From $680K and Broke to $1M in 5 Months | Painter Growth

From $680K and Broke to $1M in 5 Months | Painter Growth

June 23, 2026 · 24 min

About this episode

Derrick shares his journey from $680K in sales and being broke to booking $1M in just five months by implementing effective systems.

Derrick did $680K in sales in 2025 and ended the year broke. Six months later, his company, Mountain Man Painting in Twin Lakes, Colorado, where most jobs are 8,000 ft and up, had $1 million booked for the year. It's the first time he'd ever hit that number, and he got there in five months. In this Painter Growth story, Derrick breaks down exactly what changed: why $680K in revenue still left nothing at the end of the year, how he justified putting $30K on a credit card with $0 in the bank (and paid it off in a few months), going from $0 in January bookings to $28K, getting completely off the tools, and building the systems that let him take a Wednesday off to go fishing with his six kids for the first time in years. If you're a painting contractor stuck on the ladder and tired of working all year with nothing to show for it, this one's for you. Comment PLAYBOOK and we'll send you the exact system these contractors are using to scale.

People in this episode

Host: Mike Gore-Hickman

Guest: Derrick

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mountain Man Painting

Places: Twin Lakes, Colorado

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