
Think Like an Owner Crafting your Life and Business with Matt Kuehlhorn - EP.279
25 snips
Mar 10, 2026 Matt Kuehlhorn, founder of Cooler/Kooler Garage Doors and host of Craft Your Life radio, shares his accidental startup story and how focus transformed his company. He discusses pivoting to a single service, building systems and culture, communication frameworks for trust, and maturing leadership to enable steady, profitable growth.
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Use Podcasting To Meet Market Influencers
- Use podcasting as a strategic networking tool to enter a new market.
- Matt started Craft Your Life to meet local "bell cows" in Grand Junction and built relationships that supported Cooler Garage Doors growth.
How A $20 Painting Gig Launched The Company
- Cooler began by painting houses after Matt faced near bankruptcy and took a $20/hour painting job.
- He landed an $8,500 project, learned spraying techniques, hired college students, and launched the business from that first job.
Multiple Service Lines Create Internal Friction
- Running multiple service lines created internal conflict and operational chaos as the painting and door teams became competing siblings.
- Adding epoxy, storage, cabinetry and cabinet-level painting increased complexity and costly mistakes until focus returned.



