By Charlie Spiering Rappahannock News Staff Writer Summer income

By Charlie Spiering

Rappahannock News Staff Writer

Summer income is a necessity for many college students, and as many students started the summer looking for work, Paul Beattie, a graduate of Wakefield Country Day School, has been planning his summer job since February.

Last semester, as Beattie was a full time Student at the University of Virginia, he was accepted as a business intern into the CollegeWorks painting program.

The program was founded by the National Services Group, an organization that develops business skills for college students. Their mission is to give local college students an opportunity to acquire real-world business and leadership skills through business ownership.

Initially Beattie thought that the opportunity would be easy. He found himself thoroughly challenged, however, as the program began.

Beattie realized that he would have to give up a lot of his spare time and a good portion of his weekends as he attended training sessions for his upcoming position.

Once the summer began he started his painting business from scratch. Although he is staying in Rappahannock County, he started building his business in Front Royal, putting ads in the paper for summer painters.

It was not long before he collected and trained a three person crew and began bidding and receiving jobs. After he set up the business he started putting out flyers and looking for potential customers.

Now Beattie is looking for enough work to finish off the sumtier as he approaches his sophomore year.

He has spent a lot of his time “cold calling”; going house to house explaining his business and trying to get work.

“I am definitely an expert in that area,” he said with a laugh.

Beattie is involved in the project from start to finish, and works to insure customer approval and satisfaction,

“We have done four houses so far in Front