Everything you need, ready to run.
Approved bios, facts, and photos. For anything else: press@paulablankenship.com.
Short bio
Paula Blankenship is the founder of Heirloom Traditions Paint and the Forbes-dubbed “Queen of Paint.” She started the company at her kitchen table in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2013 — in her 50s, newly single, with a teenage son to keep busy after school. Her ALL-IN-ONE formula eliminated prep work (“Just Clean & Paint”), and her teaching-first, direct-to-consumer approach built one of the few women-owned companies in the paint industry. Her memoir, Just Open the Jar, is out now from Matt Holt Books.
Long bio
Paula Blankenship grew up in the furniture business — first around her parents' retail stores in small-town Tennessee, later running furniture stores with her sister. Years as a commercial interior designer gave her an eye for finishes and a frustration with fussy processes.
In 2013, in her 50s and starting over as a single mother in Louisville, Kentucky, she began mixing paint at her kitchen table to keep her teenage son busy after school. The result became Heirloom Traditions Paint: an ALL-IN-ONE formula that eliminated priming and prep, a limited palette of trendy colors, and marketing built on teaching — live videos, techniques, and befores-and-afters that grew a community of hundreds of thousands of DIYers.
In 2021 the company became employee-owned (ESOP). It has since acquired a 75-year-old paint manufacturer and expanded its facility in Taylorsville, Kentucky. Recognition includes Forbes' “Queen of Paint,” EY Entrepreneur of the Year, a 2024 Gold Stevie®, and the #22 spot among the fastest-growing women-led businesses (WPO · JPMorgan Chase).
Her memoir, Just Open the Jar: A DIY Path to Creating a Life You Love (Matt Holt Books), is out now.
Quick facts
- Founder, Heirloom Traditions Paint (2013)
- Forbes-dubbed “Queen of Paint”
- Employee-owned company (ESOP, 2021)
- Author, Just Open the Jar (2026)
- Based in Kentucky, USA
Photos
Download and credit “Courtesy of Paula Blankenship.” Additional photography available on request.
Media contact
Press & speaking: press@paulablankenship.com. Paula’s team replies within two business days.