When Colby Davis talks about business, people expect him to focus on revenue, margins, and growth metrics. Those things matter, but honestly, he spends more time thinking about culture than anything else. Culture determines whether great people want to work for Davis Painting, whether they stay, and whether they give their best effort when nobody’s watching.
At Davis Painting, Colby has worked hard to create a culture where people feel respected and heard. That means paying fairly, giving clear feedback, and actually listening when someone says something isn’t working. It means celebrating wins as a team and owning mistakes without pointing fingers. It means treating a painter with the same respect he’d give a manager.
Colby also cares deeply about who the company hires. Skills can be taught, but attitude and work ethic are harder to change. He’d rather hire someone with the right mindset and train them than bring in a skilled person who doesn’t fit the culture. One toxic team member can destroy morale faster than you’d think, and he’s learned to move quickly when someone isn’t aligned with how they operate.
Culture also shows up in how the team treats customers. If the team feels valued and supported, they treat customers the same way. If they feel stressed and underappreciated, that comes through in their interactions. Colby can’t expect his team to deliver an amazing customer experience if he’s not creating an amazing work environment for them.
Building culture takes constant attention. It’s not something you set once and forget. But it’s the foundation of everything else Davis Painting does, and Colby is proud of what they’ve built together.