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What Shade Are You?

I have to admit, when I first got involved with the whole “green” movement, I was a very pale shade of green. I had a recycling bin and I thought I did a pretty good job of putting garbage and recyclables in their appropriate places. Of course, I was hearing frequent news reports about global warming, off gassing, and other ecological issues which I felt were, at times, more politically than environmentally inspired. I guess I associated the green movement with radical tree huggers, who wore hemp pants and Birkenstocks, and pretty much protested for a living. As a business owner, I saw an opportunity with the green building movement. It had become a very strong sector in the industry. I decided to contact a local organization at the forefront of green building; Build It Green. They offered information and training on green building practices. I decided to go all out and registered for their Green Certification Program. The morning of the first day of class, I was really nervous. Kind of like when I have to order my wife a frappacino from the local barista. I did not know what to wear. My hair was processed and held with gels, which I am sure were toxic. My clothes were not made of hemp or burlap and my shoes were leather. Leather couldn’t be good. I knew I was going to stand out, and didn’t know what the other people were going to think of me. When I arrived at the training facility I felt a little more at ease. There were actually some full sized work trucks in the parking lot. People had cell phones and looked pretty “normal”. As I began talking with them, I realized that this was going to be okay. The people there were, like me, just looking to learn more about green building practices. And they weren’t deep, dark, “broccoli” green either! I learned a lot during the certification process and passed the exam with a very high score. I had long discussions with other business owners who felt as I did and who were keen to expand their business through more environmentally friendly processes. There were many shades of green amongst the people there, and each person was working towards the same goal of improving their businesses while helping to lessen the impact on our environment. I find that in many situations, if the motives are sincere, this can be a very positive thing! I guess the moral here is to not be intimidated by going “green,” it isn’t the daunting task that it might seem at first glance. You don’t have to change your entire lifestyle, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and you don’t need hemp pants. The changes you make can be as simple as buying a few grocery items each week in glass jars rather than in plastic tubs, keep reusable grocery bags in your car, or using your own recyclable container for your water and coffee. It is acknowledging the benefits to us and our world and trying to make good choices at home and at work. By no means am I a deep Kelly green but I think I’ve moved slowly but surely from a “celery” to more of a “sage” green!

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Customer Reviews

“I had my wooden kitchen cabinets painted white. Anabal and Danielle were doing the job. I have nothing but praise for them. They came on time, cleaned up every day, were respective, friendly and helpful. If the rest of Jessee's crew are as great as Anabal and Danielle, this company will go far.”

— Anni S.
Oakland, CA

“Thank you for the support you have given the Women's Cancer Resource Center over the past year!”

— Margo - Director Women's Cancer Resource Center

“High quality work from a pleasant and qualified staff. Thank you!”

— Paul Markovich

“Julie,Just to let you know I am very appreciative of your crew catching the plumbing/mold problem. It was very astute of them. I wanted to let you know that again your crew has done excellent work here, please pass this along to Mr. Jessee. There are some bumps in the road here, but the painting and your crew has not been one of them. Their work is the only thing going right currently, and this crew is very nice and respectful. It is much appreciated. Thank you again.”

— Beth
Oakland

“The completed 'Client Satisfaction Survey' we sent in only modestly reflects our total satisfaction with the work. As a retired small business owner, I compliment you on setting 'best practices' that are consistently followed. Everything described in your marketing materials was a reality! The crew is a super bowl team and our neighbors commented on how quiet they were. We are very happy to be a client of MB Jessee.”

— Richard
Orinda

“Today I received a beautiful bouquet from your company. It was totally unexpected and very much appreciated--a lovely surprise. Also today, your crew finished my job. I am so pleased with all their fine work. Richard is absolutely amazing and a total delight to work with. He was also extremely helpful during the paint color process. The interior work in my home far exceeded my expectations. A big thank you to you and the crew for an outstanding job. Thank you, thank you for a terrific job!”

— Barbara
Piedmont

“I want to express my thanks for a job well done. The rooms look great and there is no problem with any marks on the all the trim, floor, carpet, etc. The paint job is lovely. I also want to express my thanks for the level of professionalism the foreman showed in running the job. He was very attentive to any changes I needed to make, was extremely careful in getting the faux paint color and effect correct. Thanks so much for a job well done.”

— Suzan D’Arcy

“The painters at MB Jesse are top notch! Cesar's team was super friendly and helpful. They were very polite and accommodating. Their expertise in everything painting related was evident in their attention to detail and efficiency painting tricky spaces. The apartment looks brand new!”

— Adam Swisher

“MB Jessee painters are stellar! As a designer I've worked with numerous companies over the years, and MB Jessee is a top-notch firm. From the first phone call to the final clean up, every person is courteous, professional, and hard working. The owner, Matt, is a charitable leader who has instilled his team with integrity and honesty providing the customer with a first class experience at a fair price with a paint job that is guaranteed to last. I highly recommend MB Jessee. Thank you Matt and your STAR crew-Daniel, Rigoberto, Vicente, Edy, Pedro, and Mario, for a job well executed! Cynthia Brian, ASID, Starstyle® Productions, llc”

— Cynthia Brian
Morgan, CA

“I cannot imagine finer painters--and I have worked with many. They work exceptionally hard. It is a joy to see their workmanship!”

— Alicia R.
Oakland

“I highly recommend MB Jesse Painting to anyone looking for a professional team that does an impressive job. They are on time, efficient and clean up well each and every day they are on site. They pay attention to detail and listen to the needs of their clients. In addition, they give back to the community. A Five Star team all the way around.”

— Erin Troy

“Everyone I dealt with was nice, helpful, and very professional. The price was reasonable! (I didn't feel like I was getting the "San Francisco price." The attention to detail and work quality was excellent. They did what they said they would do in the exact timeframe they said they would do. Highly recommend!”

— Tim Tyson