Business Opportunities Weblog

May 16, 2008 by Rich Whittle | 3 Comments

The Commercial Appeal:

What started out as a teenage hobby has transformed into an adult vocation for Rick Taylor, owner of Rick’s Powder Coating & Customs.

The family-owned small business features powder coating, which Taylor promotes as more durable than wet paint. Once a surface is thoroughly cleaned and prepared, the powder is applied and baked on.

The result is a long-lasting finish that may look like paint, but is environmentally friendly. “We don’t produce toxic fumes that can damage the ozone layer and are harmful to humans,” Taylor said. “And there are no solvents involved, which means no dangerous emissions. We’re very green.”

And very colorful.

One benefit to the powder coating system, Taylor said, is that it may be matched to virtually anything. The only limit is the customer’s imagination.

From a tiny one-man startup operation focused mostly on automobiles and motorcycles, the business has expanded to a 23,000-square-foot facility specializing in a variety of coating and customizing services.

As a high schooler, Taylor spent many weekends restoring cars and helping friends customize their vehicles. After graduating from Christian Brothers University with a business degree, he worked as a mechanic for a while, but with a bit of urging from his father, he struck out on his own.

“Rick was always a go-getter and had a great head for business, even at a young age,” said his dad, Tom Taylor. “He worked to save up his money and by the time he was 16 he had enough to buy his first car with cash. That’s the kind of dedication he has.”

Photo by Dave Darnell.

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Tags: Entrepreneurial Lifestyle, Small Biz, Success