09/11/2026
We know our restaurant and venue business members often get the spotlight, so we wanted to introduce our new Chamber Member Stories Series - a chance to zoom in on some of the other great businesses in the Bethel area that support our community.
To kick things off, we’re starting with Clean Cut Painting Company. Please read on to learn more about the President of Clean Cut Painting Company, Michael Pelletier.
Visit their page Clean Cut Painting Company and website at https://cleancutpaintingcompany.com/ to learn even more about all of the great work they do for our community.
📸Clean Cut Painting Company Founders Tommy James & Michael Pelletier pictured here.
A short bio:
I’m the President and majority owner of Clean Cut Painting Company with my partner Tommy James, one of Maine’s largest residential painting companies. I’ve spent most of my life building businesses, leading people, and trying to make a positive impact in the community I call home.
I’m also 50% owner and operator of Aroma Joes with my partner, Mark Paulin and several local business and community organizations in the Bethel area. I believe business is about much more than making money. It’s about creating opportunities, taking care of people, strengthening our community, and using whatever success we have to help others.
I’m definitely a hands-on, high-energy leader. I like ideas, action, relationships, and getting things done. More than anything, I try to lead with authenticity, treat people well, and leave things a little better than I found them.
What inspired you to start this business?
At my core, I had and have an intense drive to create my own destiny. I love being outside, working with my hands, and thriving in fast-paced environments. I find real satisfaction in making things look better, serving others, and helping bring their small dreams to life.
Why did you choose to move to/stay in Bethel?
For me, it’s staying. The biggest reason has always been my mother: the influence she had on me and the influence I wanted her to have on my kids. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there’s more to it than that. It’s the people, the size of the community, the beauty of the town, and the sense of connection that comes with living here.
Your favorite part of doing business in Bethel:
Making new relationships, building existing relationships. The impact you can have, positively if you choose to, based on the size of the town.
Favorite part of living in Bethel:
Again, it’s similar to my favorite part of doing business in Bethel. It’s the relationship you build over years of service/involvement that only small towns can provide.
Favorite part about the community:
The friendliness, the fact that we may have our differences on the process, our end goals as a community are usually very similar.
If you could describe the Bethel Community in one word, what would it be?
For a small town, the one word I would use to describe Bethel is “diverse”, not necessarily culturally, but socially, economically, and politically.
What started/what's the story behind giving 2% to charity?
Growing up, I had a home full of love, values, and what I consider the important things in life. What we didn’t have a lot of was disposable income. My mother was a tremendous role model because of the amount of time and love she gave to our community, even when she didn’t have financial resources to give.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: my goal is to be the male version of my mother in our community, but with resources.
