Dave Notte founded Wolfgang Commercial Printers in 2004 and has grown the company to $3.4 million in 2010. His year-round, seven-employee business swells to a field staff of more than 100 during the summer.
The company consistently grows about 50% per year, and has been on Business in Vancouver’s Fastest Growing Companies list for the past three years.
“Our biggest growth was in 2009, just after the recession. We essentially doubled in size because we took a risk. Rather than retreating like 95% of construction-related firms did – hunkering down, laying off people and not spending a dime on marketing, we did the opposite,” Notte said.
Notte began his career at College Pro Painters. He started the commercial painting division of College Pro and then decided to start his own company.
Wolfgang does not paint individual houses. Instead, it focuses largely on the commercial painting sector with almost all of its work contracted to property managers.
The only residential work it does is for multi-unit highrises or town home complexes.
“We’re considering geographic expansion but, in the short term, we’re looking at adding additional services. We would do any service that a property manager would want us to do – carpet installation, window cleaning or maintenance,” he said.
Outside work, Notte chairs the EO Accelerator Program, which mentors young entrepreneurs. He is also a mentor in that program and has been for the past three years.
He previously mentored at Big Brothers and is currently a coach of his daughter’s soccer team. •
