Greenville, South Carolina is booming, and with that growth comes a need for reliable, high-quality home service professionals. Enter Mike Sanchez and his locally grown business, Southedge Painting & Contracting.
How It All Started
Mike grew up in South Florida and served in the Navy for ten years before making Greenville his home in 2016. After spending some time working as a project manager for a construction company, he encountered a highly frustrating personal experience in 2022. While trying to hire a painter for his own home, he faced inconsistent service and had difficulty simply getting a quote. Realizing the industry needed a change, Mike decided to step in and founded Southedge Painting, determined to bring an excellent workplace culture and top-tier service to the Upstate.
What Sets Them Apart
In a market often split between one-person operations and big franchises that rely on subcontractors, Southedge deliberately breaks the mold. They exclusively employ W2 painters rather than outsourcing their labor. Currently, they have 19 painters on staff, having hired some more recently. By keeping everything in-house, they maintain strict control over the customer experience, ensuring their team wears uniforms and adheres to professional brand standards. Southedge focuses strictly on residential and light commercial repaints, avoiding new construction and general contractors entirely to focus completely on local homeowners and property managers.
Their dedication extends far beyond the brush. Southedge is deeply invested in the Greenville community and regularly volunteers at local non-profits such as the Greer Soup Kitchen, Toys for Tots, and Habitat for Humanity. They also host an annual “paint it forward” initiative, where locals can nominate someone in need—often an elderly neighbor—to receive a free exterior home repaint, preventing serious issues like wood rot and water intrusion.
Struggles and Growth
Of course, building a small business isn’t without its challenges. Mike notes that his biggest hurdle has been recruiting and retaining top-tier talent. Because many painters are used to working as independent subcontractors, convincing them to transition to W2 employees means Southedge has to offer an amazing opportunity, complete with competitive pay and reliable benefits. To overcome this and build a reliable workforce, Southedge launched an apprenticeship program designed to recruit and train younger individuals who are looking to master a lifelong trade and grow as good people.
Successes Along the Way
Doing business the right way has paid off immensely. Today, an impressive 40% to 50% of Southedge’s clientele comes strictly from repeat customers and glowing word-of-mouth referrals, which Mike notes is invaluable and simply cannot be bought. Homeowners consistently choose them because they value a team that manages projects professionally and delivers on promises without causing frustrating project delays. While Mike acknowledges that the labor business can be unpredictable, his team promises to always fix any issues that arise, earning them deep trust within the community.
Plans for the Future
Mike isn’t just building a business for today; he’s laying the groundwork for a lasting legacy. His long-term vision is for Southedge to become a deeply established, family-owned fixture in Greenville for years to come. Because painting is a cyclical business with ongoing demand, this goal is highly sustainable. For Mike, ultimate success won’t just be measured in revenue, but in building a company culture so incredibly strong that the best quality craftsmen in the Upstate are lining up to join the team.
For updates and inquiries, don’t forget to follow Southedge Painting & Contracting on Facebook and Instagram.
