In this episode of Scaling the Gap, host Madeleine MacRae sits down with Ashley Peterson, co-founder of Blue Mist Paint & Supply, a family-run paint and supply store in Greenville, South Carolina. What started as a renovation side hustle evolved through countless pivots, lessons, and leaps of faith into a thriving small business and community favorite.

Ashley opens up about leaving behind a comfortable job in healthcare to pursue entrepreneurship with her husband, Heath, the challenges of bringing a new paint brand to her region, and how “time freedom” became her truest measure of success. She also shares what it’s like to homeschool her son while running a brick-and-mortar store, and how each chapter of her journey is about more than paint, it’s about family, courage, and building a legacy.

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to build a legacy business without sacrificing the moments that matter most, this conversation is for you.

Key Takeaways

• How Ashley turned a home renovation idea into a full-service paint and supply business
• Why embracing pivots can lead to unexpected growth
• The importance of time freedom in defining true success
• How bringing a 100-year-old paint brand to South Carolina became a bold business move
• The joy of being featured on a magazine cover and winning “Best of South Carolina”
• Why entrepreneurship is as much about family and values as it is about profits
• Ashley's personal "success algorithm" that balances achievement, relationships, and purpose.

• [00:00] Introduction to Ashley Peterson
• [01:19] How Blue Mist began and evolved through multiple pivots
• [03:18] Why paint became their perfect product
• [04:24] The dream that sparked their leap into business
• [05:06] Defining success beyond cars and houses
• [06:37] Facing the challenge of introducing a new paint brand
• [09:29] The pride of seeing Blue Mist help expand a national brand
• [09:52] From small-town store to magazine cover and statewide award
• [12:21] Finding unexpected freedom and flexibility through entrepreneurship
• [13:32] Redefining success and celebrating the wins
• [20:24] Where to connect with Ashley

• [03:18] “Paint is colorful, it's fun, it's easy to change. If somebody likes it, that's wonderful. If they don't, it's easy and inexpensive to change.” - Ashley Peterson
• [04:32] “I had grown up with my mom telling me, you wanna go into healthcare, it's where the money is.” - Ashley Peterson
• [07:02] “I am the first one in the state of South Carolina to bring Dunn-Edwards Paints. You may know that paint line, but around here, people don’t know it. And when you don’t know something, you don’t trust it.”- Ashley Peterson
• [08:49] “I remember when nobody knew the name. And now here we’re a brand that people demand.” - Ashley Peterson
• [13:40] “Most people that I know in my personal circle have hobby businesses, and that’s wonderful, and I hope that they’re successful.” - Ashley Peterson

Ashley Peterson is the co-founder of Blue Mist Paint & Supply, a woman- and family-owned paint and supply store based in Greenville, South Carolina. Alongside her husband, Heath, she has transformed a small renovation idea into a thriving business, blending creativity, courage, and community. Ashley is passionate about teaching her son entrepreneurship through their family business and about empowering others to build a life defined by purpose and freedom.

Resources and Links

Ashley Peterson

• Blue Mist Paint and Supply - https://bluemistpaintandsupply.com/

• Website - https://mmmacrae.com/making-changes-training-motivating/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/macraemadeleine
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/madeleine.macrae/