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Brandon Cartwright: Trusting the Process

By Caitlyn Stair, Diamond Certified Research Reporter

Brandon Cartwright’s earliest exposure to painting came from his grandfather, whom he worked alongside as a teenager, but his real motivation for entering the industry came years later when he noticed a worrying trend. “I started seeing a lot of homeowners who had to deal with shady painting contractors and felt stressed out by the process,” he recalls. “I felt like I could definitely do better than that.”

Before establishing Cartwright Painters LLC in 2020, Brandon spent years in the corporate world in engineering, management and leadership positions. While he found success in those roles, he eventually realized he wanted work that felt more personal and fulfilling. “I kind of burned out on the corporate world,” he admits. “I wanted to do something that I knew and liked.” That decision led him back to painting with a fresh perspective shaped by his professional background and his focus on the customer experience.

Today, Brandon approaches every painting project with an emphasis on communication, preparation and follow-through. “We’re big on showing up on time, clearly communicating and delivering on our promises,” he says. “Trust is built on the little things—being responsive, respecting the customer’s home and making sure no one feels left in the dark. If anything comes up, we take care of it.”

That same attention to detail carries into the technical side of Brandon’s work. “Preparation is 70 to 80 percent of the job, and we prioritize it because we want our paint jobs to last,” he says. “We also standardized on higher-end materials so we can deliver a consistent finish each time.”

Customer satisfaction is woven into every stage of Cartwright Painters’ process. At the end of each job, Brandon personally walks through the completed work with the homeowners to make sure they’re genuinely happy with the result. “We ask them questions like, ‘How was the process? How was the finish? Is there something we could have done better?’” he details. “We also believe in educating them and explaining why we’re doing certain things so they feel comfortable making decisions.”

Outside of work, Brandon enjoys a family-centered life in San Jose with his wife, Donna, their son, Jaco, and their dog, Cartwright. Much of his free time revolves around staying active with his family, whether skiing, hiking, biking or taking regular trips to Lake Tahoe. “We’re pretty outdoorsy,” he affirms.

Ultimately, Brandon believes lasting success comes from consistency, integrity and making sure customers feel cared for long after their projects are finished. “I treat every client’s property like it’s my own home,” he says. “That means never cutting corners and always doing the job correctly the first time.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: Coffee or tea?
A: Coffee with cream and two sugars.

Q: If you could immediately travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Australia. It would be cool to see the Outback and beaches and just explore the culture.

Q: What’s your favorite kind of music?
A: Country. I love George Strait.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Relax at home and watch Netflix. I don’t get a lot of time to do that, so that would be nice.