When Kelly Anderson started Anderson Striping in 1988 with nothing more than a house sprayer in the Fresno/Visalia area, she faced a construction world that was not ready to take women seriously. More than three decades later, her company serves four states with a reputation for quality, education, and empowerment. For contractors looking to follow a similar path, Growing Your Striping Company Strategies for Scaling From Parking Lots to Highway Contracts offers a framework for expanding operations across different project scales. Anderson’s story is a masterclass in persistence, customer education, and building a brand that stands out through service excellence.
The Challenge of Breaking Into a Male-Dominated Field
The pavement marking and striping industry has long carried a reputation as a male-dominated trade. Kelly Anderson experienced this firsthand from day one. When she entered the business, women were few and far between in construction, and most were not taken seriously. Anderson understood that competing meant not only delivering quality work but also changing perceptions one project at a time.
Overcoming the Good Old Boy Mentality
The biggest roadblock to sustainable growth was not price or quality. It was the good old boy attitude that women in construction were not as qualified, knowledgeable, or hard working as their male counterparts. Anderson knew that to succeed, she had to work harder than everyone else and continually strive to be the best. This mindset drove every business decision from equipment purchases to customer service protocols.
Building Credibility Through Service Excellence
Anderson learned that knowing the customer and understanding their need for communication and documentation set her apart from the competition. She implemented electronic services for private and corporate customers, including:
- Digital invoicing and electronic proposals
- Digital pictures and plot maps for project documentation
- Work completion sign-off reports for customer verification
- Electronic tracking systems for warranty management and future budgeting
This system empowered customers to make decisions from their desks, eliminating the need for multiple site visits and paper-based processes. It gave Anderson Striping a competitive edge that had nothing to do with gender and everything to do with efficiency and professionalism. Building this kind of reputation is a key element of Creating a Powerful Construction Brand Identity 11 Strategies for Building a Memorable Company Image, which helps contractors stand out in crowded markets.
Expanding Services Across Four States
From a single house sprayer in the Fresno/Visalia area, Anderson Striping has grown to serve California, Oregon, Nevada, and Washington. The customer base spans commercial corporate clients, municipalities, and even military installations. This geographic expansion required careful planning, investment in equipment, and a commitment to consistent quality across all job sites.
Equipment Investment and Technology Adoption
Anderson Striping operates over 100 pieces of equipment, ranging from small handheld applicators to large road striping machines. The company invests in innovative equipment to expand its level of service for every customer. Key equipment includes:
- Pressurized stand-on Graco LineLazer IV 250 SPS striping machines for airport and large commercial jobs
- Ride-on Graco line driver striping machines for big projects that reduce man hours
- Large road stripers for highway and major roadway applications
- Specialized ADA compliance marking equipment
The Graco LineLazer IV 250 SPS is one of the newest and most innovative pieces of striping equipment on the market. It allows the company to perform large striping jobs such as airports quickly and efficiently without engaging their large road stripers. This tiered equipment strategy means the right machine goes to the right job, maximizing both efficiency and profitability.
Customer Base Diversification
The company serves a remarkably diverse range of customers, each with different requirements and standards. This diversification provides stability during economic fluctuations.
| Customer Type | Typical Projects | Key Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Corporate | Retail parking lots, office complexes | Night work, minimal disruption, branding colors |
| Municipalities | Street striping, crosswalks, bike lanes | ADA compliance, bid processes, traffic control |
| Military Installations | Runway markings, helipads, vehicle lots | Security clearance, MILSPEC standards |
| Property Management | Apartment complexes, shopping centers | Coordination with tenants, phased work |
Understanding how to adapt to different customer types is essential for growth. How Construction Trade Shows Educate Builders On Product Specification and Industry Standards is an excellent resource for contractors looking to understand the specifications and requirements of different market segments.
Customer Education as a Business Strategy
One of the most distinctive aspects of Anderson Striping’s approach is its emphasis on customer education. Anderson works diligently to enlighten customers about getting the best job for the price they pay. She recognizes that most people do not necessarily know what they need to do to care for their parking lots. They tend to go with the lowest bidder, which normally means an inferior outcome.
Teaching Customers About Long-Term Value
Anderson educates her customers that spending more on initial upkeep will save money down the road. A well-maintained parking lot is a first impression of a customer’s experience and should be a welcoming mat for the business. She walks customers through the cost-benefit analysis of proper striping versus cheap alternatives that fade, peel, or fail to meet code.
Navigating Codes and Compliance
Anderson also educates her customers about new codes for striping and ADA compliance. This is a constant struggle because people do not realize what they need until it is too late. The company provides comprehensive site inspection services that guide customers through the entire process:
- Initial walk-through to determine maintenance, compliance, or safety concerns
- Project bidding with detailed scope documentation
- Permit coordination with city municipalities
- Liaison services between engineering firms and cities for ADA upgrades
- Fire marshal issue resolution in parking lots
- Site inspector sign-off after project execution
This full-service approach means Anderson Striping acts as the project quarterback, pulling all permits, coordinating with owners, property managements, city municipalities, CasP specialists, and construction partners to take the job from inception to completion. It is a model that any striping contractor can learn from, much like the lessons shared in Lessons From Trumark Homes On Launching a Post Bubble Home Building Company, which explores how construction businesses can adapt and thrive through changing market conditions.
Empowering Women in Construction
Beyond running a successful striping company, Anderson has made it her mission to change the industry for the next generation of women. She knows that women still have miles to go in the industry to be seen as equals to men. Even now, when she shows up to a job walk, it is 20 men and maybe one or two women.
Certifications and Industry Involvement
Anderson Striping holds certifications that signal its commitment to diversity and excellence:
- WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) certified
- NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) member
- Active participant in other construction organizations
- Partnerships with local colleges and universities for project development and employee recruitment
Building the Next Generation
Anderson promotes women in her organization to be strong, smart construction voices. She encourages them to own their voice and skills, always being prepared to learn, grow, and surprise themselves and their customers. The next generation of Anderson Striping is also woman-owned, ensuring the company’s legacy of empowerment continues.
Future Growth and Expansion
The company is steadily growing and expanding, striving to extend striping and sealcoating services into several more western states while growing the customer base. Anderson believes that being a woman owner is an advantage, not a disadvantage, and the company’s growth proves that commitment to excellence trumps outdated industry biases.
For contractors at any stage of their journey, the lesson from Anderson Striping is clear: know your customer, invest in education, and never let outdated attitudes define your ceiling. With the right approach to quality, documentation, and customer relationships, any striping company can build a reputation that speaks louder than prejudice.