Nicole Durant purchased Exeter Paint when she was in her early 20s, but she didn’t let her lack of industry or business experience stop her from creating a successful home improvement store with paint, flooring, wallcoverings and more. She now runs two locations, in Exeter and Epping, New Hampshire.
Durant took the time and put in the effort to educate herself in all things paint and decorating, and still feels strongly about education and experience. So, when a seventh grade student asked to shadow her paint store for a school project, Durant jumped at the opportunity to share her world with the next generation.
Freddy, a seventh grader at Hampton Academy, chose Exeter Paint to shadow because he loves the paint store. Durant says there wasn’t much he didn’t love about his day at the paint store.
General manager Crystal Christian had the pleasure of spending the day showing Freddy the ropes, and she says he helped with all aspects of the business, from mixing paint to visiting job sites to driving the forklift. 
“His teachers even came in to check on him, and he was excited to show them around and tell them about the technology we offer,” Christian says.
Christian started working for Durant when she was 18 years old, and has been a part of the Exeter Paint family ever since.
“I love the education side of my job, getting to learn myself and teaching others our industry,” she says. “I enjoy being able to educate others in real-life situations. They aren’t just sitting in a classroom, they can actually see those skills used in real life and get to experience what we do on a day-to-day basis.”
Freddy loved his experience so much, he’s even thinking about applying to work at Exeter Paint when he’s old enough.
“Driving the forklift and helping on the job sites was my favorite part of the shadow day,” Freddy says. “I might like to work at the paint store when I’m old enough.”
