Nelson Martinez and Joe Robledo met in fifth grade and from that point on seemed to live parallel lives.

They lived one mile apart in Las Milpas in southern Pharr. Both men graduated from Hidalgo High School and each went on to serve two combat tours in Iraq. Martinez served in the Army and Robledo is a Marine. They are each college-educated with bachelor’s degrees in business administration. 

Their friendship continues to the present as business partners in the ownership of a painting company that offers a wide range of services from commercial buildings to residential work. It’s a veterans-owned business where its management style is influenced by lessons learned from military life.

“Just like combat, you have a mission,” Martinez said. “There are no do-overs. And that’s the way we see our clients’ projects.”

Discovering A Niche

Martinez became a paint expert through working for Sherwin Williams while Robledo was a construction supervisor on large commercial projects that included apartment complexes and restaurants.

They stayed in touch over the years. The two men developed a theory on how they could start a business in the Rio Grande Valley that drew upon their strengths and experiences.

“The perception was that there was no money in the Valley,” Martinez said. “But then you see Land Rover, BMW and Audi dealerships coming down here.”

With these dealerships come customers, and Martinez and Robledo figured those people come from higher-income households that need maintenance. They recognized the need for more top-tier residential and commercial painting companies and knew their experience allowed them to expand on those services. The two men identified this niche in the Valley, but their vision involved more than filling it. 

“Yes, we saw the need but also, we grew up here,” Robledo said. “We have always called the Valley ‘The Diamond in the Rough.’ There’s so much room for expansion. There is still room for growth.”

Martinez’s career with Sherwin Williams took him to Laredo in 2020, but he felt the pull to come home.

“We moved a lot, growing up, and I moved while I was in the military,” Martinez said. “I wanted to settle in the Valley.” 

Martinez resigned and took money from his 401(k). Robledo kept his job, knowing it takes time for a new business to become profitable. They set up a limited liability company and established Armored Painting in March 2020.

“Five days before COVID, we did it. And then, wham, everything shut down,” Robledo said.

Martinez’s boss at Sherwin Williams called and offered him his job back, but he and Robledo relied on the lessons learned while serving in the military. Being on a mission and finding ways to persevere. 

“Because of the Marine Corps, I don’t fold under pressure,” Robledo said. “I don’t break. I get it done.”

Armored Painting offers services that include exterior and interior painting for commercial and residential buildings. Cabinet refinishing, pressure washing, and remodeling with specialties in bathrooms and kitchens are additional areas of expertise offered by Armored Painting. All services are customized.

“Joe is really good at presenting options, so it’s tailored to what the customer wants,” Martinez said. “He has extensive knowledge in construction.”

Giving Back To Community

Armored Painting will host its sixth annual Operation Veteran Paint Project in November.

The company asks the community to nominate a veteran whose house needs a fresh coat of paint. Martinez and Robledo read the nominations and then drive by to see the homes to make assessments. From there, they round up a team of volunteers that includes other veterans to paint the home of the person selected. 

The painting usually begins at the start of the week in which Veterans Day falls. This year, the special job of the Operation Veteran Paint Project starts a bit earlier and will take place the week of Nov. 3. Robledo is an adjunct professor at South Texas College where he teaches construction management. He finds plenty of helping hands among his students. C.

Several other sponsors help with this annual project, including Movement Mortgage and API Real Estate. EL Custom Wood Garage makes a large wooden American flag for the veteran. Custom Coolers gifts a cooler bearing the veteran’s military branch emblem. 

“And Sherwin Williams, they come in the clutch every year,” Martinez said. “They donate all the paint and supplies for over 50 volunteers. And their store managers and sales reps in the Valley come out and volunteer.”

Martinez and Robledo call living the values they learned in the military “The Veteran Way.” They never forget others who have served as they did. It is the way of Armored Painting.