(This first appeared as the Dealer Spotlight in the October 2021 issue of Dealer E-News.) Earl Kurtz started tinting windows as a young teenager, after school and during the summer months, in Columbia, South Carolina. By the time Earl was 17, he opened his own tinting operation. He has never looked back.

“It’s a marriage. It’s hard work and dedication and it’s not going to be overnight success,” he said of business ownership. “The biggest challenge is finding the right team.”

Earl was able to find the right team. He owns and operates Pro Tint, one of Orlando’s premier tinting shops. As a 3M™ Authorized Prestige Dealer and a 3M™ Pro Shop, Pro Tint installs 3M solutions for auto, commercial and residential customers throughout the heart of Florida. The company employs a 12-member team, including six auto tint installers, three flat glass installers and three sales reps.

“3M’s a great product and I have the name to carry the product,” Earl said of Pro Tint. His shop is well-branded with the red 3M logo, 3M wall boards and more. “We’re probably closest to a corporate store as you can come. I push the product very hard; we sell a lot of window film.”

It has been a long road to where he is now. Earl spent his first 11 years operating a tint shop in South Carolina, but his love of fishing and boating drew him to the Sunshine State. He sold his South Carolina business and aimed to set up shop in Orlando. However, 3M had no space for another dealer in the Orlando territory. So, Earl planted himself in Fort Myers and on the Gulf Coast, where he expanded from tinting autos to include residential and commercial.

Then, in 2007, the housing market crashed. Earl saw it as an opportunity for change and moved his business to the Orlando market – where he truly wanted to be. He now is operating near the center of Orlando on South Orange Avenue just a few blocks from Interstate 4. He also has opened a second shop in the city of Apopka off Main Street.

Earl enjoys working with his customers. “Being a 3M dealer, you get more high-end cars and more cleaner cars,” he said.

In April, Earl’s shop partnered with 3M and Accent Distributing to host a Virtual Road Trip with the Ferrari Club of America. Members of the Orlando Chapter arrived at Pro Tint following an organized benefit drive and watched demonstrations of 3M Auto Solutions installations. The event benefited the Center for Creative Education. Earl said it was a great experience to showcase his shop and meet area Ferrari drivers.

He appreciates the teamwork and support that he gets from both 3M and Accent Distributing. He said that 3M’s Mike Giles often stops in to say hello and check on things. Meanwhile, Accent Distributing provides consistent support. “Accent has been great. Doug Dutton is a really good sales rep; he is always there when we need him. It’s been a real pleasure working with all of them,” he said. “We simply don’t get that from other distributors and manufacturers.”

For more information, visit Pro Tint’s website at protintorlando.com or call (407) 841-2123.