Networking, Marketing, Sales, Business Coach

EP15: Mark & Nicole Black: From Start Up To $1M As Men In White

SUMMARY:

In this unique episode of DYB, Steve invites his wife April Burnett in a joint interview with Mark and Nicole Black of ‘Men in White Painting;’ a Husband-and-Wife team based in Mount Vernon, Illinois.
 
The couple’s story begins with both involved in the Black’s family business, selling medical equipment. With a strong desire to branch off and create something of their own, Mark and Nicole started “Men in White Painting.”
 
Along the journey, however, there were severe challenges that threatened the Black’s financial stability multiple times, from several moves to different cities, to Mark slaving away at 16+ hour workdays to make ends meet.
 
Join us for a ride through the Black’s Past:
Stories of intense hardship, mistakes, and how it all made the couple’s marriage stronger.
 

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

-Why ‘working harder’ is not always the right answer to business problems
-What it’s like to work with a spouse in the business, and how to make it work.
-Why the city you choose to operate in is paramount to the success of the business.
 

LISTEN HERE:

QUOTES:

“If your wife is scared, or nervous, or not on board with a decision, it’s not time.”
“In the beginning, every day we woke up passionate about building something for our future.”
“I couldn’t fail. It wasn’t an option.”
“Know your numbers.”
“Always exceed expectations.”
“Customer Experience supersedes even the completion of the job.”
 

HIGHLIGHTS:

[10:38] How did Mark get his first customers?
[15:54] Where did Mark’s sense of ownership come from?
[29:26] What were the darkest times for Men in White Painting?
[39:40] What were some paradigm shifts that allowed Mark & Nicole to succeed?
 

LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 
 
 
 
 
 

ADDITIONAL FREE RESOURCES:

Join DYB

DYB System PDF

EP01 9 Steps to Doubling Your Business Part 1

52 Blog Post Ideas PDF

YouCanBookMe VIDEO

Pre-qualifying Questions PDF

Video Testimonial Checklist PDF

3 Steps To Get Leads From FB PDF

11 Interview Questions PDF

9 Ways To Get HOA Work PDF

Connect with Mark and Nicole Black on Facebook here

Connect with Steve on Facebook here

 

Thank you very much for joining us today! If you received value, would you take a quick few seconds and leave us a review on iTunes, please?

Mark and Nicole Black

About the Author

As many of you know, my journey has been one of grit, grace, and transformation. At 19, I was a high school dropout, single father, and struggling paint contractor in Michigan. I later moved to Florida, where I faced both personal and professional hardships. With nothing left to lose, I turned to prayer—and was blessed with a relentless hunger to learn. I devoured books, attended seminars, and discovered better ways to streamline and grow my business—even through the Great Recession (and yes, I did hit the wife lottery along the way!). In 2014, I published How To Double Your Business and later sold the painting business, launching a new chapter: coaching others to grow their businesses. For the past 10 years, I’ve dedicated myself to helping business owners scale through the DYB System, while also drawing from frameworks like EOS, Scaling Up, and The Four Disciplines of Execution. Yet something was still missing—something more adaptive, integrated, and complete. Then I found Pinnacle. After months of research and interviews with other Guides, I joined Pinnacle. Their tools and strategies have exceeded every expectation. Now, as a Pinnacle Business Guide, I help leadership teams implement a custom-tailored operating system that draws from the best in the industry—but flexes with your unique business. It’s a dynamic, proven approach to achieve clarity, momentum, and lasting growth. I’m no longer taking on any more 1:1 coaching clients… Instead, I now specialize in working with visionary business owners who are ready to get their leadership teams aligned—around a clear vision, a focused strategy, and an actionable execution plan. With the tools and process I now have as a Pinnacle Business Guide, I help turn alignment into momentum, and momentum into results. If your business is growing—but your leadership team isn’t fully rowing in the same direction—let’s talk.