Five Principles for Building a Successful Business

Greenleaf’s owner, Jonathan Shenk, had the incredible opportunity to speak at Kampala University in Uganda, East Africa, in 2018, on the lessons he has learned in building his company. He shared these same principles in a talk at the Princeton Corridor Rotary Club in 2019. Now a year later, we want to share them with you because they apply not only to business but to life in general. You may also learn more about Jonathan and this company in the process. Here is a condensed version of his talk.

Jonathan speaking at Kampala University in 2018

1. Every person has inherent dignity and worth.
We live in a diverse part of the world. It is not our place to judge someone’s culture or faith or to envy their wealth or to criticize their choices. It is also important that we don’t even entertain those thoughts in our heads because our attitudes influence our relationships with our customers. People can feel judged without any words being said. Therefore, it is much simpler to avoid judging in the first place.

2. Every company has a soul.
Each company is like a living, breathing eco-system. And the company’s soul flows through each employee. It also flows through the company’s work space and equipment. Whatever values a company lifts up will be experienced by anyone who interacts with the company. And the company will only function properly if every part of the company is in agreement with those values.

The audience at Kampala University during Jonathan’s talk.

3. Words have meaning.
Words are powerful and need to be aligned with our actions and attitudes. It is important to hold to the commitments we make to our customers and to each other. Words also create and shape our reality. Do our words suggest an attitude of despair or of hope? Do they suggest an attitude of weakness or of strength?

4. Take the long view.
A company’s principles and values take priority over the bottom line. They take priority over making profits on a particular job. In many businesses there will be profitable seasons and un-profitable seasons. There will be profitable jobs and un-profitable jobs. It’s important to take the long view and focus primarily on doing a great job.

“If your team is terrified of making mistakes, then they are less likely to aspire to their full potential.”

5. Practice gratitude and humility.

Humility: we are all fallible human beings. We make mistakes. Sometimes we don’t know what choice to make or we don’t have all the information or knowledge we need to make the correct choice. The best leaders and the best companies take a team approach. And they demonstrate compassion and kindness when mistakes are made. If your team is terrified of making mistakes, then they are less likely to aspire to their full potential.

Gratitude: it is important to walk with a spirit of gratitude as a leader, and to focus on the good things that are happening. It is a choice one needs to make, a choice of perspective and attitude. There are many challenges and difficulties that go along with leadership. It would be easy to fill one’s day with worry and anxiety. That will usually lead someone down further and further into fear and despair. It is better to choose to focus on the good things that are happening.

Thank you for reading!

Prepping for Historic Home Restorations & Painting – Best Practices

Many of our customers live in old, historic houses and want to preserve both the history and beauty of their home. We have been painting historic homes in New Jersey for years; our tradespeople are very experienced.

Here are some of our best practices for prepping older, historic structures. The most important thing to point out is that homes built before 1978 need to consider precautions for lead paint (Greenleaf is Lead Paint certified).

+ Power washing: The lead safe law enacted in 2010 prohibits the use of power washing on homes where lead paint exists on even the deepest layers of paint. + However, many homes require cleaning of dirt, mildew, and mold in order to ensure that the paint will adhere. Hand-cleaning with a hose and cleaning detergent serves as an excellent substitute to power washing.

+ Removal of loose paint: The entire surface of the exterior needs to be scraped to ensure that any loose paint is removed. The paint chips need to be gathered in plastic and safely disposed of.

+ Sealing bare wood & seams: Bare wood needs to be sealed with a top-quality oil-based primer to ensure that moisture cannot enter. Any seams between siding and trim need to be sealed with caulk. Our craftsmen repair or replace window frames, trim or other wooden features that are deteriorating. We also re-glaze windows where the glaze is failing.

+ Once the surfaces are prepped, you need a good base coat or sealant. These are not all created equal and can sometimes make a difference in the longevity of the paint job. We recommend using top-quality lines from Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams.

Please be sure to check out our educational videos on YouTube. You can also get our latest pics and news on Facebook & Instagram.

Uplift your kitchen with timeless white

So, you’re ready for a kitchen upgrade starting with fresh new paint. Great!

Whatever mood you desire to create — crisp, comfy, sleek, or retro — neutrals are “in,” and white is a versatile and popular choice. (Please enjoy our pics from recent Greenleaf projects!)

Shades of white provide a perfect setting for a kitchen space, accommodating all other colors and the full gamut of materials and textures.

Here are five style choices for integrating a white kitchen with accents and furnishing to create the just-right ambience you desire.

Clean and crisp: Make use of contrast with stainless steel or black appliances and accessories or glass surfaces. Add finishing touches with a  few brightly colored accents like chair covers, vases, sculpture, and vibrantly colored flowers.

Warm and comfy: Wood is your friend. Consider using dark or light wood flooring and furnishings (as above) plus wall accents like decorative wood utensils. White-on-white paper on one wall can add softness and interest, and a vase of pastel or warmly colored flowers can add a welcoming touch.

Modern and sleek: Integrate contemporary furnishings with architectural lighting (beautiful pendant lighting below!) Add finishing touches with abstract sculpture, art and photography.

Retro and relaxed: Past and present can be happy together with appliances and flooring patterns designed with an old-school look. White walls are the perfect canvas for black and white photos and old movie posters. Finishing touches can be discovered at antique shops and yard sales.

Eclectic: You might prefer a blend of styles … We paint a lot of historic homes (these cabinets, below, used to be cherry!) We often see wonderful blends of the old and new. Be creative — it’s your kitchen!

Whatever style you choose, add freshness and seasonal color with plants, flowers, and fruit bowls. Create interest with recessed lighting and unique or classic pendant lighting. Add pops of color with artwork, and decor. 

White walls blend well with a variety of back splashes and kitchen islands. Backsplashes popular with many designers include marble, hexagon patterns, nickel or mosaic tile, and brightly colored block patterns. Prep and serving kitchen islands come in several woods and colors with countertops that include granite, marble, quartz, wood or hybrids.

Some popular whites are Decorators White (above) and White Dove (top of page) from Benjamin Moore or Snowbound and Alabaster (below) from Sherwin-Williams.

White has been a go-to kitchen color throughout modern history and has become especially popular this season. It’s often the choice of both designers and homeowners who want a color that looks and feels fresh and blends well with countless elements.

Call us soon — Greenleaf is now scheduling for the outdoor season (continuing indoor work as usual, too!). And thank you for sharing our name with your friends and family. Your word of mouth and online reviews make a huge difference to a small company like ours!

Our latest news update: You can now watch our educational videos on YouTube. The latest is “Why We Go Green.” Get videos, more updates & pics on FacebookInstagram! These include our crew and leadership highlights, fairs we attend & other news. “Stop over” on one of these platforms and say hi!

Three Ways to Make Your Home an Oasis of Color

The 2019 Colors Trends Say “Relax”!

Color can affect your mood, and how you use color in your home can shape how cozy your living space feels. Use these tips for lassoing the colors that please you to create a cozier, happier home.

The colors for 2019 are relaxing shades of lilac, rose, peach, leafy green and daisy yellow. Do any of those colors call to you? Here are tips for how to easily play with these or other colors you love:

Tip #1: Go for pleasing accents

Switch out your throw pillows, stack a few indoor gardening books. A sheep skin, pastel throw or lightly-patterned area rug can give a room a new, soothing look.

Nature is associated with relaxation. Bring some of it indoors with you! We always love coming home with a small potted flower from the local greenhouse. Avoiding pollen? A set of empty vases can work wonders with color.

Tip #2: What colors make you feel happy?

Identify your personal favorite “happy colors” and splash them around using tip #1. This round-up of suggestions is gathered from Southern Living Magazine:

Blue and green are associated with peaceful feelings. Lighter shades of blue and pastel greens are trending — they are especially nice for offices, libraries or bedrooms.

Orange. This warm and energizing color is great for entry ways, accent walls, a child’s room or kitchens. Why not try a softer shade that leans toward peach?

Yellow is often thought of as a sunny color — for obvious reasons — bringing optimism. This energetic color is also great for kitchens or a child’s room.

White makes small rooms look more open. It’s a clean-feeling color, and white kitchens are very “in” right now. If white is too stark for you, try a light shade of gray or cream.

Kitchen cabinets painted white

Tip #3: Trends come and go, so make it your own
Play with color and have fun! Ask a friend whose home you admire to come and “play” with you!If you need design assistance, we recommend these designers who we have had the pleasure of working with over the years: Linda Principe Interiors, Linda Madani Interiors and Ellen Maranca, of EZM Interiors.

And finally, if you want to re-paint some room colors, or do a full interior, this is the time to get on our schedule! We paint through the holiday season and all year round. We’d love to come and talk color with you.

 

The Color Column: Go with the Flow as You Choose Interior Paint

Ideally, choosing interior paint color is a fun, expressive project. However, we realize from working with customers that it can also be daunting. Here are some quick guidelines for choosing room colors, whether it’s for a bathroom or an entire house.

Main Rooms Flow Together

For main rooms, the name of the game is keeping everything consistent. Many homes have an open floor plan where rooms flow into one another, and halls can easily be viewed from the central living area. If this is the case for your house, colors need to be carefully matched so they don’t clash.

What many design specialists and painters recommend is to keep colors consistent throughout one level of your home so that walking from one room to the next maintains a feeling of flow.

“Color continuity is one of the most important concepts in interior painting,” Greenleaf Painters owner Jonathan Shenk said. “We recommend that dramatic differences in color be saved for an accent wall or for rooms that are separated by doors.”

Use Bold Colors Playfully but Sparingly

Bold, trending colors such as brighter blues and greens can seem exciting at first, but your eye may tire of them eventually. Thus, we recommend that you use them sparingly — but playfully.

Unlike main rooms, bedrooms and other closed rooms can be great places for experimentation. The risk of using a bold color here has a much higher chance of paying off than in the whole house.

“We see more people take color risks in bathrooms or bedrooms than in large living areas,” Shenk said, whose home office is a slate blue color. “People really like bold colors in a closed room. It allows them to express their personality without risking painting large areas with this color.”

Express Yourself

“What colors are you drawn to?’ It’s one of the questions we ask when helping homeowners choose. Earthy, soothing colors are “in” right now. If you are looking for more of a flow in your house, this might be the year to create it with color

Tools to Use

Getting a color wheel, and placing colors side-by-side in a room can help you get a sense of whether two colors are compatible — or if they have conflicting tones.

Getting paint samples from a store and painting colors side-by-side on a board can also be helpful in testing your ideas.

Keep in mind: lighting and shadow can affect the hues.

Color visualizers online can be helpful in getting a general sense of color, but digital colors aren’t 100% realistic. If you start with a visualizer, be sure to check the color by using a color wheel or by painting a swatch.

What’s Next? Find us on Facebook for more color ideas and news!

Greenleaf’s Contribution to the Historic Grovers Mill Barn

 

In October 1938, radio broadcaster Orson Welles put West Windsor on the map by convincing CBS listeners that aliens had landed at Grovers Mill.  Those tuning in late to the fictional program were horrified to learn that military personnel were being vaporized by lasers shot from an alien space ship–surely the future of humanity was at risk.  The dramatic broadcast caused regional, if not nationwide panic, and the “War of the Worlds” became a source of pride for historic West Windsor.

In 2012, local engineer Carl Van Dyke purchased the historic Grovers Mill barn and, with the help of architect Kyle Van Dyke, converted the interior into studio apartments and office space.

Finally in June of that year, Greenleaf Painters was able to add its name to this piece of local history by painting the barn’s interior and exterior, and helping to preserve the barn’s historic look.

Local artist Robert Hummel immortalized the alien invasion in his commemorative painting, “Battle at Grover’s Mill,” on display in the Grovers Mill Coffeehouse on Princeton-Hightstown Road.

Below you can find the famous broadcast in full, and a link to Robert Hummel’s “Battle at Grovers Mill” website.

War of the Worlds Broadcast

Battle At Grovers Mill Website

 

 

 

 

Manager Ryan Munn featured in inPAINT Magazine

 

Greenleaf Painters’ Operations Manager, Ryan Munn, was featured in InPAINT magazine’s May issue alongside four other paint experts.  See what he has to say about the highest quality exterior paints from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.

The full magazine issue is available here.  Munn is featured on pages 29 and 30.

 

Addition to the Greenleaf management team!

Francisco Branco (center) recently joined Greenleaf management team as the new Project Manager.  He joins Project Manager Sean Carty (left) and Operations Manager Ryan Munn (right).  Shown below: the three managers represent Greenleaf at Pennington Day in May 2017.

Greenleaf Featured on “The Voice of Real Estate”

 

Jonathan Shenk, owner of Greenleaf Painters, was thrilled to be interviewed by Debbie Lang on her podcast, “The Voice of Real Estate,” on 920 The Jersey.  They discussed the ideal time to paint your home, as well as trends in color, decor, “green” practices and more.

Give it a listen by clicking the play button below.

Debbie Lang is of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services / Fox & Roach, Realtors, Princeton.

debbielangheadshot

 

 

Come See Us March 18 at the Mercer Greenfest!

Bring your kids and learn about how to care for your local ecosystem! Learn who and what is eco-friendly — and where you can shop local to make a difference.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

11 am – 4 pm

Rider University Student Recreation Center

2083 Lawrenceville Rd., Lawrenceville, NJ

For more info, visit mercergreenfest.org

Please stop by and say hi!
Here is our pic from last year — Jonathan Shenk, owner, and son, Gabriel Yoder Shenk.

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