From Detroit to Fergus Falls: Don Martin’s Journey of Grit, Passion, and Paint

Don Martin is living large. From Detroit to Fergus Falls, from playing college football to playing the piano to playing with paint, from working for others to starting his own business, Don is living large. His company says so: Big Boys Painting.

Don learned to wield that paintbrush growing up in Detroit. “When I was a little kid, the bishop in our church would have these little jobs, so he showed me how to put up fences, paint, and so forth,” Don said. “He showed me all these different skills, and you grasp some more than others.” 

Like many, Don’s journey from Detroit to Fergus Falls had plenty of detours. His first passion is football, which led him from high school in Michigan to college in California where he was a little taken back.  

Not by football but by everyday living. It was, simply put, too expensive.  

He looked for another option and met a football coach and welcoming environment at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls. 

Now, bringing a city kid to a small town wasn’t without challenges. Interestingly, Don said he had trouble sleeping the first two weeks because it was “too quiet!”   He was used to the street sounds of the big city—think traffic sounds, sidewalk squabbles, and sirens. 

Don worked most of the time to pay his own way through school, and now, with his business, he continues to put in a lot of work time. Don learned about hard work from his mother and stepdad. “I didn’t really have my biological father in my life, but my mother, who raised 13 kids, and my stepfather both worked two jobs. I was taught to try my hardest and always to do my best, no matter what I do.” 

Don actually went back to Michigan to continue his education and he brought along his newfound love, Pelican Rapids native Chelsey, who attended a Michigan school.  When Chelsey went job shopping, she found a good one in Fergus Falls. So as a couple, they made their way back, along with their new son. 

Big Boys Painting

As a new business owner, Don looks back on lessons learned for others looking to open a shop. “I would say be dedicated to whatever you decide you’re going to go into because there will be some days where you don’t have it financially or you don’t have it mentally or physically. And you still must have it financially, mentally, and physically, you know what I mean?” 

Don says entrepreneurs are natural leaders. “Great leaders are driven; they’re driven by God. You know, I think believing in a higher power really made a big difference for me, especially growing up where I grew up. Looking back, it was really crazy. So, one of the things that drives me is like, I never want to go back to that situation again.” 

One senses a real calm about Don, a real sense that he has found a wonderful home. You could say he and his family belong here. “I think belonging comes from the individual perspective,” Don muses. “We both could have grown up here, had the same experience, but we can see a place two different ways. For me, belonging here really comes from seeing other people working hard, working class people. It makes you want to work hard; it motivates you. 

“We are all Americans,” he adds, “we live here, so we could talk about black and white and skin color and things like that, but everyone is living here. We need to get to know people on a personal level instead of stereotyping.” 

Don says it’s a lesson learned from people around here. “Some people (in this region) had never seen a Black person before, or they haven’t had the chance to get to know a Black person. So, you see it, but it’s basically, like this is another person. That’s all.” 

Don knows new businesses take time to grow, but he was thrilled to see this comment on social media:   

We’ve had our house painted professionally three times in the years we’ve lived here. While the others were great, Big Boys Painting rose to another level: best in communication, attention to detail, and timely follow-through in getting the job done. He’s done inside work for us as well. We highly recommend! 

Had to be a big boy smile on that one!