Episode Summary:
In this episode of The Bearded Finisher Podcast, host Zach Shrum sits down with Larry Lanouette, a master certified painter, consultant, and entrepreneur with decades of experience transforming painting businesses from the inside out. From cutting grass to fine finish work with Fine Paints of Europe, Larry shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career—including how military service, luxury finishes, and international travel all influenced his mindset on process, training, and company culture.
This conversation dives deep into what it really takes to grow a high-end painting business: from managing egos and team dynamics to retail strategy, customer experience, and the philosophy behind creating innovative tools like his ICR brushes. Whether you’re a business owner, craftsman, or aspiring consultant, this episode is packed with tactical insights and candid wisdom on reigniting your passion, defining your personal goals, and scaling with purpose—not just profit.
Chapters:00:00 – Introduction to Larry Lanouette and His Journey 03:00 – The Evolution of Larry's Painting Career 08:58 – Transitioning to Luxury Finishes 11:45 – The Impact of Military Experience on Painting 17:03 – Identifying Voids in the Industry 20:02 – Rekindling Passion in the Painting Business 22:39 – Managing Growth in the Painting Industry 24:53 – The Importance of Process and Training 27:58 – Selling the Experience: Process Over Product 30:52 – Building Trust Through Transparency 36:33 – Innovative Management Techniques 42:10 – Self-Reflection and Company Culture 49:05 – Working On vs. In the Business 51:11 – The Importance of Knowing What You Want 51:54 – Introduction to ICR and Its Purpose 52:54 – Innovative Brush Design and Quality 56:40 – Production Brushes and Their Features 01:00:13 – Distribution and Retail Strategy 01:02:30 – Upcoming Projects and Content 01:04:26 – Advice to My Younger Self 01:08:10 – Personal Growth and Passions
Connect with Larry Lanouette📸 Instagram: @larrylanouette 🖌️ ICR Brushes: @icrbrushes 🌐 Website: Coming Soon 📧 Email: Via Instagram DM
Follow Larry for insight on luxury finishes, fine paints, brush design, and transforming your painting business from hustle to high-end.
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com