Building MSC Flooring: Lessons in Grit and Growth
In this episode, Michael speaks with Jon Winters, President of MSC Flooring, about his journey from painting houses in high school to co-founding and growing Michigan Specialty Coatings into a thriving business. Jon shares how early failures shaped his business philosophy, the lessons learned from traveling the world, and the importance of living below your means to weather any economic storm. Listen in for candid insights into building a resilient company culture and managing growth through challenges.
Tune into this episode to also learn:
- How a small painting gig turned into an entrepreneurial journey.
- The pivotal lessons Jon learned from early business failures.
- Why living below your means is critical for entrepreneurs.
- How coaching and EOS helped MSC break growth barriers.
What we discussed
- [00:01:02] The story behind MSC’s name change and branding.
- [00:02:21] Jon’s first taste of entrepreneurship painting houses in high school and college.
- [00:06:33] Traveling for 18 months and the life lessons learned abroad.
- [00:14:44] How Jon transitioned from touring with Disney on Ice to the coatings industry.
- [00:20:32] Early struggles with product failures and how they pivoted MSC’s focus.
- [00:25:18] Celebrating 20 years in business and growing a team of over 70 people.
- [00:27:49] How EOS and coaching transformed MSC’s operations and leadership.
- [00:31:22] Jon’s advice on living below your means and preparing for economic downturns.
3 Things To Remember
- Running a business comes with hard lessons — early failures can define future success.
- Leveraging coaching and structured systems can help break through growth ceilings.
- Living below your means builds resilience and confidence to handle economic uncertainty.
Memorable moments:
(00:09:14) “My mind’s kind of blown from all these experiences and I’m not sure what’s next.”
(00:23:16) “We lost so much money fixing the old jobs… but we knew happy customers were the only way forward.”
(00:31:22) “If you’re an entrepreneur, don’t live above your means. Live below your means and you’ll live a much better life.”
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