Hi I’m Eric Barstow, Founder of Painting Business Pro
My name’s Eric. I’m 39 years old, a husband, and a father of three, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado the same town I grew up in.
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A little more about me
I got my start in college, coaching students on how to run summer painting businesses – knocking doors, selling jobs, hiring painters, managing crews. By the time I graduated, I’d helped oversee over $2.5 million in painting work. After school, I started my own company, Foothills Painting, and for a few years, I kept trying to get out of the industry. But the business just kept growing, even without a lot of effort, and in 2013, I went all in.
From day one, my motivation wasn’t just about business. It was about building a life I could be proud of, and giving my family the kind of freedom and opportunity I had growing up. I wanted to be a great dad. That meant being home in the mornings, being home at night, taking weekends off, and actually living my life – not just working all the time.
I’ve never believed you have to sacrifice the things that matter to build something great.
That is what led me to start Painting Business Pro. I wanted to show other people that it’s possible to build a thriving, profitable business and have a life you love, and those two things don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Over the last decade, I’ve worked less than 30 hours a week – often closer to 15 or 20 – while running multiple companies, spending time with my family, golfing with friends, and traveling the world. That’s the life I live. And that’s the life I help others create.
The truth is, most people have no idea what they’re capable of. I certainly didn’t. I used to think a million-dollar business was the dream – now we’re scaling toward $150 million. What I’ve learned is that business is one of the most powerful tools for growth and transformation. When you do it right, it changes everything – not just your income, but your identity, your freedom, and your future.
And that’s what I’m here for. To help people unlock what’s possible and build a business and life they’re proud of.
Schedule A Free CallAbout Painting Business Pro
Painting Business Pro was born from a simple idea: you shouldn’t have to choose between building a successful business and living a great life. Since 2012, we’ve helped thousands of painters start and grow their companies; from people getting their very first job to those scaling into the multi-millions. But it’s never just been about the revenue. It’s about building freedom – financial freedom and time freedom – so you can live life on your terms. It’s about discovering what you’re capable of, even if you have no idea yet. And it’s about building a company that not only supports you, but uplifts your family, your team, your customers, and your community.
When you join PBP, you don’t just get training. You get the exact playbooks, systems, and support that we use in our own companies. You tap into a network of like-minded entrepreneurs, leadership coaching, and proven strategies for building a business that works – so you don’t have to work around the clock.
We’re here to help you create more than just a painting company. We’re here to help you build a company you’re proud of – and a life you love living.
Along the way, we ve helped:
About National Painting Group
National Painting Group started with a handful of local painting companies and a lot of trial and error. We made mistakes, learned hard lessons, and slowly figured out what works – not just to grow painting businesses, but to build great companies with great people.
Today, NPG is a growing portfolio of painting businesses across the country. But we’re not a traditional private equity firm, and we don’t just buy companies. We partner with the right people – values-aligned, culturally aligned leaders – and we build together.
Most of our partners start out as members of Painting Business Pro. We work together for a year or two, build trust, and if it’s a fit, we move forward. Some are already doing millions in revenue. Others are earlier in the journey. We don’t have a revenue target or a set number of companies we’re chasing.
some of the amazing companies we partner with
Our goal is simple: build amazing companies, with people we believe in, doing work we’re proud of. When you partner with NPG, you stay in the business. You stay the owner. But you also gain access to everything we’ve built – the leadership team, the systems, the playbooks, and the experience we’ve earned from helping companies grow to $3M, $10M, and beyond.
We’re not just coaches. We’re in the arena with you. We’re operators. We’re builders. We’re partners. And we’re all in on creating something exceptional – not just for ourselves, but for our teams, our families, and the people we serve.
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Not ready to join just yet? Start exploring with our free guides, templates, and resources – the perfect way to get a feel for what Painting Business Pro is all about.
ESTIMATING GUIDES
Painting Business Pro
Downloaded by over 40,000 painting contractors, these proven estimating systems can help you earn 10–50% more profit per job.
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For Businesses In Operation
PBP CASE STUDIES
Million Dollar Companies
See how everyday people learned how to start a painting business, grow it fast, and build freedom — even with no prior experience.
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COMMERCIAL PAINTING
Introductory Training
Add commercial painting to your service offering with this free mini-training. Ideal for residential pros ready to scale up.
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STARTUP CHECKLIST
Your first steps to get started.
A step-by-step launch playbook for anyone looking to start a painting business from scratch. Learn how to set up your business, find your first clients, and get profitable fast.
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