Brian Reis
- Owner
- Bellas Army Painting
School Information
School: Indiana University of Pennsylvania
College Major: Business
Years at College Works: 2016-2017
Career Information
Working For: Bellas Army Painting
Title: Owner
Industry: Construction
Brief Description of Duties / Responsibilities:
Responsible for building and engineering the business and building a team to carry out our mission vision and values.
What Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?Building a successful business with people I love being around.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
My experience with College Works Painting has been my unlock into learning a lot about myself and what I’m capable of. I’ve been able to put my selfish desires aside and learn how to lift other around me up.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
I now own my own painting by business. I started it in 2017, and we are now a multi million dollar operation. I wouldn’t have went in this direction if I didn’t have my College Works Painting experience.
What do you want to tell your clients about what it meant to work with them and how it has helped you get to where you are today?
Favorite clients were the Guthries. It was a $16,000 stucco house that was stunning. It was my first sold job the first week of the internship. Long story short, that job alone taught me more than any other job I had that summer.
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
Building a business isn’t about doing things yourself. It is about learning how to build a team of people on a similar mission who share the same values who want to achieve great things together. Leveraging the teams unique abilities is what allows companies to flourish. The E myth is a great book that explains this perspective. Don’t be the technician, be the builder / entrepreneur.
How have the friendships and networks you built during CW affected you?
To be honest, I haven’t kept in touch with many people from College Works Painting, which I regret. I went tunnel vision on my career goals and looked up 7 years later. I am achieving my goals and now getting back to building meaningful relationships with the people I’m building my current business with.
If you had to come up with a one line slogan for CW, what would it be?
Work hard, play hard 😉
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
If you have the privilege of getting hired by College Works Painting, lean in 110% and you’ll learn more than what you ever thought was possible. If you aren’t putting in 110% effort, you’ll probably have mediocre results.
Many college students struggle to choose between an internship specific to their target industry or doing CW. What advice would you give them on this subject if they wanted to enter your career field?
I believe College Works Painting is a universal application of skill sets no matter what industry you go in. The skills you’ll learn aren’t industry specific, they are skill sets that teach you how to be a high performer delivering high value to any company, which is the ultimate goal for any company in any profession. Every company wants to hire an employee who knows that it’s an employees job to generate income or optimize income for the business through high performance. Learn this skill and you’ll blow any employer away when you humbly accept their mission, vision., and values and bring in additional company revenue from them choosing to hire you.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
Relentlessly seek mentorship, guidance, and new information. Eliminate your ego and always be humble. Know that nothing great was ever achieved by one person, there is always an army of people behind every great idea. Invest heavily into your team, friends, and mentors.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
Cancun 😉 and the team we had in the Pittsburgh, PA division. Everyone was really cool 😁
Last words of wisdom?
Be true to yourself and learn how to achieve greatness by being 100% authentically you. You are unique and that is your unique value proposition to the marketplace and to the friendships you create. 10X your goals and go make it happen!