{"id":9080,"date":"2022-11-02T06:46:31","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T06:46:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.startupvalley.news\/uk\/?p=9080"},"modified":"2026-01-25T12:39:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T12:39:22","slug":"coat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/startupvalley.news\/uk\/coat\/","title":{"rendered":"Believe yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

COAT paint company: sustainably produced paint in modern muted shades- everything you need to decorate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Please introduce yourself and COAT to our readers!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m Rob, one of the co-founders at COAT. (The other founder is called Rob, too!). We\u2019re a digital paint brand for this generation, and the next – focusing on simplicity, style, and changing the game in sustainable decor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you get the idea of COAT?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Rob and I both did up houses in our 30\u2019s, and it became a running joke how long we spent in DIY stores. Buying tester pots, stressing over colours, going back to buy paint, then back for more\u2026. incredibly time consuming, and wasteful. We make that whole buying process super easy, with a modern luxury brand that\u2019s deeply conscious too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did you decide to start COAT?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I worked for BMW and a few startups in my career, so I know the power of strong brands, and how to grow companies quickly. Rob Green worked for the world\u2019s biggest paint company, so what he doesn\u2019t know about paint isn\u2019t worth knowing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between us, we knew there was a consumer problem based on our own experiences – and we knew that the paint industry wasn\u2019t positioned to solve it. We also saw a real brand gap in the \u201cmodern luxury\u201d space, with deeply conscious foundations. It was the perfect marriage foundation for COAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the vision behind COAT?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re the go-to paint company for our generation, and the next. We want people to think of COAT first, because we stand for the easy and simplicity that makes painting fun – and the planet-first values that make it right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How difficult was the start and which challenges you had to overcome?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We started the business and operations ourselves, just the two of us, from a roll-up unit in Surrey. That\u2019s everything from building the brand and website, through to mixing and shipping paint directly to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We even painted thousands of Peel & Stick swatches ourselves for the first 6 months or so\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the above was difficult! Getting interest from suppliers as a pre-product business, during lockdown, was hard. Setting up a unique production system that\u2019s small but scalable, was hard. And of course, launching the brand to the world and getting our vision in front of people, was hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re in a great place now of course, but I think all of that is down to our individual expertise and commitment to getting things moving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is your target audience?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our generation, and the next. We\u2019re focused on homeowners, aspiring to create beautiful spaces that are kind to humans and the planet. Something that I think resonates with everyone, but particularly millennial and Gen Z audiences – if you had to put boxes around things!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the USP of your startup?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our strength isn\u2019t one thing – it\u2019s the sum of our parts. Yes, we\u2019re leading the charge in environmental responsibility, with unique production zero-waste models and all the certification you can muster\u2026 And sure, we\u2019re putting ourselves firmly in the style space for \u2018modern tastemakers\u2019 with a curated colour range and deliberate aesthetic. But honestly, we\u2019re strong and different because we keep things simple. Paint, done better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you describe your typical workday?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Erm, I\u2019m not sure typical exists for me at this point! I\u2019m in the office 3 or 4 days a week, which I think is important given the stage of business and how we like to communicate as a team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half of the day might be meetings, centred around some core ones like team stand ups and leadership sessions. The work environment is quite fun – we might be shooting social content in the office or painting out new paint colours on the board table. We\u2019re all based in one place so the spectrum of conversations can be anything from a customer service call through to financial forecasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think that\u2019s the best thing about my role – the dynamism and constant change. That\u2019s why I (and Rob G) left corporate. Having said that, sometimes I think it\u2019s the worst thing, and crave a 9-5. But that\u2019s usually fleeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where do you see yourself and your startup COAT in five years?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

COAT will be huge by then. In the face of every challenge, you face as a founder, that belief is what gets me through. We\u2019re doing something special, with a brand that resonates, in a space that\u2019s super dusty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personally, who knows! I\u2019m big into coaching and quite self-aware – but I\u2019m very much in the moment with COAT right now, so let\u2019s see how the waves ebb-and-flow over the coming months\/years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What 3 tips would you give to founders?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pick a lane and stay in it. <\/strong>That sounds like it contradicts the principles of being a dynamic\/agile\/insert-buzz-word startup – but it doesn\u2019t. You started a business for a reason, so keep going back to that reason and change the \u2018how\u2019 not the \u2018what\u2019. We do paint – really well – and that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Say no.<\/strong> Similar to the above point and verging on clich\u00e9 – but saying no and prioritising is tough. There\u2019s always some shiny opportunity, or the \u201cwhat if\u201d things that come along, but it\u2019s important to keep focus on the things that drive the goal. The world isn\u2019t short of opportunities, but the execution is the critical bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Believe yourself. <\/strong>I still struggle with imposter syndrome and wanting to over-analyse everything. I ask too many people for their opinion, which is rarely helpful. I\u2019ve realised that I do know what I\u2019m talking about a lot of the time – through coaching. So, trusting intuition can be the route to speed and differentiation in the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Picture: left to right Rob Abrahams and Rob Green<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you Rob Abrahams for the Interview<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n