College Pro Painters
Want To Lose $20k? Join College Pro!

Business & Finance

I am a 19 year old University student and when I heard I could make $10k-$90k in a summer with College Pro I decided to find out more info. After going through two interviews with my general manager I had a thrid where we would go over the contract and I could ask questions. Here are the "expectations" of a franchisee that he laid out for me:

- Working 10-20 hrs/week January to May, 60-80 hrs/week May and June, 20 hrs/week July and August

- To start up a solid business would cost me roughly $2k from my pocket, College Pro finances the rest

- Most managers make $30k to $90k in one summer

- Full training on how to estimate, paint, and sell provided by College Pro

After hearing this I dicussed it with my parents and we decided I should/could do it. little did I know signing that contract would be the biggest mistake of life. Here is the reality of those "expectations" that were laid out for me during the interview:

- Working 30-40 hours/week January to May (Very little time for school let alone anything else)

Working 90-110 hrs/week May and June (Every waking minute is spent working)

- Starting up my business cost me $15k from my pocket and College Pro financed $7k worth of useless garbage that they make even more money on (such as papers, logos, signs, marketing programs which have zero effect)

- Most managers either fail or make less than $10k (I have to mention there was actually one that made $60k or above in a summer)

- One day spent learning how to paint a house (you then have to train your painters with that little knowledge you gained in one day on the most importan aspect of your business)

- Two weekends spent learning how to sell

- One day spent learning how to estimate AFTER you've done 10-20 estimates already

I quit being a manager beginning of June after I started losing even more money by painting! That's right, once I started painting I was losing even more money than the initial $20k because all of my estimates were apparently wrong and my painters didn't know how to paint because I didn't know how to paint. College Pro of course makes money though, 24% off every job plus you have to pay for other expenses of theirs which equals about 35% in total. The only people making money was College Pro, my painters were making less than minimum wage because the budgets are too short to allow a quality job. The end result was half a year spent working and over $20, 000 of debt incurred. That's enough to pay for my entire tuition! Not to mention all the things I could have been done that I gave up so I could make College Pro Money.

There are countless of other reveiws out there that say similar or worse things about College Pro. If you are thinking of being a manager or painter, or getting your house painted, be very cautious by doing lots of research and using good judgement. I would personally not recommend this company to ANYONE and think the word should be spread about how they rip off young students.