What We're Thankful for This Thanksgiving

Wow! Can you believe it? October has come and gone so quickly. November is now here, reminding us to be thankful for the many positive things happening in our lives. 

While there are many things I can be thankful for as an individual, the following is a list of things we are truly thankful for as a company. I hope you enjoy our list and make a list of thankfulness of your own.

Our families. As each of us began this journey with Arclight Painting, our families got to support our hopes and dreams. This was especially applicable to me as a serviceman while deployed. The support of our families through the wins and the losses, through the easy times and the hard, means absolutely everything. We are grateful to our families for the love, support, and understanding that comes with working long hours and serving our extended family in the community.

Each other. I would say that each of us at Arclight Painting is thankful for every other colleague. We each bring our individual gifts and talents, skills, and expertise to the table, and we each benefit from the hard work of each other. The synergy that we create is what makes it fun to come to work, and it has been a wonderful adventure and a joyous potluck with every member of the Arclight family!  I give a special thank you for all that you do to help our company and brand succeed.

Our customers. No one is just a number on a revenue graph. Indeed, we wouldn’t have a company without our customers. You have chosen us based on feedback within the community, through friends or neighbors who have had our service and recommended us, or through our online reviews or Facebook recommendations. Helping to make your homes, workplaces, and lives a brighter place to live is truly what we live for. We are so grateful that you chose us as your painting contractor.

Community. This includes our immediate community and the greater communities in which we serve. We are very grateful to have been able to open an office in down Bothell, WA last year and to have had the opportunity to be more involved in our local community. We also have experienced, like many during these last couple of years, the power of online community. We are very thankful for our local Chamber, painting industry groups, neighborhood social groups, networking groups, and all who follow us Facebook.

Opportunity. We love having the opportunity to prove our skills and satisfy our customers. We cherish every call or request we receive letting us know that someone could use our help with their painting needs. We are not intimidated by difficult jobs (or customers.) In fact, we relish the challenge. When someone says that other companies have tried and failed to give exceptional service, our answer is ‘Bring it on!” And, we are thankful that more times than not, we succeed in this mission.

Our vendors. While some companies may not appreciate their vendors since they only represent another check exiting their bank account, we certainly do. We appreciate all of the companies who work hard to provide the highest quality products in the industry at competitive prices. We consider them an essential part of our team.  We especially appreciate the local vendors because we get to support the brick-and-mortar companies and the people within the community whom they employ. Anyone could buy products online, but the convenience and care that comes from a local in-person staff means a lot to me personally.

Tough market. The painting market can be a dog-eat-dog world, as community members strive to get their painting needs taken care of as quickly as possible and at the most economical prices. It can strain businesses like ours that are trying to rise above the norm. We are thankful for this difficult market as it causes us to hone our craft, build efficient systems, and constantly look for new ways to rise above our competition. If we don’t, someone else will. So, it pushes us to be our very best every single day!

Newest technology. Technology changes every day, and painting companies need to adapt to keep up. Although we are fundamentally craftsmen who work with our hands and are often slow to adapt, staying up-to-date on industry and technology advances must remain at the forefront of our minds. Keeping up-to-date on technological advances is imperative to our success and in my perspective, key to providing exceptional craftsmanship and customer service at reasonable prices. We are thankful for all of these new technologies and how they allow us to serve our customers better. 

We are thankful. Period! In my opinion, maintaining an attitude of gratitude is important to the enjoyment of everyday life.  It makes it possible to wake up and face each new day as a blessing. 

I know that painting, just like life, can be stressful. But, it’s a blessing to us who love the opportunity to serve. We understand that things may not have gone right previously. But, we try our best to be patient and understanding and ensure that we get it done right this time. Doing things this way is how we feed our families, support our kids’ sports teams, pursue our passions, and help each other rise “above and beyond” and have fun!