CertaPro Painters of Berkeley

Soumil Amin: In Living Color

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

OAKLAND — When Soumil Amin started doing maintenance work to earn money while attending school, he never thought it would lead to a lifelong career. “During college, I was a maintenance technician at a hotel, which involved a lot of exterior and interior painting,” he remembers. “After graduating, I wanted to start a life for myself, so I began looking at different businesses and trades to get involved in. Since I had some experience, I decided to try my hand at being a professional painter.” In 2003, after getting a few years of additional experience under his belt, Soumil made a big leap forward by opening a franchise of the nationwide company CertaPro Painters.

Today, as owner of CertaPro Painters of Berkeley, Soumil expresses a twofold appreciation for his career. “I love taking a home in need of a paint job and watching the transformation from old to new,” he says. “I also enjoy meeting and interacting with customers, as well as providing them with products they’re completely happy with.”

Originally from Atlanta, Soumil moved to California as a teenager and today resides in Concord with his wife, Kruti, and their two daughters. When asked his favorite part about living and working in the Bay Area, he cites its diverse character. “I think having such a complex mixture of people and cultures adds richness to life,” he says. “Plus, it means we have a lot of great food!”

Outside of work, Soumil devotes most of his time to his other career: being a full-time family man. “Most of my hobbies revolve around sports and outdoor activities, but these days I’m mainly doing the dad thing,” he says. “However, my wife and I make an effort to stay active by taking the girls with us on hikes or walks along the Embarcadero in San Francisco. As they get older, we’ll branch out into biking and other activities.”

In his life and career, Soumil espouses the importance of delivering on your promises. “I take pride in what I do, so I want to make sure everything is laid out perfectly and the results are exactly as I said they’d be,” he explains. “An important aspect of that is communication. Not only do I need to communicate with my customers to understand their needs, I need to communicate those needs to my crew so the job is done correctly.”

When asked what his future retirement might look like, Soumil says he’ll find ways to stay active, both at home and abroad. “I like experiencing different places and cultures, so I’ll definitely do some traveling. However, I’d also like to become more active in my local community.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Australia.

Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Burma Superstar in Oakland.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Relax and eat a hot bowl of pho.

Q: Music or talk radio?
A: Talk radio.

Q: What’s your favorite TV show?
A: “Breaking Bad.”