Built from the ground up: Brian Printy’s path to Maaco ownership
After more than two decades with Maaco, Brian Printy has made the leap to ownership—backed by mentors, teammates, and some powerful life lessons
On June 10, Brian Printy achieved a lifelong dream: he officially became co-owner of his own Maaco shop in Virginia Beach.
This is a dream decades in the making. More than 20 years ago, he started as a sander in Portsmouth, Virginia and worked his way through every role available. Today, at his Virginia Beach shop, he greets customers, writes estimates, and shares responsibilities with his business partner, Katie Inge. In many ways, it’s the same work he’s been doing in his 22 years with Maaco.
But the feeling of doing it as an owner is new.
“I still can’t believe I went from sanding cars to owning a Maaco franchise,” Brian said. “It’s crazy.”
This milestone represents the culmination of a career spent learning nearly every aspect of the car business. It also marks the beginning of what he expects will be another period of hard, rewarding work.
It started with a sander
Brian got his start in the auto body business early. He took his first job at a body shop at 16, then another with Maaco when he turned 18. However, he learned quickly that sanding was not where he wanted to stay.
“I did that for about a year, but I wanted to challenge myself,” Brian said. “I wanted to learn how to do everything at the shop.”
That motivation pushed him to learn masking and then painting—a job he truly fell in love with.
In 2006, Brian joined a Maaco center in Chesapeake, Virginia where he could develop his painting skills. He spent about three years painting under shop owner AJ Inge before he entered the front office, learning to write estimates, work with customers, and help manage the broader operation.
It was there he met AJ’s daughter Katie, his future business partner. When Katie joined the center full time, she and Brian increasingly took responsibility for running the shop as a team. Over the years, they helped grow the Chesapeake location exponentially.
From that experience, Brian gained confidence in both the business and the Maaco model.
“All my success came from the Maaco model,” Brian said. “That’s what I was comfortable with, and that’s what I knew I wanted to be a part of.”
Mentorship opened a door
For years, Brian was open with AJ and Katie about his dreams of owning a franchise one day. Both Inges encouraged that ambition and contributed meaningful help in making it possible.
“If it wasn’t for those two, I wouldn’t be sitting in the office I’m sitting in,” Brian said.
That encouragement led Brian to attend multiple Maaco conventions and build relationships throughout the organization. Ultimately, he and Katie purchased the Virginia Beach Maaco location as business partners. Katie continues to own and operate the Chesapeake shop, giving Brian an experienced partner and important source of support only 25 minutes away.
AJ’s influence can also be felt in Brian’s approach to leadership. One lesson in particular has stayed with him: “Pull the rope. Don’t push the rope.”
Brian’s lived that out by leading by example rather than expecting others to meet standards he doesn't demonstrate himself.
“People follow good habits. They follow good work ethic,” Brian said. “I think it all starts at the front of the shop, and it trickles into the back of the shop.”
The future has a strong foundation
Becoming an owner has been daunting at times, but Brian didn’t start with an empty building. The Virginia Beach shop has operated in the same location for about 15 years, and Brian credits the production team—who remained through the ownership transition—with making his life a lot easier.
“I am so lucky with the crew I inherited here,” Brian said. “They’re absolute rock stars.”
The shop’s location near Naval Air Station Oceana has also given Brian the opportunity to serve a community with a strong military presence. That means a lot to him, given his own family connection with the Navy. Brian’s older brother served in the Navy in Virginia when Brian first started at Maaco as a sander.
In the years to come, Brian sees himself building the shop’s customer base and growing its good reputation. But most of all, he wants to be sure he’s giving back to the people who helped get him here.
“In five years, I hope to have the same employees,” he said. “I hope to be a great boss, and I hope to be able to take really good care of the people who take great care of me.”