Our Painting Company’s Story
Appaloosa Painting Co. started as the passion of Dan Gallop in 2013. Then he and family members incorporated the company in 2017. Together we have built an award winning painting company, which took less than a year to be recognized as “Best of Suburbia” for the Route 7 corridor in Northern VA. Because we afford consideration to every client, many have made us the painting company of their choice. We stand out from the crowd with traditional honesty, refreshingly modern aesthetics, and invaluable punctuality. So more and more people are entrusting us with the important job of painting their homes and businesses.
Most family owned and operated painting companies pass down from father to son. But that’s not how our story goes. Appaloosa Painting Company was born out of the vision and drive of one of the younger sons in our family.
Dan Gallop grew up in an impoverished country on the southern edge of Africa’s Sahara Desert. But then as a teenager he found himself in the snowy hill country of western New York. As a young teen, he was up at 4am to trudge on foot to the farm down the road. By milking cows for his first job he learned important lessons in hard work. Later from behind the counter in a local subshop, and with the help of a good manager, he learned to focus on quality customer service.
Apart from a short bout with arthritis, Dan was a healthy teen. He participated in Civil Air Patrol, biked 5 miles a day, and worked out with the local college’s ROTC corps. Dan set his mind on becoming a military officer, and worked hard academically throughout high school. Then upon graduation he was awarded with a full ROTC scholarship to university.
Adversity and a New Direction
However, despite making excellent grades, his stay at university was shortened. After the first semester, Army doctors reviewed his medical history. They determined that his short bout with arthritis, when he was a teen, disqualified him from ever becoming an officer. His hopes for a military career came crashing down with great disappointment and soul searching. It was during this trying time that Dan turned his heart to God and began looking for a new direction.
The Vision for a Painting Company with Integrity
As a young adult, Dan tried several types of work including car sales at a dealership in Northern Virginia. Through training he learned valuable lessons about sales and customer relationships. However, he found that honesty was often lacking in the car sales industry. So he decided to move on, thinking of how good it would be to work for a company that adheres to principles of integrity.
Dan tried the construction industry, and found that he liked working with his hands. He especially enjoyed painting. While working for a large painting contractor, he learned painting techniques and developed painting proficiencies. But again in the painting industry, he found integrity to be in short supply. He was appalled to find painters discussing on the job how to do work slower just so they would get paid for more hours. Dan’s vision to start his own painting company that focused on diligence, hard work, and treating the customer right began to take shape.
Growing a Professional Painting Company
In 2013, Dan took two big leaps. First he married Brianna. Then he opened his own painting business. He started acting on his vision for a company with integrity. Then for four years, he painted interiors and exteriors of houses and local businesses in Wilkes-Barre, PA with many happy customers.
It wasn’t until 2017 that Dan’s desire to expand the business into a larger market led to a move. He called on his father for help. They incorporated the business in Northern Virginia. Then together, they put into place the financial and systems support needed to grow a professional painting company.
Dan’s vision for a painting company with integrity and quality services has served his family, employees, and customers well. The company maintains sterling credentials. It is both licensed and insured, and continues to find favor with people needing interior and exterior painting services throughout Northern Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.