Customers already trust your work. Build the company they call.
Great painters are hard to find. Great painting companies are even harder.
We're looking for experienced Bay Area painters who want to go independent. We help the people we back get launched, win jobs, and handle the business side.
No fee to apply. About 5 to 8 minutes.
Where we're starting
Built for the Bay Area. Five counties first.
Every business in the first cohort launches in one of five counties. That is where we know the market, the licensing, and the neighborhoods, and where we can show up in person.
- Marin CountySan Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley
- San Francisco CountyThe city, all neighborhoods
- San Mateo CountyDaly City to Menlo Park
- Alameda CountyOakland, Berkeley, Fremont, Hayward
- Contra Costa CountyWalnut Creek, Concord, Richmond
Live outside these counties? Apply anyway and tell us where. We expand based on where strong candidates are.
Why ownership
Why owning this business is worth it.
Quality stands out
Homeowners and property managers have a hard time finding painters who show up, prep properly, and finish clean. If that's you, you're already ahead.
Referrals compound
A finished paint job is visible to every neighbor and every guest. Good work markets itself, if there's a company behind it to take the call.
Crews let you grow
Painting companies scale by adding crews and moving the owner into estimating and quality control. That's a real business, not just a job.
The honest part
What usually makes it hard
Most people who are excellent at this work never start a company. It is rarely the work that stops them. It is everything around it.
- Getting a C-33 license, bond, and insurance in place
- Estimating accurately and consistently
- Winning jobs against low bids without racing to the bottom
- Scheduling crews, deliveries, and customers
- Invoicing, deposits, and collections
- Hiring painters you can trust on a customer's property
What Framework does for a painting business
You bring the skill and reputation. We help build everything around it.
If selected, we build a launch plan with you. It includes:
- Company setup
- Licensing and compliance coordination
- Insurance and bonding coordination
- Brand and website
- Customer acquisition
- Phones and lead response
- Estimating and proposal workflows
- Scheduling and job tracking
- Bookkeeping systems
- Hiring and crew growth
The specifics depend on the business and on you. We work them out together, in writing, before anyone commits.
No fee to apply. About 5 to 8 minutes.
Apply nowWho we look for
Who is a strong candidate
We care more about your ability and ambition than whether you've started a business before.
- Significant professional painting experience
- Proper licensing or a realistic path to required licensing
- High standards for prep, finish, and cleanup
- Comfortable walking a job and talking with customers
- Genuine desire to own a company
Licensing and eligibility
In California, painting contracting work generally requires a C-33 license from the Contractors State License Board, along with bonding and insurance. Requirements vary by individual and job. We can help coordinate the process, but you must meet all applicable requirements to operate.
Applicants must satisfy all applicable licensing, professional, and regulatory requirements for their field. Framework can help coordinate the process but does not grant, waive, or substitute for any license or credential.
- We put up to $25,000 into customer acquisition for each business we back.
- Framework also covers year-one setup and software costs where applicable, and works alongside you on systems, hiring, and growth.
- You own and control the company.
- There is no franchise fee and no ongoing royalty.
- If your business becomes more valuable, our 7% becomes more valuable too.
Some regulated professions, including law practices, require a different legal structure with similar economics. We review the exact terms with you, in writing, before anyone commits.
Your next chapter
Ever seriously thought about owning your own painting business?
Tell us about your experience. If it looks like a fit, we'll set up a conversation. No fee, no commitment.
Let's build what's next, together.