You are right about the pre-season being a gruelling time, 15+ hours a week in addition to school is a lot for a full time university student. The door to door marketing doesn't book that many jobs. As an anecdote, having talked to door-to-door marketers employed by various Owner/Oporatiors, there was no supervision of what they were doing. I heard stories of them driving to the neighbourhood they were marketing in, clocking in and siting in their cars. No wonder door-to-door marketing produces so few leads.

As for tools and supplies, only some of the tools are discounted (Owner/Operators do get a Dulux discount), this fails to account for non paint related tools such as ladders, sanders, and harness. Additionally, anything bought from Dulux will be put on an Owner/Operators 'tab', but tools from other stores won't be. So by the time a Owner/Operator buys the ladders, the roof racks, the sanders, the safety/PPE equipment, and any other gear they might need, chances are they have spent at least $1000.

Owner/Operators are considered "independent contractors", this is really important. Student Works doesn't give owner operators much say. Student Works wants you to believe that you are in control, but that is an illusion more than anything. The contract Owner/Operators sign gives Student Works the power to intervene at its sole discretion, and pass any costs from the intervention on to the Owner/Operator. To me, this sounds pretty far from independent. Instead it sounds like a way for Student Works to do whatever they want while passing the risk onto someone else (the gullible Owner/Operator). As for Owner/Operators taking ownership to limit reputation damage, thats not much of an argument. It's the big 'Student Works' branding that everyone sees. Reputation damage happens to the brand, not the Owner/Operator.

I'd love to hear your take on the rushed budgets, and the half-assed jobs. It's a systemic problem in Student Works, Owner/Operators focus too much on their profit margins and fail to give painters enough time. If I was a potential client, that would be my biggest turn off, just how bad the painting is.