In Burlington, Vermont, a team of University of Vermont (UVM) students recently garnered praise for their entrepreneurial efforts with a nascent local business.
“Our venture began with a simple idea: to serve the community through business while addressing the critical shortage in skilled trades,” shared Zach Dunn, the founder of Painting with Purpose. The business concept was initially fueled by the financial support from UVM’s Catamount Innovation Fund in 2022.
After two years of hard work, Dunn’s team emerged victorious at the inaugural Joy and Jerry Meyers Cup, a business competition organized by UVM’s Grossman School of Business.
The competition saw three undergraduate teams pitch their business ideas to a jury, with Dunn’s team clinching the top prize of $212,500.
Dunn plans to reinvest the winnings into the business, despite acknowledging the difficulties of navigating a startup amidst economic variables like inflation. He advises aspiring entrepreneurs to “start small, start simple, and start with yourself,” and to seek help from acquaintances who can offer assistance.
Painting with Purpose isn’t just another painting company; it offers a broad spectrum of services, including residential and commercial painting, lead abatement, inspections, power washing, and minor carpentry work. Notably, the company commits a share of its profits to Tim’s House, a local shelter.
UVM business professor Erik Monsen underlines the significance of such programs for Vermont’s economic landscape, emphasizing the impressive revenue milestones Dunn’s startup is nearing. Monsen advocates for the vital role of instilling confidence in students, equating it with the imparting of skills, especially for entrepreneurial success.
Overwhelmed by the recognition, Dunn expresses his team’s gratitude and resolve to continue their hard work, underscoring the surreal experience of winning and the necessity to maintain their work ethic.
