Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Cohagen.
Hi Chelsea, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Chelco Painting was born out of both necessity and passion. I come from a family business and started working for the company when i was 15. It wasnt a serious thing at the time, it was more like i was the extra hand and it was a summer gig. For the next 15 years, i ventured off and dabbled in other career moved, but i always kept going back to painting when things got tough or i was in transistion.
I started the company when my family of 6 lived in a 2 bedroom apartment to earn extra income. I became the “painter” of the complex. When someone moved out, i went in and painted the place for the next tenant. Once our youngest was born, it was apparent that we needed a bigger place so, i started putting myself out there as a painter in my community. Mind you, i had no clue as to what i was doing! Ive never done any part of running an actual business. The only thing i knew was to show up and paint!
I ended up making enough money to move our family into an actual house with a yard and i was basically working part time. Things got real serious when the big “C” happened. My boyfriend had just got his license to become a insurance agent and found a job writing policies for teachers. Hes also a musician and played at bars. He had just put his 2 weeks in at a local restaurant he had worked at for the last few years as he was becoming a full-time insurance agent. Friday March 13, all of those jobs disappeared! It was up to me to figure out a way to earn enough money to keep us going. Thats when ChelCo Painting was born!
I started posting in all of the local community facebook groups and i was flooded with call backs and interest. I had no clue that everyone all of a sudden was bored and were redecorating their house! Mind you, i had never ran a business before and this forced me to get my shit together and act like i knew what i was doing! It wasn’t easy and i screw things up a time or two but the one thing that always stuck in my mind that i learned from my family was “Reputation is Everything”.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely, NOT! If definitely hasnt been a smooth road-but thats part of what makes the journey meaningful. One of the biggest challenges has been finding the balance between growth and sustainability. Ive had a few amazing helpers along the way, and i truly love and appreciate them. But the reality is, painting is a luxury service and not everyone is able to afford such a service. There’s also a lit of competitiion in our area so i get outbid or pushed away because im basically a one woman show. There are folks that prefer that. Because of that, i havent been busy enough consistantly to pay them fairly and pay myself, while also having the time to train them the way id want to. Time is money and when youre wearing every hat in a small business, that pressure adds up fast.
There have been moments of doubt-times where i questioned whether i could keep going or if i was doing enough. But every job, every happy client and every referral has reminded me why i started ChelCo in the first place. Its not always easy but its always worth it!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
ChelCo Painting is a residential painting company with a focus on quality, care and attention to detail. I get the steretypical saying “its because youre a women” and i dont mind it at all! Women see everything and i pay special attention to showing that detail in my work. I specialize in interior and exterior painting and i take pride in creating clean, cripsy lines, beautiful finishes that truly transform a space. Whether its refreshing a single room or giving an entire home a new look, i approach every project with the same level of dedication and respect for my clients homes!
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are a few ways people can work with me! From a ChelCo Painting standpoint, the best way to collaborate is by reaching out for residential painting projects. I do have an excellent associate that has his own contracting business and we partner up on bigger projects when needed. Whether its a single room or a full home makeover, or even a consultation on color and finish options, i got you covered! Word of mouth has been a huge part of how ChelCo has grown and im always grateful when clients share their experience with friends and family.
Beyond ChelCo, Im also a digital artist and do freelance work in marketing! Out of highschool, i went to CCAD for a year. Ive always had a creative side to me, i just didn’t like school! Ive learned a lot on my way because its my passion. Being the sole person to market ChelCo, its allowed me to venture into the digtial side of things.
My boyfriend being a musician, ive been the one to help him grow his business and started doing LIVE shows on social media and have done a few marketing videos for local musicians. Thats led me to become a member of “The Central Ohio Women Who Rock”. We are a non-profit group that supports and uplifts women in the community through music, events and collaboration. Supporting our fundraisers, sharing our mission or even just showing up to our events is another way to get involved in something bigger
Whether is painting, creative work or community building-im always open to genuine connection! Ive been called the “Mayor” on numerous occasions because i always tend to know someone wherever i go!
Contact Info:
- Facebook: ChelCo Painting
- Other: RockforCHOICES2025.com and/0r TIKTOK@: ChelCo Painting
