♦Life as a refinisher can feel isolating. Long drives. Long days on job sites. Quotes, callbacks, touchups, and paperwork often handled solo or with a very small team.

There is pride in the work, but there is also a quiet reality that many refinishers face. Most of the business is carried on their shoulders alone.

NAPCO created the Top Gun Peer Group as an answer to that reality. It blends business training, technical support, and real human connection into one monthly experience. This is not a product webinar. This is a place where refinishers talk through real challenges, sharpen their business skills, and build relationships with people who understand exactly what their day looks like.

The goal is simple: help refinishers build stronger businesses, not just finish more jobs.

 

What Is the Top Gun Peer Group?

Format

Top Gun meets every month, year round. The group has met for more than 36 consecutive months without missing a single session. Meetings typically take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.

Who Attends?

Participants are owners of refinishing companies and higher-level NAPCO customers from across the country. Some run multi-crew operations, while others are one or two person teams.

All come with one thing in common: they want their business to work better.

 

What Refinishers Get from the Program

Practical Sales and Marketing Training

Top Gun covers the topics that shape real business results, including:

  • ♦ Getting consistent referrals
  • ♦ Winning more commercial work such as hotels and apartments
  • ♦ Talking through price conversations
  • ♦ Booking meetings and following up properly


Members receive scripts, outlines, and structured Sales 101 style modules built specifically for the refinishing trade. One key framework is the marketing pyramid, which focuses on capturing the easiest opportunities first, starting with the jobs already inside the home and expanding outward from there.

Technical and Product Knowledge

Sessions regularly include:

  • ♦ New product updates
  • ♦ Field-tested technical tips
  • ♦ Best practices from experienced refinishers

Training often pairs technical instruction with business topics so members can apply what they learn directly to active jobs.

Market Intelligence and Feedback

Top Gun also serves as a national listening post. Members share what they are seeing in their markets, which products are moving well, and where challenges appear. This feedback gives NAPCO a clear picture of what refinishers are dealing with in real time and helps guide future support and product development.

What Refinishers Get from the NAPCO Program

 

The Power of Camaraderie and Mentorship

Solopreneurs Finding Their Tribe

Many Top Gun members are solopreneurs or very small teams. Over time, the monthly calls take on the feel of a standing reunion. Faces become familiar, conversations open up, members talk through struggles, share wins, and get input from people who live the same type of workday.

The group becomes a place where people can speak honestly without posturing.

Cross-Mentoring and Collaboration

Mentorship grows naturally inside the group. Experienced owners have taken newer refinishers under their wing. Members share how they win hotel and apartment work, how they structure social media, and how they approach local marketing.

These conversations also lead to cross-market referrals and collaborative relationships that extend beyond the calls.

 

Owning a Job vs. Owning a Company

A key theme in Top Gun is the difference between owning a job and owning a company.

Owning a job means working for yourself and answering to no one. Owning a company means thinking through marketing, pricing, margins, follow-up, staffing, and growth.

The peer group consistently nudges members toward the second mindset. It reframes refinishing as a business, not just a trade.

 

Special Initiatives and Extras

Top Gun includes several hands-on initiatives, including:

  • ♦ A customized brochure program developed with a professional designer
  • ♦ Curated lists of hotels and apartment complexes to support targeted outreach
  • ♦ A mini commercial account playbook for members
  • ♦ Member spotlights where owners share real-world strategies

These tools give members tangible assets they can use immediately.

 

Why NAPCO Invests in Peer Groups

NAPCO built Top Gun to act as more than a supplier relationship. It positions NAPCO as a partner in business growth. Members who participate stay more engaged, remain loyal longer, and build stronger operations that continue to rely on NAPCO products and support.

The program strengthens both sides of the relationship.

If you see yourself in this community, the next step is simple: contact us today.

Ready to Grow Your Business?

If you’re a professional refinisher who wants more than just better finishes - if you want a business that runs smoother, books better work, and supports your long-term goals - the Top Gun Peer Group  was built for you.

This is not a webinar.
This is not theory.
This is a room full of refinishers who understand your day because they live it too.

📞 Contact NAPCO today to learn how to join the Top Gun Peer Group and take the next step from owning a job to building a company.

 

✅ FAQ

What is the NAPCO Top Gun Peer Group?

The Top Gun Peer Group is a monthly, year-round business and technical support group created by NAPCO for professional refinishers. It combines peer discussion, structured business training, technical insight, and mentorship in a live group format.

Who is the Top Gun Peer Group designed for?

The group is designed for owners of refinishing businesses—both solopreneurs and multi-crew operators—who want to improve their pricing, sales process, marketing, and overall business performance.

Is Top Gun a product training or sales webinar?

No. While technical topics and product updates are included, Top Gun is not a product webinar. The focus is on real business challenges, field-tested strategies, and peer-to-peer discussion among refinishers.

How often does the Top Gun Peer Group meet?

The group meets once per month and has done so consistently for more than three years. Meetings typically take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.

What kinds of business topics are covered?

Topics include pricing conversations, referral generation, commercial account outreach, follow-up systems, marketing fundamentals, and mindset shifts required to move from “owner-operator” to business owner.

Can solo refinishers benefit from the group?

Yes. Many members are solo operators or very small teams. In fact, solopreneurs often gain the most value by having access to peers, mentorship, and business frameworks they would not otherwise have.

Does participation include practical tools or resources?

Yes. Members receive access to initiatives such as professionally designed brochures, curated commercial prospect lists, mini playbooks, and member-led strategy spotlights that can be applied immediately.

Why does NAPCO invest in peer groups like Top Gun?

NAPCO believes long-term success comes from strong businesses, not just product sales. The Top Gun Peer Group helps refinishers grow sustainably, which strengthens partnerships and the refinishing industry as a whole.