Nick Capurro: Majestic Aspirations
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
LIVERMORE — Following a tumultuous career in high-tech sales, Nick Capurro was eventually able to find a more stable—not to mention colorful—livelihood. “I’d been downsized several times while working in high-tech sales,” he says. “It was the same scenario each time: the company would build up the sales until the time was right, then they’d get rid of as many people as they could and the president would sell. That happened to me three times in two years.”
Fed up with the erratic nature of his position, Nick decided to try something new and started running a temp agency office, where he stumbled upon an unforeseen opportunity. “I was working with a painting company, trying to find them an administrative assistant, when I realized the position might be a good fit for me,” he explains. “After all, I liked working with my hands, and painting seemed like a steady industry to get involved in. I applied for the position and was hired. After gaining a few years’ worth of experience, I started a painting franchise. Eventually, I broke off and founded my own company.”
Today, as owner of Majestic Painters, Nick says his favorite part of his job is being a hands-on owner. “I currently have six crews going, so I like visiting the jobsites, looking things over and talking to the customers. I also like being my own boss—after years of taking orders, it’s nice to be the one giving them for a change!”
A resident of Livermore (where he lives with his wife, Amber, and his children, Evan and Emily), Nick appreciates the town’s unique personality. “One thing I really like about Livermore is that the bulk of downtown commerce is owned by members of the community, not a bunch of faceless franchises. My wife and I know the owners of almost every downtown establishment, so it’s neat to have that close connection to the local business community, as well as the community in general.”
Outside of work, Nick enjoys activities like traveling and spending time with family. “Both of my kids are involved in extracurricular activities—my son plays football and my daughter rides horses—so I regularly attend their events,” he says. “I also travel as often as I can. That’s probably my favorite pastime: just seeing and experiencing different parts of the world.” Nick also enjoys cooking, tackling home improvement projects and watching sports on TV.
In regard to a professional philosophy, Nick believes in doing a quality job, regardless of the cost. “I always try to do the job right without worrying about the economic consequences,” he affirms. “If I see a mistake, I make sure it’s redone, even if the client doesn’t see it. I don’t care if we end up losing money on the job; I just want to do the absolute best we can, every time.”
When asked the first thing he’d do if he could retire tomorrow, Nick says he’d see some more of the world. “I’ve done a lot of traveling, but there are still a lot of countries I haven’t yet visited. So, if I retired tomorrow, I’d probably jump on a plane to Italy, Costa Rica or Brazil—all on my short list of places I want to see.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: What’s your favorite sports team?
A: The San Francisco 49ers.
Q: Music or talk radio?
A: Talk radio.
Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Uncle Yu’s in Lafayette.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Hang out by the fire and watch TV.
Q: Pancakes or waffles?
A: Waffles.
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