Eggs, grits, bacon, coffee, and sunrises power Jeff Welch’s mornings. The owner of Surface – Tint, Wraps, and Design in Forsyth, Ga., Welch is a regular at his local Waffle House on 444 Tift College Drive.
Fuel For the Day
“It’s more efficient for me to go to Waffle House than it is for me to cook breakfast,” says Welch, who arrives at 6 a.m. each morning. “I’m in and out in five minutes. If someone wants to eat breakfast with me, they have to call ahead and let me know. They get me out of there so fast.”
Welch founded Surface – Tint, Wraps, and Design in 2016. He received the 2022 Horizon Award at the Huper Optik and Autobahn Dealer Conference in Denver, Colo., this year. With the company’s sales increasing by more than 200% since 2016, there’s always plenty of work scheduled.
“It’s a daily grind that’s grown,” says Welch, who also owns and operates Tint Hozilla, a tools and equipment supplier for the film industry. “I’ve adapted with the growth and demand.”
As Welch fires up his vintage 1993 Ford Ranger, the sun climbs higher.
“When I leave Waffle House, I go to one of our dealerships,” says Welch, whose business tints vehicles for two car dealerships in the area. “The dealership sits on the top of a hill–one of the highest places around here. That’s the first place I see the sunrise. For me, sunrises and sunsets are times of gratitude. I’m grateful I’m alive, working, and free. I’m not in the streets. I have tons of work to do.”
Someone to Lean on
“I think about my future,” says Welch, who turns 49 this December. “I think about how hard I’ll be able to work during the next 20 years. I think about how hard I can work now versus how hard I could work in my 20’s. My shoulder is in bad shape. I tore my rotator cuff. For a long time, I had excruciating pain all day and night. Since Trey started working with me, my pain has gone down. I don’t install as much.”
Trey Williams, Lead Installer at Surface – Tint, Wraps, and Design, joined the company in July 2022.
“Trey is a one-of-a-kind employee,” says Welch, who hired Williams through a connection at his local Waffle House. “He’s learned the trade faster than anyone I’ve trained throughout my entire career.”
Welch says it’s key to support hard-working, productive team members. He recently rewarded Williams with a full tank of gas for his truck.
“Fill it up until the handle stops clicking,” Welch told him.
Finding a Career
“I didn’t have one,” says Williams, when asked about his career path. “I did whatever I could to pay the bills. My very first job was at Burger King. I’ve worked in roofing, carpentry, and landscaping. I also spent three years in the U.S. Army.”
Williams, who found a career in the film industry, battled through a learning curve during his window tint training. But he encourages new installers to look beyond their initial errors.
“It’s a lot of knowledge to retain,” Williams says. “You’re going to mess up some film. But keep at it. Don’t give up.”
After competing at Window Film Revolution’s 2023 Family Reunion in Athens, Ga., Williams is ready to compete at the 2024 International Window Film Conference & Tint-Off (WFCT) in Orlando, Fla.
“I can’t scroll past more than two Facebook posts without seeing a tinter,” Williams says with a smile. “Everytime I go to an event, I come back with 30 new friends. I feel like I’m a part of something big.”
(Photos by Josh Welch, Photography and Video Production Specialist at Autobahn, Huper Optik, and Edge)