Eric McDaniel is the owner and founder of the residential and commercial paint service company, Ultimate Paints. Born and raised in Louisiana, Eric got into trouble at a young age. He joined the military to change his life’s trajectory. After leaving the military, he obtained his contractor’s license and founded the company, primarily focusing on residential paint services.
After doing some commercial work, Eric decided to grow his business and pursue more lucrative opportunities, like government contracts. But he realized that he needed advice and guidance to achieve this goal.
He connected with an advisor at The Center by Lendistry, who has worked with him on developing crucial aspects of running a business, like developing a business plan, elevator pitch, vision board, and managing the company’s financials. His advisor also helped him obtain Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) certifications, which are critical for accessing federal opportunities, programs, and financial resources intended to benefit diverse entrepreneurs.
Eric employs at-promise youth from the community and teaches them the painting trade, from beginning to end. He wants to make a difference in the community and impact the lives of youth by providing good wages and opportunities for their future. He fondly recalls running into one of the youth that he worked with years ago. Now a young man, he is pursuing his Doctorate at UCLA. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and Eric is part of that village. Eric plans to expand to other states and create a pre-apprenticeship program for at-promise youth, like he once was. The Center has helped him to focus on how he can achieve his dream of making an impact in the community.
“The Center by Lendistry has opened my eyes to so much, like fine-tuning what business is all about, where I want to go, and what I must do to grow my business. I know how to be a contractor, but I also need to know how to be a businessman. My business wouldn’t be where it is right now without the services offered by The Center,” said Eric.
The Center provides individualized support to help diverse entrepreneurs reach their dreams, including business plan development, accounting and finance best practices, and procurement and certification assistance to help women and diverse-owned businesses grow and succeed.
Learn more about our services and schedule a consultation at: https://thecenterbylendistry.org/services/.