Parent Testimonials

These parents have had a chance to witness how truly exceptional and beneficial this internship program has been for their son or daughter. Each year we begin our season with seminars and interviews held at various college campuses, read below to hear these parent’s point of view.

Dear Steve and Staff of YEAA,

Thank you for allowing us the privilege of spending a weekend with you and your entrepreneurs. We are grateful for the opportunity you are providing our son along with many other young leaders. Though we are very proud of Enin’s accomplishments, we were equally impressed with all his mentors and colleagues who all helped each other be successful. He didn’t just win an award and make great friends; he won a network of ambitious, honorable allies for life.

When Enin started the internship we were happy for him, but also cautiously optimistic that he would be able to run a painting business despite having never painted, especially in the middle of a pandemic. We knew very little about Student Painters, but we believed in him and knew it would be a valuable life lesson regardless of his success.

When UMASS Amherst went virtual and the world shut down, we weren’t sure whether he would be able to get enough sales. We were also concerned with his active social life at home during Covid-19. His business provided him a mission and direction during a very challenging time. When most of his friends were going to the beach and playing basketball, he was marketing neighborhoods and doing job estimates. He chose to devote his time and energy toward building a business. And now his hard work afforded him the reward of spending some time in Hawaii until he comes back next Spring to be one of your Executives.

We understand why many parents may be skeptical of the Student Painters program. If you had told us a year ago our son would produce $173K in business, win Entrepreneur of the Year at an awards trip to Mexico, and afford to spend time in Hawaii, we wouldn’t have believed it either. But what Enin said in his acceptance speech is absolutely true, when your child tells you they are “Deciding to Win” believe them, support them, and know that they can win, in many ways. For that we are forever grateful!

Andrea and Bryan Mulligan- MA

When our son Ian called near the start of freshman year, we could tell right away that he was very excited about something. He had found a club that offered the opportunity to run a summer business. Like many parents, we were skeptical at first, but after some due diligence, we decided to give him our support and encouragement. That first summer offered many challenges, and he juggled many tasks simultaneously. It seemed like he was constantly hiring new painters, and he had to split his time between painting, marketing and sales. Despite these challenges, Ian considered his experience a success, and decided to return as a district manager. Most kids approach this from a financial perspective: how much can I earn, and our son was no different. But as parents, we were also looking hard at the skills Ian was developing that he can carry forward to any future job. We are happy to say that the program exceeded both ours and Ian's expectations. Ian has learned much about running a business, including:

• Interviewing skills as a hiring manager

• Marketing/ lead generation

• Sales

• Contracts and negotiation

• Goal setting/incentives

• Managing people

We have watched Ian grow, not only his business, but also his business acumen. He learned how to handle diverse situations from customer satisfaction to crew satisfaction. The growth we witnessed from year 2 to year 3 was greater than the growth of running a business and coaching from year 1 to year 2. With a full time focus on mentoring and coaching, Ian provided key support so that his mentorees found success. He constantly analyzed the collective needs of his team and applied his expertise where it was needed. These executive skills are difficult to learn and master. Young Entrepreneurs Across America provided instrumental guidance throughout the program.

Patti McCarthy- MA

Heather Stouffer- OH

Our 19 year old son Nic worked this past summer as an area manager for Student Painters. He is generally a “go getter” type of kid and I thought this might just be a great experience for him to continue to build upon his leadership skills. Well, that was an understatement! Not only did he have to market and promote his company in the area to garner homes to paint, he had to recruit a team of painters, and deal with clients who were sometimes demanding. Once the jobs were secured, he had to acquire the supplies, manage the crew and finalize the paperwork. He was truly operating his own business all summer. He met his weekly goals and quotas, made lots of friends within the company and throughout the process, beautified numerous homes in our neighboring towns. He is proud of himself for taking on the job and completing the work. We look at all he learned and have realized that he picked up valuable skills to take into any future task or career. Student Painters was a great learning experience for our college kid. Well done.

I just wanted to take a minute and thank Student Painters for giving my son the opportunity to be a part of your company this past summer. When Hunter came home and told us what his plans were for the coming summer I wasn’t sure he understood what he was getting into. Being a business owner myself I understand the amount of planning, commitment and worked required to be successful in business. The program, or I could say, the recipe for success that Student Painters laid out for my son was impressive. All along the way you were there to train him on sales, marketing, estimating, hiring and many other aspects of running your own business. I truly believe the experience Hunter gained just from working with Student Painters this past summer will exceed most of the lessons he will learn in a classroom. I told Hunter at the beginning of summer that even if he doesn’t make any money from this endeavor the experience will far surpass any shortfall in income. I have to say that the experience and income generated by Hunter exceeded both our expectations.

Tod Oda- OH

Yes, I was skeptical at first. However, my son had a great learning experience. From what he told us he had full support from his manager which made him feel confident to do this position to the best of his abilities. The unfortunate aspect was the travel. As a parent of a fairly young driver I was most concerned with the distance required, especially having to travel to Boston. It was a great expense giving the gasoline prices and hitting a deer one evening returning home. Luckily, there were no major injuries to any workers or my son.

Diane Barkstrom- CT

I believe Student Painters has been a very positive and beneficial experience for our son, Kyle Cheverko. In addition to the achievement of being selected for this program, he has learned nearly all basic aspects of business, leadership, team building and motivation for both himself and all the people he has worked with: employees, fellow managers and senior management. The training is excellent and relevant to “real world”!

Kimberley (Cheverko) Pritchert- IN

SP has been a wonderful experience for our son (Aaron Kelley). He has learned many valuable life-skills, as well as painting skills, including: communications, management (people & time), financial, interpersonal, conflict resolution, negotiations, business planning, strategy, perseverance (when times are tough and you feel like giving up), team building and comradery, and feeling the sense-of-accomplishment for a (challenging) job well done.

SP forced Aaron to learn skills by putting him “in the fire.” This could not have been achieved “in the classroom.” SP has taught Aaron skills that will help him tremendously as he continues to advance his leadership skills in life.

Sean and Jill Kelley- MI

Student Painters was a great experience for my son. He got a taste of the real world and what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, from dealing with customers (some satisfied, some not) to managing employees (some hard working and reliable, some not). He worked extremely hard and developed organizational skills and problem-solving ability which are critical skill sets for his future as a business owner.

Lisa Noury- NH

Sheila & Tom Logan- MA

At first, my husband and I thought these types of compliances were just college students with a ladder and paint brush. Were we wrong! What Student Painters has done for our son has provided him with lifelong experiences. As a rising sophomore in college, he already has a wealth of life/ business experience. The lessons taught by Student Painters has been invaluable to Brendan and we thank you for them.

We feel the Student Painters program was a very worthwhile undertaking for our son. It helped him become organized, deal with different people, and gave him a true “glimpse” into becoming a future business owner. It is also a great start to help build a resume as we were personally told by a recruiter. She told us that in her profession when she has a college graduate looking for employment that has been involved with Student Painters she will always recommend them for jobs. She said this is because it tells her something positive about the individual’s character. We feel this is a great program and we thank you for allowing our son to partake in this opportunity!

John and Debbie Priestman-SC

Mary Kobliska, MI

I was very leery of Student Painters and what the job was all about. My son wanted this job very much, upon taking time to research and call around, I learned it was a prestigious job, from those wanting true sales experience. Having my son do this job, I STRONGLY recommend it to any student who wants a REAL sales job. It is a quality company with a great opportunity to learn, grow, be responsible and experience a quota job. My son is well prepared and more mature thanks to your program. 1st class!

I think the program was run very well. The training the managers got was great. This was a wonderful opportunity for a young kid to be a part of. A lot of responsibility was expected. There were some very difficult situations Austin was put in and handled them very professionally. I think Joel Puthoff was a really great leader. I would recommend this opportunity to other college students. This is something he will take through life. The hardest part is NOT becoming a part of it. We let him do it, and he did it well.

Robb and Sue Houdek- SC

Al and Sue Minneman-OH

We feel the Student Painters program has been an excellent experience for our son. He has gained valuable real-life experience with this position. He has learned to handle all the situations that come up as you run a business. Through the progression of the spring and summer, we have watched our son mature and grow as a person, embrace the responsibilities of the job and become very successful. The training and continued support form the Student Painters staff has been excellent.

There’s no better business training available- including the classroom. Student Painters combine hard work and practical business procedures, not to mention a bit of fun and companionship. My kids have learned the importance of pleasing the customer and how this can lead to $$$. Highly recommended!

Frank Pignotti- IL

Two years ago when our son Joe told us that he was going to work for Student Painters, we were very skeptical. We couldn’t imagine him running his own business, selling jobs and actually painting! Well, he proved us wrong. With a lot of hard work and persistence, he succeeded in reaching his goals. We are very proud of what he has accomplished.

Therese and Frank Napoli-IN

To Parents- The company did what it said. It helped our son in every step of running a business. It was up to our son to have the will to do it. And as parents we are very proud of his choice. Remember when you were 18. Help him too!

Robert Schrems- MI

We originally had the same skepticism that most parents encounter when presented with this program. Yet, the parent meeting we had with her boss, Scott, allowed us to see what a great opportunity this was and we felt honored that they could see so much potential in Alecia. Learning how to manage her own company has taught her innumerable lessons. Her ability to professionally represent Student Painters and herself allowed her to sell jobs easily! The greatest observation was to see how she is now able to communicate with such ease, clarity and professionalism. It was an incredibly hard summer for her in many ways, especially since the production side of the job is very taxing physically and emotionally on a young woman in a predominantly man’s world. Thank you Student Painters for believing in her, allowing her to test what is inside her and confirming what we already knew about her!

Bill and Karen Hitchman- OH

Student Painters has provided our son with a well rounded experience in business management. The company provided continual guidance and any needed assistance our son needed to be successful. He has learned a great deal about responsibility, general business knowledge, time management, while doing it in a professional manner.

Brad & Elaine Lewandowski- OH

Student Painters was a wonderful first internship for our son. He learned how to advertise, interview, hire, fire and train new employees. The biggest improvement in our son was his communication skills- He became more pleasant, understanding, and learned how to encourage people to do what he wanted them to do, especially in selling to customers and getting his workers to work.

Kathy Graham- MI

Great work! When the managers and staff are friendly and motivated to please the buyers you end up satisfied with a professional job provided! Very pleased with everyone I came in contact with and love the job! Makes my home look brand new! Zach Miller and his staff did great, even if he was not our son, I would have said the same thing objectively. Great experience and program!

Becky & Norm Miller- OH

Robb and Sue Houdek- SC

When I first heard that my son wanted to sign on with Student Painters my first thought was, what if someone falls off the ladder, and I get sued? Then I read the parent testimonials and I went to the website and was convinced that Student Painters was a reputable company and had all the insurance necessary if someone were to unfortunately get hurt. However, none of the bad things that could have happened did. The entire experience was a positive one. I watched my child develop into a young man in a four month period. In fact, I can’t remember a time when I have seen my son mature and develop more. If you have a goal oriented, driven child, this is the program for him/her!

Mary- Beth Gardiner- SC

The program was everything we expected it to be. Our son obtained skills in marketing, sales, customer service, finance and personnel. He was also able to meet or exceed the final targets of the program. The training and ongoing support provided by corporate and by our son’s immediate supervisor was very helpful. We would strongly recommend the program.

Doug and Andrea Hockenbrocht-MI

This is my son, Alex’s, second year with Student Painters. Confidence in his abilities and success was obvious. This year, he got a good jump on rectruiting and marketing. He’s had a significant increase in sales over the last year. Alex executed and produced work much more efficiently. He’s very self directed and motivated. The Student Painter organization does a good job recognizing achievements and rewarding success. I could not have imagined better training for his current and future career path.

Bob Dalpiaz- SC

This program has been so beneficial to Joel, Colin and our family. You have taught them to acquire the skills most college students don’t have coming out of school. They have learned managerial and people skills to set them up in the business world. Thank you.

Mary Jo Puthoff-NC and OH

My Wife and I were concerned that the summer job would not turn out well. Actually, our son probably learned more and earned more than he could have with just another engineering intern semester. He provided a needed service at a fair price and employed four crew members. He enjoyed the customer interaction and business experience.

Steve Huels- OH

My son really got a good sense of what it takes to run a small business. It was all encompassing from marketing and time management to hiring and firing employees to dealing with contracts, customers, and suppliers. His overall experience was very positive and I’m sure it has provided him with valuable training for his future endeavors.

Becky Smith- MI

Student Painters has been an excellent experience for my son. This is his third summer working for Student Painters. I know he has worked hard and has also learned some important lessons in management. I do believe these skills he has learned are skills that will continue to help him be successful! Thank-You!

Rebecca Thornton-MO

Jim & Cindy Smith-MO

Student Painters is an exceptional opportunity for a self-motivated, hard working and ambitious student to run their own business. No other opportunity provides the support and real work business experience in a short time. The student will have to manage hiring staff, customer selling, customer satisfaction, team building, project and time management. It has been a fabulous 3 years for my son with great monetary and personal rewards. You know how much Matt has LOVED his Student Painters experience. It is pivotal in bringing him to his long term career plans!

Gloria Lyon-MI

Sally & Chet Sadowski- MI

I think I was more skeptical that my son was up to this challenge. I could not be more proud of how successful he was. The manager that mentored him kept him on the track and was, I believe, one of the reasons Chet was successful. He complained in the beginning, but once he got in the swing of things he did great. He plans to be a part of Student Painters again next summer. My husband and I own a cleaning business and Chet is unsure if he wants to be a part of it after graduation. I’m glad he had this experience with Student Painters because it will help him make an informed decision about which way he should go after college!

Student Painters turned out to be exactly what they said they were and was truly a good experience for our son. He learned how hard work does pay off and how important it is to be organized and prepared, which is what Student Painters does a good job of teaching them.

Gary Benedict- IL

Rebecca Thornton- MO

Tony Lamorgese- OH

Student Painters is a great company. We thought at first, that it was a crazy idea for our son to start a summer job! But we quickly realized that Student Painters is a “Real” company! They provided plenty of support to our son as he started to manage his business. We truly are impressed with every aspect of the company. Working for Student Painters has been an all around wonderful experience for our son!

Mary & Joe Thimons- PA

The program appears to be very solid. My son received ample training and support. He has experienced many ups and downs during the summer which is probably typical for a new manager. All things considered, I would say my son received a wealth of management experience in the past several months.

Scott Alpeter- OH

At first I was skeptical and was not sure that I wanted my son to get involved with Student Painters. Even after reading the parent comments, I did not know what to think. When we met Phil’s District Manager, a student as well, I began to believe that this business was straight. Phil learned A LOT this summer. He learned how to work hard, hard to manage a business, and the responsibility it takes to persevere. It was a great experience!!

Laurie Stodola- WI

Student Painters is a professional company giving students an opportunity to earn an income as well as learn leadership and management skills. They also must learn that the harder you work, the more money you make. Those students who do not work hard, do not make as much. Life lesson.

Kathryn Taraski-MI

Yvonne and Frank Giannetti-MI

This program has taught Nick what it’s like to own your own business. You get what you put into it. It has been very rewarding to him. He has learned: marketing and sales, customer service, budgeting, managing employees and payroll. He now has the confidence to know that he can do anything that he sets out to accomplish. This program has taught Nick what it’s like to own your own business. You get what you put into it. It has been very rewarding to him. He has learned: marketing and sales, customer service, budgeting, managing employees and payroll. He now has the confidence to know that he can do anything that he sets out to accomplish.

Student Painters is much more than a “summer job.” The education, experience, and support from Student Painters were outstanding. One key lesson Andrew learned was that managing your own business is challenging and time consuming endeavor and requires constant attention for success. His experience with Student Painters was an excellent preparation for a career in any field.

Dan Bennett- MI

The Student Painters program is outstanding!!! When our son , Colin, wanted to work for Student Painters 2 summers ago, we were extremely skeptical. However, summer jobs were scarce and we decided he had nothing to lose by giving it a try. Colin worked as a painter for an excellent manager, Eric Kueffner. Colin worked about 40 hours/week all summer. The following summer, Colin was a Branch Manager. He learned so much from this awesome, hands-on opportunity. We are very proud of our son and we truly appreciate the Student Painters program.

Kevin and Carol Maurer-MI

First of all, I would personally like to thank Student Painters for giving Trevor the opportunity to run his own business and for all of the invaluable hands on experience that he has gained this past year. Trevor has benefited not only financially, as he will be able to pay for most of his college costs this upcoming year. Maybe more importantly, he has gained a much greater understanding of the many basic concepts of running a business that he will be studying as he enters the business college at the University of Wisconsin. Student Painters is a well organized company with a proven track record, that when combined with a lot of individual hard work will result in a win-win situation for both. Trevor clearly understands that he was fortunate to be given this opportunity and has made the most of the situation which is why I personally give a “two thumbs up," one to Student Painters and the other to my son!

Greg Marks-WI

Mrs. Brennan-MI

I was most impressed by the wide range of knowledge and experience that my son learned from Student Painters. The skills he learned and gained from payroll to time management, from scheduling and customer service, from work ethics to employee management will be skills he cam carry all through life…no scam or hoax in those lessons.

Tina Trimpe-IN

Working for Student Painters was absolutely a terrific experience for our son Paul (“PJ”). As parents we fully endorse Student Painters as a highly rewarding and also challenging opportunity for anyone considering them in the next summer season. From start to finish they positioned and supported our son to be a successful manager. This included providing hands on training, on going up line support and a very effective, time proven business strategy. Student Painters equips their student managers with all the tools, resources and back office support needed to run a thriving summer business. When Paul approached us last fall regarding the opportunity with Student Painters, we took the time to talk through the various factors and considerations involved in making a good decision. Paul fully committed himself to the Student Painters opportunity and as a result was able to generate over $100K in sales, along with gaining an invaluable work experience that spanned customer service, business management, sales, marketing,. Scheduling, estimating, human resources and quality control. He had a very busy summer, but also an extremely rewarding one on many levels. His Student Painters experience was so fulfilling that Paul is looking forward to returning for a second summer in taking on a bigger opportunity, with greater reward potential. We strongly recommend joining the Student Painters organization for any motivated, goal oriented and disciplined college student who is looking for a challenging and very beneficial work experience.

Paul & Terri Butcher-MI

When Pat and Jordan answered our phone call requesting Student Painters to give us an estimate for painting our house, we were very impressed with them and with the way they measured everything, asked questions as to what we wanted done, checked their work, and gave us a reasonable estimate. They were also able to tell us when they could begin work and how long it would take to completion. They were correct on all these date (with only one day late due to a strong thunderstorm). All those who worked were professional, well mannered, and a joy to deal with. We’re not only enjoying our great paint job, but would recommend them without hesitation. Thank you.

Mrs. Krecklow-SC

We could not be more pleased with the training and opportunities that Student Painters has provided to our son. He was hired two summers ago as a painter, and he is now working as an executive. At every step, he was given training, encouragement, and motivation by those above him. We have appreciated the commitment his management has shown towards helping him deal with customers. There were a handful of difficult ones, and Philip as always supported and taught how to handle the rough situations. Incentives to succeed were appropriate and did not put pressure on the teams and leaders. Philip is now working his way through college with Student Painters. We are so grateful.

Tim & Rita Butler -MI

I am so glad Ian found Student Painters. I was very skeptical at first and checked with the BBB to see if it was legit. After summer started and the painting began, I was surprised and pleased at his work ethic and the long hours and hard work it took. This second summer was an interesting time to see him grow—as a branch manager he learning to hire his company with great mentors. He learned hiring friends was not always the best idea. Letting them go (firing) and still being a friend was even harder. How to do bids on jobs; how to keep clients happy and do a job you can be proud of; how to manage your workers and keep them motivated are just a few of the things he started to learn. Also great that he was able to use this as an internship. I am glad that he is a part of Student Painters.

Marie Scott -MI

Wow! I first expressed my doubts to Dillon’s mentor, Jake Pasek. He was so kind answering questions about training and money, I felt much better. I believe in my son, and threw my support behind his efforts! He learned so much; hiring, firing, working with customers, dealing with his crew. This is a job for someone with a strong work ethic (think 7am to 10pm every day!) and excellent communication skills and a positive attitude. He blossomed in this job! Great life experience on many levels!

Jennie Welliver -MI

Dillon gained invaluable experience as a branch manager working for Student Painters. As with any job, you get out of it what you put into it. He worked tirelessly in the early spring to line up the work. I would guess his biggest challenge was recruiting and retaining reliable employees that would also be willing to work hard. Dillon learned a lot about human nature, work ethic and management which will help him in future positions. If a student is considering a career in sales, human resources, business, etc., I would highly recommend they consider a summer job with Student Painters. I will admit, at first, I was a bit skeptical of this organization, but it was short lived. In addition to the sales experience, Dillon learned so much about leadership, organizational skills and management. I am very proud of the success Dillon had working for Student Painters.

Paula Curtin -OH

After running an internship with Student Painters for the last 2 years, our son as grown so much in his professional abilities. Not to mention, the money he earned that allowed him to cover most of his tuition and living expenses at MSU! This year, he was offered the opportunity to open a branch in Amherst, MA! Best internship out there! He learned how to RUN a business!

Amy Griffin -MI

I am very happy to write this review. My son Ethan called last winter and was really excited about getting the internship. Being in the building business, I was extremely skeptical. I can tell you, I was profoundly wrong as Student Painters coached my son amazingly well and he learned so many important skills that will be lifelong lessons including: communication, budgeting (time and money), organization, and so much more. While the turnover rate is high, this experience proved to be priceless for our son and he did so well. We are so proud of him.

Patrick Merten -OH

I remember the day a few years ago when Nick got a call from a friend saying that someone she knew (Paul Butcher) was looking for painters for the summer. Yes, I was a bit unsure and worried about being up on those ladders. But it has ended up being a great experience for Nick and he has learned so much. He has told me numerous times that he has learned so much more with Student Painters than he has learned in college. Because of Student Painters he has now found a direction for his life (sales/entrepreneurship) and a passion. And he was so busy both summers that it kept him out of trouble. Also, Paul Butcher and Aaron have been a positive influence and great mentors to Nick. Thank you!

Kristine Rossol -MI