CAREER IN FAUX FINISHING

Rita Warner, Executive Director of Decorating Masters Institute (DMI), said it always amazes her as to how many of DMI's students take the 6 day "Boot Camp" course because they are desiring to make a career change. Not including decorative painters and graphic artists, DMI has more people come from the medical field (nurses, lab techs, therapists) than any other profession. Boot Camp has also had many accountants, secretaries, interior designers, marketing agents and lots of those who have, what they term, "corporate burnout".

Rita went on to say that lately, DMI has had many inquiries about Faux Finishing careers from those in other businesses as well. With the economy slowing up and many layoffs occurring, people are looking for ways to make their living in a career that can give them more control over their own destinies. Where else can you work when you want, as much or as little as you want, only answer to yourself, be creative and still earn $400-$500 or even more per day.

This is a great profession for a husband and wife. Although DMI has more women than men attend Boot Camps, Rita said that the classes recently have had many husbands & wives or mothers & daughters take the class together. Although faux finishing can be done by one person, many finishes and jobs are easier with two. Many times one partner is more creative while the other has a bit more of a business head which makes a perfect business team. In addition, many house painters (mostly men) have been attending classes to increase the number of skills they can offer to their customers.

Those who attend Boot Camp, always remark that the emphasis placed on marketing is extremely helpful as they start and run their businesses. DMI is one of few schools offering comprehensive marketing, sales and pricing information as part of their regular courses. Beyond marketing, the "Boot Camp" course covers 50-60 faux & decorative painting techniques including furniture finishes, marbling, textures, basics of trompe l'oeil, a small mural & a floor cloth. Since all of this is covered in a 6 day workshop, it's easy to see how the term "Boot Camp" was coined.

Decorating Masters Institute is now in its sixth year and has just completed its first full year in Ft. Myers, Fla. "It's been a great year and our new state of the art facility could not have worked out better," Rita said. "We have had almost full classes and our graduates are doing very well. We do continue to hear from our graduates after they leave here because after being together for 10-12 hrs a day for 6 days, we become like a family. The graduates keep in touch with us and with each other, sharing the trials, tribulations and excitement of starting their new faux finishing businesses."

DMI's graduates are its best advertisement, according to Rita. "We encourage potential students to call any of our graduates and ask them their impression of our facility, curriculum, instructors and the the professionalism of the entire staff." But Rita warned that you might also hear, "I gained 7 lbs. from all the food served (extensive continental breakfast, a hot prepared 3-4 course lunch, 4 o'clock energy booster which might be a hot fudge sundae or banana split and 3 evening meals)."

Following is a comment sheet from Dianne Cantoni, a DMI graduate. Each graduate receives a comment sheet that we encourage them to fill out and return to us. We feel that returning a comment sheet after they have gone home and had a chance to reflect on their Boot Camp week, that they will be more objective than if they do this while they are still here.