How do you become a successful painter and decorator?
351284
Maintain a professional appearance.  Too many scum a55 painters.  U dont want to lump urself in with them.  Work on your craft at home on a wall in the garage if you have one.  Go to Home Depot and grab all the faux/sponge/leather technique flyers and practice.  Always use a good paint.(benajmin moore is best i think)  Run a decent sized ad in the phone book.  The customer is always right.  Repeat/Referral business is always the best.  Keep ur prices high.  Make people wonder why you are more expensive then the other companies.  This will also keep you from working all summer for some tight son of a bitch who wants to squeeze every last drop of paint out of you.\n\nGood luck!
168824
Use a good (!very! expensive) paint and brush, gentle strokes, temperature and humidity should be just right, read the paint label for details.
41600
You can become a contractor, or become a closer for a contractor.  A closer is a person who closes a deal for a contractor.  They even do estimates for the contractor.  Once a job comes in, then other people take over, you just do the talking.  You earn commission.  Closers get like 50k-60k per year.  Or car salesman make like 55k-65k a year selling cars.  I went at it myself and became a painting contractor.  From start to finish, its me.  My pay is about 50/50 after everything.  I sold over $185K last year.  So, my pay was more like $90k without touching a brush.  Not bad for a $6k investment.  This includes everything, including car.  So, if you are good at sales and have a car, then you would have started off better then me because I didnt have a car.  To me, it was like, why make $60k when you know youre good and can make $90K?
87264
First buy a piece of paper\nSecond buy a pen.... now you are on your way to success!
794194
I think you are truly amazing!  Go to the art/design school you like the most.  Then attend business classes at your local junior college.  \n\nMost importantly, find a good/successful designer or design business you can work for when you get out of school so that you can learn the 'real world' knowledge you will need to succeed.\n\nBest wishes and good luck.
910068
You should develop a net work with the peoples those are associated with Art Work- Keep contacts with them and ask them if they can be helpful to you for the art work.Become a member of Museums and some  private art gallery.And still you need more information-keep studying and learn the skill from your teachers.
76819
If you believe that you could do neat work, perhaps you could offer your services to re-paint rooms of a friend's, neighbor's or relative's house if they supply the materials including paints, stirers, brushes, rollers, masking tape and plastic drop cloths.  You would also need a step ladder and rags and old clothes.  How many rooms would you do for $100?  Can someone help you learn the tricks of painting a room including how many coats?  You might also need help moving furniture, etc. out of the way.  Good luck.
100377
Go to college, get the basics down. You'll get some pointers there that might help you figure out your path.\n\nYou can follow your heart and use your brain. Whatever it is that you want to do, artist, bricklayer, teacher, master surfer... anything can be done with more finesse and a better understanding if you get educated. Plus, you can get more respect for your ideas if people know it comes from an educated person.
694853
Do you have a special talent? For instance, I bought a dozen plain colored christmas ornaments, a paint brush and a few paints, and painted things on the ornaments. Then I personalized them with the receivers name and the year. I started 17 years ago, now I run my own business. I never knew I could paint, I have never taken a class. Its worth a try. Do you have a service you could offer? Make up decorative cards and offer your services for free. Babysit, cook a meal, clean the house. Wax the car, etc. One year, my brother didn't have the extra cash, so he donated 5 hours of community service to each one of us siblings. For Me, he worked at a soup kitchen, my sister is big into animals, so he worked at the local shelter for 5 hours. I think he worked picking up trash for my other sister on the road she lived on because she was into the epa. Theres so much you can do with out money that means so much. Use your imagination. Most of all, have fun with it. You might find that the gift of your love and time is the best gift you will ever give, and the best gift someone can recieve!! Happy Holidays!!
231081
First you need to choose a school and get a degree by choosing a good school that will instill in you a good foundation.  After that you should build a great resume and portfolio that shows only the spectrum of the work you are applying for unless they ask otherwise.  \n\nSalary depends on where you live and what the cost of living is there.  For example, a graphic artist in Pittsburgh, PA will make around $25,000/year starting, one in Washington, DC might make $35,000/year, while one in San Francisco, CA might make $30,000/year.\n\nSalary will also depend on the job market where you are trying to get in, and the amount of skill and/or expertise you have to offer.  Honestly, from a hiring standpoint, if you're not good at it or didn't express that you are good in it through responses to questions and/or a solid portfolio, you'll probably be hired in desparation (if you are), and make the least possible as they will only pay you for what you're worth.
332238
I am not an interior designer, but I do work and deal with quite a few decorators and designers. I am a carpet salesperson for a decorator showroom in Manhattan, NYC. From what I have seen, it's not only a lot of work, it's also very stressful, especially for the assistants to the high end decorators, and the designer or decorator that is just starting out on their own. I was speaking to one gentleman who is finally starting to make a decent living after two years of being on his own, he is doing well now, but he also was an assistant for 7 years to a very high end designer. He saved over a year and half of salary before he left his assistant job, and he said that was barely enough. The work is very time consuming when you are on your own, you usually don't have anyone to do the errands you need done, and then you go home to do paperwork so you can keep track of all your dealings with retail people and contractors, not to mention clients who can't make up their minds. It seems to me, its a job you have to love to do. If you love it, you won't mind the long hours,pain in the a-- contractors, and super tight deadlines, and chasing clients for money.But once you establish yourself and have a nice set of clients you can do pretty well.
249571
Get a Ph.D. in fine arts. Also, get some work experience in a museum. I suggest you learn the art of "framing" as well.
829386
You should start by contacting a couple of the larger real estate companies in your area.  Most of the big ones will have training programs and recruitment programs designed to help you succeed after you are done with your licensing classes.  Getting a license and knowing how to be a good agent are two different things.\n\nFinding someone to hire you will be the easy part.  Finding someone to train you for success is the hard part.  Real estate is not easy to get started in, you should plan on keeping a part-time waitressing job or something to keep your bills paid while you get started.  If you don't, be prepared to go 3-6 months before seeing your first paycheck.  Most people don't have that kind of savings sitting around.
541901
Training. There is more to it than loving it and having a little flair. It is necessary to have a knowledge of architectural styles, history, balance, color,design principles etc. Research where to get training so that you have the proper credentials: ASID.
667207
I just answered a question similar to this one, You can find a plenty of sources on line however, if you have considered on line business or catalogers that sells clothes and lingerie you might be a step close to reach your goal in success, I had a job once as an intern with the top selling catalogs company in Germany (Otto). It was a great experience to me as I was responsible for that area sales and marketing.I have learned so many important things including selling and buying techniques and how it is important for a person to understand the consumer requirements.\nThere are two key needs here:\n\nThe first is to build up a detailed profile of your client -their personality, what they do and don't like, the social circle in which they mix and the sort of clothes in which they feel comfortable.\n\nThe other is a detailed knowledge of fashion. Buy all the magazines and keep in touch with what is in and what is out for each season.\n\nBy combining these two and appearing knowledgeable, then offer some free consultations to friends and family. Ask them to recommend you and by word of mouth you should start to get some paid business.
551476
Hard work and passion for what you do.\n\nUnless you are in a profession that pays a lot of money (lawyer, investment banker, financial institutions, etc) you are going to need to be in business for yourself. \n\nNo matter what job you have now, learn the business. How do people in that business make money. What makes them successful? Ask yourself a lot of questions regarding that business. And if it is something you enjoy and really have a passion for, find away (after getting years of experience) of starting up your own business. Start small and then build. \n\nConcentrate on providing excellent service to your customers. If your only focus is on becoming rich, you will find that you are working hard for the wrong reason. In addition you will never be happy. Work hard for the enjoyment of watching your business grow and your customers happy and you will find that the money comes.
1120068
How to become successful lol.