ON THE JOB
Fort Collins-based business owner Moses Horner is a self-made man. In 1999, he started painting homes in Northern Colorado and has steadily built up one of the largest and most respected residential painting companies in the area.
“I’ve been building a team and investing in employees over time,” Horner says. “We’re currently one of Northern Colorado’s larger residential painting contractors. Right now, we do 50 percent new construction and 50 percent residential repaint.”
Horner, who originally worked for his father’s general construction business, believes getting fired by his dad was the best thing that could have happened to him.
“It came to a point where I was being paid as a partner and I wasn’t quite acting like one,” he says. “A year after moving to Colorado from Nebraska, my dad sat me down and said, ‘In two weeks, I’m firing you.’ I was young and immature, and not carrying my weight. I had a wife, two kids and a mortgage and it really lit a fire under me.
“It’s really where I needed to go,” he adds, describing how he started his own business. “I hit the ground running and the entrepreneurial spirit in me was lit, and it just kind of burned ever since. We’ve grown steadily over the past 20 years, we learned a lot and continue to improve every day.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
For the past 19 years, Horner Painting has focused on exterior and interior painting of residential homes, while building a solid team capable of delivering high quality customer service and incredible work. Horner operates on three core values: people matter, quality workmanship, and integrity always, which he says build off each other.
“People matter—we start with our team,” he explains. “Our customers are actually not number one, our team is. We believe if we take care of our team, our customers will be naturally taken care of. With a healthy team and healthy customers, we’ll be able to give back to our community.”
Horner Painting, which is Northern Colorado-specific, is focused on Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley. Horner wants to ensure what they do matters. “We find and build relationships with individuals so we can provide quality workmanship,” says Horner.
“The last piece—integrity always—we have the best warranty in the business. There’s really no argument. There is no fine print or exclusions, our warranty covers everything. We want to take care of our customers’ homes because we’re developing a relationship with them. Even though there’s a ten year interval before we’re going to paint their house again, if something goes wrong then we’re going to come fix it.”
The Horner Painting team, from left:
Moses Horner, MaKenzie McMurry, Adam Hulme and Erin Horner.
CLAIM TO FAME
Personally, Horner recalls going through a three- to five-year “midlife crisis.” Despite his supportive wife, kids and a thriving business, he was feeling unfulfilled and floundered at a certain level of success. But through that adversity, he was able to recapture his passion for the business and move forward full-steam ahead.
“My claim to fame is reliability,” he says. “It’s not a sexy word,” he says, laughing. “It’s kind of boring, but the reality is in this day and age just showing up is huge. Being reliable and doing what you say is very important to me.”
REASONS TO HIRE
Horner Painting celebrates what Horner calls its “culture of excellence.” His team is what he thinks gives his business an edge over its competition.
“It’s our people that make us the right choice,” he says without hesitation. “Of course, we have the best products, of course, we have integrity, but the company is to a large enough point that you’re dealing with the team. From the top down to the guys painting your house, they care about it in the same way I do. We take pride in what we’re doing.”
“We give their homes beauty and give them a great experience in their home, in their sanctuary,” he adds. “As a result, we’re a dynamic, valuable part of the fabric of this community. We care about what we’re doing.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Nearly two decades in, he’s picked up some valuable lessons along the way. The key is to honor your word.
“Do what you say, follow through and when in doubt, be generous,” he says. “One thing about being reliable, when you hit that gray area where you’re maybe not sure about something, just take care of the customer. Let it ride. Value the other person’s perspective. You don’t always have to be right.”
BUSINESS HOURS
Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
WHERE TO FIND THEM
900 W. Mountain Ave.
Fort Collins, 80521
Free estimates: (970) 692-8822
www.hornerpainting.com
