Across the United States, the painting industry has been slow to evolve. Despite its size and importance to construction and property upkeep, it remains fragmented, labor-strained, and dogged by uneven customer experiences. Homeowners often enter projects without proper guidance, while small businesses juggle multiple vendors for paint, tools, and labor. The result is predictable: inconsistent workmanship, wasted materials, and strained budgets. As renovation spending accelerates and demand for skilled trades grows, these pressures are becoming more visible.
But Fabio Rospendowski sees opportunity in that friction. With more than two decades in Brazil’s paint retail and services market, including oversight of nearly sixty stores and hundreds of employees, Rospendowski is seizing the moment in bringing his model to the United States through H.E.F. Company LLC. Based in Florida, Rospendowski and his venture have plans to combine premium paint, skilled labor, equipment rental, and customer education in a single platform. The underlying idea is simple: reduce the complexity that undermines both consumers and contractors.
Customer trust has long been a weak point in this category. Research from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies shows that a majority of homeowners report dissatisfaction when hiring painting or renovation contractors, often citing communication issues, cost overruns, or disappointing finishes. Meanwhile, national surveys show most do-it-yourself projects exceed budgets or require rework. For small businesses trying to refresh interiors without halting operations, coordinating supplies and labor can introduce delays and unexpected expenses.
H.E.F. Company intends to act as a central hub, providing materials, tools, and trained workers, along with guidance tailored to both DIY customers and professionals. Equipment access is a core focus. Spray systems, specialty rollers, and sanding equipment are common in commercial settings but often too costly for small operators or one-time projects. By offering rentals, the company lowers barriers to professional-quality outcomes.
Labor shortages compound these challenges. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors, the broader construction sector will need more than half a million additional workers in the coming year to meet demand. At the same time, few new tradespeople are entering the field with the technical training required for advanced surface preparation or finishing. H.E.F. Company plans to address this through internal training programs and mentorship tracks designed to build capacity rather than rely solely on outside talent.
Education is another pillar. Through tutorials, demonstrations, and workshops, the company aims to help customers choose the right products, apply them correctly, and avoid rework. That knowledge component has sustainability implications as well. A report from PaintCare notes hundreds of millions of pounds of leftover paint collected nationwide, much of it the result of poor planning or incorrect application. Reducing waste through better guidance delivers both environmental and economic value.
Rospendowski’s approach reflects years spent in hands-on environments, from managing store counters to directing complex distribution systems. He describes the U.S. launch not as a copy-and-paste effort, but as an adaptation. “People want to do good work,” he says. “They just need support that makes the process clear and achievable.”
The company is headquartered in Aventura, Florida, with plans for expansion once the model is established. Potential growth avenues include franchising, vocational partnerships, and service networks aligned with construction and retail trade groups. The ambition is to serve as both a resource for consumers and a workforce development engine for the industry.
In a field often overlooked in conversations about modernization, H.E.F. Company is offering a reset: simplify access to quality materials, tools, and training, and raise expectations across the board. If successful, it will not just improve paint jobs. It could help shift how the industry trains workers, supports small contractors, and serves consumers who want to take on projects with confidence.
