The painting business, a typical low skill profession, is not a very lucrative branch at the moment, especially not on the Swedish countryside. In order to survive, many firms offer various additional services and prod- ucts which are not necessarily connected to the painting business at all. To survive they become Jacks of all trades.North Swedish Mickes Måleri AB, with its base in Kram- fors/Västernorrland chose a similar strategy. Its owner and CEO tried sev- eral extensions to make the company a financial success. Amongst other ini- tiatives, he acquired a paint shop and speculated in real estate. However, the real estate marked crashed leaving Mickes with substantial debts which again led to the bankruptcy of the firm. Many professionals are tempted to enter markets they have little knowledge and professional experience with for a quick profit, especially in times of financial trouble. This can prove to be a painful experience.