kris Gabriele |
College Pro Northern Ontario General Manager Patricia Seaton and Erin Scheel, head of Special Projects, recently participated in the Southern Ontario Amazing Race for charity. The two raced as Team College Pro, proudly sporting their CP headbands, for the second year in a row. Between last year’s race and this year’s, they raised $6,500 for the Children’s Foundation, and half of that money was thanks to their College Pro network.
