{"id":1,"date":"2025-10-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/groovyhues1dev.wpenginepowered.com\/southlake-tx\/?p=1"},"modified":"2026-01-21T09:49:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T15:49:49","slug":"great-finishes-and-genuine-relationships-with-ma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.groovyhues.com\/southlake-tx\/about\/blog\/great-finishes-and-genuine-relationships-with-ma","title":{"rendered":"Great Finishes and Genuine Relationships with Matt Haney"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hzqpxz8ePh0?si=kkJ982k8XNnQAtLb\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<\/p>\n<p>Matt Haney, owner of Groovy Hues Painting of Southlake, talks about what it really takes to build a great trade business that\u2019s built on craftsmanship, consistency, and relationships. Matt and his team specialize in premium residential and commercial painting, wallpaper installation, and Roman clay and Venetian plaster finishes throughout Southlake and the greater DFW area. He shares how he\u2019s built a reliable crew, why quality tradespeople are in high demand, and why focusing on quality and connection, not just growth, is key to building a business.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"126\" data-end=\"162\"><strong data-start=\"126\" data-end=\"160\">Podcast Transcript\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"164\" data-end=\"258\">Matt, thank you for coming on our podcast this morning. We really appreciate you being here.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"260\" data-end=\"499\"><strong data-start=\"260\" data-end=\"269\">Matt:<\/strong> Thanks for having me. I\u2019m looking forward to talking about a few things that will be helpful to homeowners\u2014especially when it comes to wall coverings\u2014and also from an entrepreneurial perspective. I think there\u2019s a lot to cover.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"501\" data-end=\"767\"><strong data-start=\"501\" data-end=\"510\">Host:<\/strong> April and I actually go back with you quite a ways, especially from our days in Houston. She\u2019s known you for a long time from your career in furniture, but now you\u2019re in the paint business as the owner of Groovy Hughes Southlake. What got you into paint?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"769\" data-end=\"1142\"><strong data-start=\"769\" data-end=\"778\">Matt:<\/strong> Honestly, it started when I was young. I grew up in a home where my parents bought Henry, Baker, and Century pieces. We had high-end rugs, great wall paneling, and a strong sense of design. That gave me an appreciation for quality and detail, and it\u2019s something I wanted to bring into this business\u2014to make it a little different from your typical paint company.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1144\" data-end=\"1233\"><strong data-start=\"1144\" data-end=\"1153\">Host:<\/strong> What did you see in the industry that made you want to do things differently?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1235\" data-end=\"1761\"><strong data-start=\"1235\" data-end=\"1244\">Matt:<\/strong> A little bit of both\u2014wanting to run a small business and seeing that service in the trades was lacking. If you look at our website, we\u2019re trying to bring a new level of professionalism to the service industry. Think about it: when you make an appointment with a painter, HVAC technician, or roofer, do they show up on time? Do they communicate when things change? We make sure our crews do. We show up early, stay in communication, and take ownership of every job. That\u2019s the standard we\u2019ve built at Groovy Hughes.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1763\" data-end=\"1854\"><strong data-start=\"1763\" data-end=\"1772\">Host:<\/strong> How difficult was it to build a team that shares that same level of commitment?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1856\" data-end=\"2449\"><strong data-start=\"1856\" data-end=\"1865\">Matt:<\/strong> Very. For the first eight months, we hired just about every bad crew you could imagine. You don\u2019t really know what a crew is like until they\u2019re on your job site. Will they show up on time? Do they come back for touch-ups? You learn quickly. We found out that the little things\u2014communication, professionalism, and follow-through\u2014matter most. And speaking English is huge. Homeowners need to be able to explain what they want. So, we made it a rule: the lead painter must speak English and must be on-site throughout the job. We learned that the hard way, but now we\u2019ve got it right.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2451\" data-end=\"2577\"><strong data-start=\"2451\" data-end=\"2460\">Host:<\/strong> You don\u2019t just do paint either\u2014you also offer wallpaper, Roman clay, and other wall coverings. Tell us about that.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2579\" data-end=\"3289\"><strong data-start=\"2579\" data-end=\"2588\">Matt:<\/strong> We started as a paint business, but our clientele\u2014mainly designers\u2014led us to expand. As hard as it is to find a good painter, it\u2019s ten times harder to find a good wallpaper installer or someone who can do Venetian plaster or Roman clay. Those are highly specialized skills. Because of my background in furniture, I already had relationships with designers across North Texas. They started asking for help finding installers, so we began offering those services. It took time to find the right people, but now we have incredible crews. And despite what people think, wallpaper is far from dead\u2014it\u2019s evolved. Modern wallpapers like wood veneer and grasscloth are nothing like the ones from the 1980s.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3291\" data-end=\"3412\"><strong data-start=\"3291\" data-end=\"3300\">Host:<\/strong> With those specialized trades, do you see more opportunities for young people to build careers in this field?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3414\" data-end=\"3759\"><strong data-start=\"3414\" data-end=\"3423\">Matt:<\/strong> Definitely. There\u2019s a growing realization that trade work\u2014whether it\u2019s wallpaper, paint, or welding\u2014offers great careers. You don\u2019t necessarily have to go to college to make a good living. I know young installers making excellent money because they\u2019re good at what they do. It\u2019s a huge opportunity for those willing to learn a craft.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3761\" data-end=\"3821\"><strong data-start=\"3761\" data-end=\"3770\">Host:<\/strong> Have you always wanted to own your own business?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3823\" data-end=\"4398\"><strong data-start=\"3823\" data-end=\"3832\">Matt:<\/strong> Absolutely. I went to college for business management with a focus on entrepreneurship. I always wanted to build something of my own. My grandparents had property in South Carolina, and I once pitched turning it into a Starbucks and nail salon. My parents didn\u2019t go for it\u2014they were risk-averse. So I went into furniture sales, which was the closest thing to running my own business. I did well there, but when I retired, I wouldn\u2019t own anything. That\u2019s why I eventually took the leap into starting my own company\u2014so that my efforts would build something lasting.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4400\" data-end=\"4502\"><strong data-start=\"4400\" data-end=\"4409\">Host:<\/strong> What lessons from your furniture career have helped you the most in running Groovy Hughes?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4504\" data-end=\"4923\"><strong data-start=\"4504\" data-end=\"4513\">Matt:<\/strong> Relationships\u2014without a doubt. In sales, there are all kinds of approaches, but I\u2019ve always believed in building trust. Don\u2019t just sell\u2014connect. When people know you care about them, they keep coming back. Many of the relationships I built in furniture carried over into this business. We don\u2019t rely on third-party networks like Angie\u2019s List. Our business is 100% organic, built through trust and referrals.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4925\" data-end=\"5014\"><strong data-start=\"4925\" data-end=\"4934\">Host:<\/strong> Southlake seems to have a strong community focus. Have you noticed that, too?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5016\" data-end=\"5316\"><strong data-start=\"5016\" data-end=\"5025\">Matt:<\/strong> Absolutely. My wife and I have lived all over\u2014Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina\u2014and Southlake is different. People genuinely care about their neighbors here. Businesses support one another, and the Chamber of Commerce is very active. It\u2019s a great environment to build relationships.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5318\" data-end=\"5360\"><strong data-start=\"5318\" data-end=\"5327\">Host:<\/strong> What\u2019s next for Groovy Hughes?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5362\" data-end=\"5757\"><strong data-start=\"5362\" data-end=\"5371\">Matt:<\/strong> We\u2019ll keep evolving with demand, just like we did with wallpaper and Roman clay. Lately, homeowners\u2014not just designers\u2014are asking for specialty wall treatments. If I had to guess, flooring might be our next step. Clients already trust us with their paint and walls, so it\u2019s natural for them to ask, \u201cDo you handle flooring, too?\u201d We\u2019re not there yet, but that might be in the future.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5759\" data-end=\"5842\"><strong data-start=\"5759\" data-end=\"5768\">Host:<\/strong> What should homeowners know before hiring someone to paint their walls?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5844\" data-end=\"6221\"><strong data-start=\"5844\" data-end=\"5853\">Matt:<\/strong> Painting is a messy business\u2014no way around it. Prep is everything. If a crew doesn\u2019t mention drop cloths, moving furniture, or covering surfaces, that\u2019s a red flag. Even with great prep, paint finds every crack. The key is how you handle it\u2014communicating clearly and following up. We visit every job multiple times, even after completion, to make sure it\u2019s perfect.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6223\" data-end=\"6285\"><strong data-start=\"6223\" data-end=\"6232\">Host:<\/strong> What excites you most about what you\u2019re doing now?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6287\" data-end=\"6518\"><strong data-start=\"6287\" data-end=\"6296\">Matt:<\/strong> Building a business from scratch. There\u2019s nothing like it. The early months were hard\u2014bad crews, mistakes, stress\u2014but now that we\u2019ve got a strong team and reputation, it\u2019s incredibly rewarding to see how far we\u2019ve come.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6520\" data-end=\"6602\"><strong data-start=\"6520\" data-end=\"6529\">Host:<\/strong> For folks who want to work with Groovy Hughes, how can they reach you?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6604\" data-end=\"6828\"><strong data-start=\"6604\" data-end=\"6613\">Matt:<\/strong> The easiest way is to call or text my cell\u2014214-548-7851. You can also visit our website at <em data-start=\"6705\" data-end=\"6730\">Groovy Hughes Southlake<\/em> or find us on Facebook. Even if you\u2019re just browsing, check out our work. We\u2019d love to connect.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6830\" data-end=\"6885\"><strong data-start=\"6830\" data-end=\"6839\">Host:<\/strong> Awesome, Matt. Thanks for joining us today.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6887\" data-end=\"6920\"><strong data-start=\"6887\" data-end=\"6896\">Matt:<\/strong> Thanks for having me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Matt Haney, owner of Groovy Hues Painting of Southlake, talks about what it really takes to build a great trade business that\u2019s built on craftsmanship, consistency, and relationships. Matt and his team specialize in premium residential and commercial painting, wallpaper installation, and Roman clay and Venetian plaster finishes throughout Southlake and the greater DFW area. 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