Matt Lenzmeier (Lakewood Painting)

Matt Lenzmeier is the owner of Lakewood Painting, a Twin Cities painting company that specializes in interior residential work. 

A native of Coon Rapids, Lenzmeier grew up playing football, his imposing figure and gritty disposition enough to eventually propel him off to college.

“I wanted to see if I could make it in college football, so I walked onto a little school called Fort Lewis College in Colorado,” says Lenzemier, but his stint as a Raider was less than ideal.  

“It [Fort Lewis College] was probably the worst football program in the country, and that’s probably why I was able to join the team and start as a 220-pound offensive tackle,” Lenzmeier adds with a laugh. 

After one season, the sight of his teammates getting mangled, coupled with the coaching staff’s reluctance to give Lenzmeier a scholarship, led to the left tackle exiting college athletics and returning home. 

Upon arriving back in Minnesota, Lenzmeier enrolled at arguably the greatest academic institution in the entire country, the notorious St. Cloud State University (no authorial bias here). 

His degree in hand, Lenzemier auditioned for several corporate gigs, but a desk job just wasn’t going to do it for a man who thrives off working with his hands. 

Having done some painting work in college, Lenzmeier decided to start Lakewood Painting.

“Truthfully, I didn’t even like painting that much,” he admits, “but the crew I worked with was a lot of fun. In many ways, it was like being back on a football field.” 

Twenty-two years later, Lakewood Painting is still in business, helping Twin Cities homeowners enliven their interior, and sometimes, exterior spaces. 

“A big reason clients hire me is because they don’t want to do the painting themselves. In that sense, homeowners are my biggest competitors,” Lenzmeier says, humbly but simultaneously honestly. 

“Frankly, what we do is not rocket science. People could do most of what we do themselves, but they hire Lakewood Painting because they’re looking for efficiency and quality. They want it done quickly and they want it done well, and that’s what we excel at.”

In an industry rife with painters who can wield a brush but can’t seem to pick up their phone, Lenzmeier is different, his business model predicated on timely communication so as to put clients at ease and keep them updated at every step of the painting process. 

“It still amazes me that there are so many painting companies out there that don’t answer their phone or communicate with their customers on an ongoing basis,” Lenzmeier notes. 

“I’m more than willing to call, text, or email clients. Whatever method of communication they prefer, I’ll meet them where they are at. Whether it’s something small like letting them know that the crew is going to be five minutes late, or communicating after the job is finished, I’m always striving to be out in front of everything.” 

Adds the seasoned entrepreneur:

“The reason I go to such lengths to communicate with my clients is because that’s how I want to be treated, and I think that’s how the vast majority of clients want to be treated. Nobody wants to be left in the dark and wondering what’s going to happen next, especially when it involves their home.”

It’s evident that Lenzmeier thinks courtesy calls or texts should be industry-standard among painters, and while his belief is correct, sadly, all too often other Twin Cities painting companies neglect the minutiae of their profession.

“I’ve gone to do estimates where the homeowner tells me, out of the four companies they contacted, I’m the only one who bothered to show up,” Lenzmeier says. 

“I know I’m not the only painter out there who is communicating well with their clients, but just by doing what I think is right by the customer, that attracts people to want to do business with us, and then refer us later on to their friends and family.”

As Lenzmeier suggested, what Lakewood Painting does is not overly complicated, but they are diligent about the details, a trait that endears them to homeowners and has kept the business profitable for over two decades. 

As a result, Lakewood Painting is rarely the lowest price available to homeowners looking to revitalize their domicile, but their competence comes at a price, even if that price varies depending on the complexity of the project. 

“No two projects are the same, but for reference, just painting the walls is going to cost less than if you wanted to paint the walls and the ceiling, obviously,” Lenzmeier remarks. 

“If you have a huge vaulted living room or paneled ceilings, that changes the scope of work as well, so I always encourage homeowners to have me come out so that we can iron out the details beforehand and establish expectations prior to a project beginning. That’s the best way to ensure a painting project works out well for everyone involved.” 

Looking ahead, Lenzmeier will continue to service Twin Cities homeowners looking for an interior makeover, his painting projects far more aesthetically pleasing than his gridiron glory of years past (or pigskin trauma, depending on your perspective). 

For his part, Lenzmeier is a modest business owner who prioritizes taking care of his family and clients over any sort of personal acclaim he could potentially earn. 

“My wife is a go-getter, so I have kept my business fairly small and flexible over the years, to where I can always be there for my kids and support my wife as she continues to progress in her educational and professional career,” Lenzmeier explains.  

“We’ll see what happens, but I’m in no rush for anything major to happen with Lakewood Painting. My focus has been and always will be on giving my clients an awesome experience, and as long as I continue to deliver on that, I’m confident everything else will take care of itself.” QS

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