About Northstar Painting
The journey to Kamloops’ first painters’ co-operative
Where It All Started
Jay and Michelle met while working together at another Kamloops painting company. Jay was busy setting up a kitchen cabinet refinishing service, and Michelle was brought in to help. Jay handled the workshop and sprayed the cabinet doors, while Michelle worked on-site prepping and painting the cabinet boxes. Together, they helped launch one of the first cabinet refinishing services in Kamloops – and it quickly became a success.
Starting Something of Their Own
The idea of starting their own company started small and grew over time. It just made sense. Jay brought decades of painting experience, knowing how to anticipate problems and solve them before they arise. Michelle’s previous experience in business, administration, and marketing gave the company a strong foundation. Most importantly, they shared the same work ethic and vision, putting meticulous workmanship and great customer experience front and centre. Together, their skills set them up not just to run a great painting business, but to build it in a way that reflects their values.
A Different Way to Run a Painting Company
They wanted to build a better way of running a painting business – one that keeps workers at the heart of everything it does. That’s why Northstar was set up as a painters’ co-operative – the first of its kind in Kamloops. The goal is to give the team a real voice in how the business operates, reward everyone fairly, and ensure the team is invested in the company’s success. By building the business this way, they’ve created something that can last – a business that can grow, evolve, and hopefully even be passed on to the next generation of painters after them.
What We Stand For
At the end of the day, it’s about doing good work and being decent people to deal with. It’s all summed up in one simple idea: great work, happy workers, happier clients.
Have questions about how we work, what to expect, or our process? Visit our FAQ page for answers.