Passing the torch.
My name is Javier Valencia. I'm the owner of Valencia Ink. — and the son of the man who built it.
My father Oscar started this company in 1981 with nothing but hard work and a mindset that never quit. I grew up watching him. Job sites were as normal to me as a backyard. I watched him treat every customer like a neighbor and every promise like it was binding.
When I graduated high school, there was never really a question. I joined the business because I believed in what my father built — and because I wanted to be the one to carry it forward.
My dad has since retired. But the standard he set hasn't gone anywhere. Every job we take on, I ask myself the same thing he always did: would I be proud to put my name on this? If the answer is anything but yes, we're not done yet.
What I've built on top of that foundation.
Taking over a 40-year-old family business isn't just about maintaining what's there — it's about earning the right to carry the name forward.
Today we operate a commercial division without losing our bread and butter — the high-end residential painting that so many homeowners love and know us for. Our team is stronger, our processes are tighter, and the standard of professionalism on every job is something I take personally. None of that happened by accident. It happened because I believe this company deserves to keep getting better.
The painting industry doesn't stand still — and neither do we. New products, new techniques, new equipment, new trends in what homeowners actually want. My job is to stay ahead of all of it so that every customer gets the best version of what this trade has to offer. That means constantly learning, investing in the right tools, and building partnerships with the brands that are raising the bar. We're not doing things the way they were done twenty years ago just because that's how we've always done them. We're doing them better.
I've also invested heavily in learning how to actually run a business — not just how to paint. Marketing, operations, estimating, client communication, team management. These aren't things that come naturally when you grow up on a job site. I had to go learn them, and I did. Because I knew that if Valencia Ink. was going to be what I wanted it to be, good craftsmanship alone wasn't going to get us there. You have to run it like a real business — and I take that just as seriously as the work itself.
Where we're going.
My goal is straightforward: I want Valencia Ink. to be the most trusted painting company in North Houston. Not just the most recognized — the most trusted. The name homeowners give their neighbors without hesitation. The company GCs call first because they know we'll show up, do it right, and never embarrass them on a job site.
My father built this company on integrity. I'm building on top of that — with the same values, a bigger vision, and the drive to make sure the Valencia name means something for another 40 years.
And through all of it, my faith in God is the anchor. It's what keeps me honest when no one's watching. It's what pushes me to do right by every customer, every crew member, and every promise we make. I don't believe you can build something truly worth having without doing it the right way — and for me, doing it the right way starts there.
— Javier Valencia, Owner
