Michael Anderson Painting Company Profile

ometimes the road that leads to our final destination is long and winding. For Michael Anderson, owner and founder of Michael Anderson Painting, that road was a steady series of switchbacks. Born in Minnesota, his family dotted through the Pacific Northwest and southerly along the coast, until he graduated from high school in Bakersfield. Always the talented athlete, he won a scholarship to Berkeley and raised more than a few eyebrows as the renowned football team's wide receiver. But in a startling twist of fate, he found himself on a Navy missile destroyer, where he served as the ship's athletic officer. His term served and his professional football career behind him, he returned to school to get his teaching credentials. He spent the early 70s teaching high school freshmen ("it was...interesting"), coaching the varsity football team and traveling around the globe as an elite rugby player. During a stint in Tahoe in 1977, he met with a certain divergence he is still grateful for nearly 30 years later: He met Janet. They were married "exactly 365 days later." A business opportunity landed them in Marin County, where they raised their three children and have remained ever since.

Finding His True Calling
Strange as it seems, going into business as an independent painting contractor was a natural move for Anderson. When he and Janet moved to Marin, he experimented with several different fields, including a stay in real estate, and found that he was particularly drawn to house painting. And after a short time, he realized the true satisfaction he found in "the feeling of going into a home and making it right."

Earning his contractor's license in 1984, he decided to go into business for himself. Why take on the responsibility? "After many bad experiences with corporate leadership, I realized that I'm a good manager. I'm good with people and I know how to make the job not be an interruption." Additionally, he had always found the work itself to be particularly gratifying. "I like the artisan part and doing work for homeowners," said Anderson. "Unlike other contractors, I like to help my customers with design, and I'm not afraid to tell them which ideas won't work."

Often, clients will clash on their choices, and Anderson takes it upon himself to settle such disputes. When necessary, he'll get the third or fourth opinion that clients need to reach a compromise-and everyone is grateful for his mediation.

A Team of Allstars
Though his painting years are behind him, you can trust that the work his staff provides is as top notch as if it were done by the master himself. Part of the reason he became a business owner was the ability to hand pick his own team and thereby match his personal standards. To Anderson, the solidarity and reliability of that team is paramount. "It's all about how you treat employees and how you believe in them. In Marin especially, you don't see a lot of laborers who are in it for the long run. But I have a steady staff, and many of my guys have been with me for over five years. Like a good sports team, it's important to keep a solid core of dedicated members. And I've managed to keep a real team."

Protecting His Customers
The result? An unmatched reputation and a long history of exemplary paint work. He simply wouldn't stand by it if it weren't. After 24 years in the industry, he's familiar with the slim value attached to the "guarantees" of a lot of contract work. That's why he takes a different approach to his clients' peace of mind. One year after every job is completed, Anderson personally inspects the work. If he detects any problems that his team may have contributed to, it is repaired at no charge. Anderson chose to offer this service because, as opposed to an official ‘guarantee,' "I thought it was real. It's realistic and fair, and there are no disclaimers to make things confusing."

Clearly, his perspective is appreciated. He's painted a considerable fraction of homes in Marin County and San Francisco. Anderson prefers residential work, and his team usually paints interiors and exteriors for custom jobs and repaints. A job from Anderson's team is all-inclusive; in addition to standard prep-work and requisite coatings, they offer waterproofing and elastomeric coating, wood staining and varnishing, power washing and mildew removal, minor carpentry and dry rot repair, drywall repairs, wallpaper removal and/or hanging, specialty and faux finishes, and, of course, expert design and color consultation. Michael Anderson Painting works with a number of the respected building contractors, interior designers, and licensed Realtors throughout Marin and San Francisco on remodels and new construction.

The paints and paint products that Anderson offers are carefully selected. He uses only the highest quality brands, such as C2, Cabot Stains, Pratt-Lambert, Benjamin Moore and Kelly Moore. For the sake of his customers' health, his employees' safety and concern for the environment, Anderson made the switch to acrylic paints years ago. "I'm really into the ‘global' thing" he said. For every client, he offers the option of water based materials and other "green" finishes and primers, as opposed to high VOC and oil-based coatings.

Dedicated to His Community
As a business owner, Anderson considers himself to be a servant of the community and, in a throwback to his praiseworthy athletic history, he's actively involved in the athletics department at Redwood High School, where he regularly donates time and money. He also contributes to the Marin Athletic Foundation and a non-profit environmental organization called Amazon Watch. He's a proud member of the Marin Builder's Exchange, the Better Business Bureau, and he has earned Diamond Certification, a distinguished endorsement given only to those companies with an exemplary rate of customer satisfaction.

In time, Anderson anticipates growth beyond his team of eight. Due to his ever-growing list of references and happy clients, he plans to add another crew of painters. With no sign of slowing down, he speaks warmly about his work and his experiences with clients over the years. "I love seeing the smiles of the homeowners, the genuine appreciation they have when we show them the finished work."



---Jim Brumm
Staff Writer
The Prime Buyer's Report