Women in Business are excited to honor Judy Jung of Jung Family Painting as a 2026 Gottfried Woman of the Quarter.
Judy Jung
Q: Describe your business and what you do.
Jung Family Painting is a full-service painting company located in Naperville and serving all surrounding counties. We do interior and exterior painting and staining of residential and commercial properties. We have been in business for over 22 years, with 23 team members that are fully trained, professional and insured. We also have a Management team made up of our Project Manager, Executive Assistant, Community Relations Manager, Social media manager, Business Coach, along with Bob and I.
We believe heavily in giving back’. We host two fundraisers a year, Monsters for a Cause on Halloween, and Claus for a Cause in December, both benefitting Little Friends. On top of that, we volunteer our time and efforts and participate in a variety of charity functions throughout the year. We also offer discounted services, free paint, and assistance in training volunteers to paint. We have done over 25 churches in the area, along with numerous different non-profit organizations each year. This is part of our companies’ services, as we give back as much as we do our regular jobs.
Q: What do you love most about your work?
I truly enjoy leadership, management, and sales all of which I get to incorporate into my role as the President of our company. I love working side by side with my husband every day. We share so many of the same ethics, morals, values and business savvy that it has helped us build a small empire over the past 10 years together. I delight in working with people and I’m blessed to be able to do that daily as well. I embrace networking and love to attend, plan and speak at any networking group we are members of.
Q: What led you down your career path?
Being born into two family businesses (Phillip’s Flowers and Maxant Button company) you cannot help becoming an entrepreneur because it’s in your genes! My path has been challenging but amazing and one I would not trade for anything. I was taught at a young age, working at Phillip’s, what hard work, sales and customer service was all about. This experience helped me to grow as a woman in business and was part of helping me become the woman I am today.
My college education, especially at MSU, was a key in my career growth and path. I highly recommend striving to attend a college, of any kind or size, to receive the benefits of attaining a professional education. I learned how to meet new people, speak in front of others, I grew my writing skills, not to mention learning a lot of business techniques that helped me grow professionally and personally.
My Mother was a huge contributor in my career of giving back. I call it a career because I started when I was 5 years old selling raffle tickets at a large fundraiser for Infant Welfare, of which my mom led and was a member of. Her constant contribution to the family business and a variety of non-profits was what built my never-ending drive to help out those in need. I have overseen numerous fundraisers including but not limited to, White Sox games, golf events, wine events, large galas, plus currently; Halloween and Christmas events. I also went on two mission trips, one to Mexico to help underprivileged children, when I was 15 and one to South Dakota, in my 40’s, to help a dying Indian reservation. Both were planned and executed by the churches I was a member at that time. All of my charity work has been life-changing experiences that I will never forget, and the lessons I learned were priceless.
After many tough situations, including losing my mother when she was 62 of a sudden heart attack, at the exact same time being forced to leave my family business, I felt lost and broken in a way I was not sure how to come out of. I ended up taking on two different business ventures, but neither had the structure and team to make them work. After those trying times, and during my emotional and devastating divorce, plus my father disowning me, I was blessed with the motivation and strength to start my own business. The idea behind it was to start a business development firm that helped local entrepreneurs in all the areas they fell short on covering or they lacked the skill set to accomplish. So, in 2011, Extra Edge, LLC was born and with a lot of hard work, tenacity, and faith it became a great success. During this time is when I met Bob Jung, who owned Bob Jung Painting, and was a fellow member of the Naperville chamber. I needed my small apartment painted and called on him to help. That he did, not only in paint but he also hired Extra Edge to work with him on a variety of projects for his company. Not long after that we started dating and 4 years later got engaged. I would never have dreamed of being asked to join Bob and his growing company on my honeymoon in 2016, but that is exactly what happened. That day I changed my career and it was one of the best decisions of my life, next to marrying Bob. This has made an everlasting impact on my growth, my leadership and my overall dedication to serving our clients and community.
Q: What advice do you have for other women in business?
First, never give up!! Secondly, have faith in God and yourself that you can accomplish anything you put your mind and heart into! I would also like to add that it takes time, patience, dedication, motivation, hard work, consistency, and the LOVE of what you do. If you do not enjoy what you are doing, GET OUT! Life is too short to stay in a career that you don’t love. God gave you a special gift, so use it! If you have trouble figuring out what it is, just remember that it’s the “one thing you do with least amount of effort and that makes you happy.” (quote Steve Harvey)
You are never too old to change and start living your dream career. Get a coach, someone you can run ideas and plans by that has your back and can help guide you through whatever life will throw at you. Always say thank you and be grateful for all you have every day.
No matter what you do, never forget the non-profit organizations who need help. Try to pick a charity of choice that has a personal connection to you or your business. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Q: Name someone in your life who inspires you and tell us why.
There is no question, my late Mother was my inspiration then and to this day. She was a mom of 4 kids, (in 5 years) with one on the spectrum, and three with learning disabilities, that alone was beyond inspirational. On top of that she always made sure we all went to church on Sunday and would encourage us to strengthen our faith on a regular basis. She taught us to put God first and all four of us have kept that belief, even through her sudden death, and we still do to this day. She also made sure that no matter how busy she was, she always gave back by volunteering, doing fundraisers, and many other heroic acts of advocacy. She never missed a beat at signing up to be Picture lady, or to assist in our schools in whatever way she could. She was our rock and huge supporter, coming to our sporting events, plays, choir, you name it, she was in the audience making us feel proud and special.
As if 4 children were not enough, she was the caregiver of my grandma, who had a stroke at age 70, while trying to care of her own family, with her four small children. I remember going to my grandparents’ house and trying to help with my grandmother while mom was tending to the others and also helping my grandfather, especially after Grandma passed. She also took care of her father and mother as they aged and especially took care of my Grams once Pops died. Having a husband growing his family business, he was often too busy to assist her in daily activities and was not home often. She would tend to us by herself, through all of our injuries, colds, trouble in school, you name it she was there holding our family unit together.
Although she and I were like oil and water as I matured, we loved each other unconditionally and she would do anything to protect and support me. I wanted to be a successful businesswoman, and she wanted me to find the right man and have babies, like she did. It was very apparent, to me, my path was significantly different in that way. Once she gave up her ambitious dream for me and realized I was making my own dreams I could not have had a better, more loving cheerleader to help me continue to move forward. My Mom was my hero, my mother, plus she was my best friend. She is the one who inspires me every day and my successes are all due to who she was and how she raised me.
Q: What other passions and hobbies do you have?
I have always loved writing, from when I was a little girl up until now. I wrote poems and greeting cards for everyone on their birthdays, starting when I was 5! That grew into wanting a career, being an author and a poet, but my father convinced me to join the family business, and since there was security there, that is what I did. Although I didn’t regret that decision I never gave up on my dream to someday write a book and I finally just finished my first novel. It will be going to the editor next month. A triumph for me as I only had three hours a week for the past five years to write it. I have four other books in the works; a sequel to the first, one focused on being a woman entrepreneur, a children’s book and a horror. Talk about a variety of choices, but I wanted to write one for everyone!
I love working out and continue to do so 5 days a week. I also love reading and am involved in a book club, currently reading, “You are a Badass” by Jen Sincero, highly recommend!
I adore my family, and friends and love spending time with them as often as I can. My love for my husband Bob is unconventional. I adore him with my very being and would do anything for him and our children, plus our company . I have a stepdaughter, son-in-law and now a 2 year old granddaughter whom I cherish. I also have a son who is 21 and whom I helped raise from age 5 , as we shared joint custody of him with his mom. I feel blessed to have great in laws, whom I love also, which not many can honestly say.
I truly enjoy speaking in public and look forward to more opportunities to do so.
I admire nature and enjoy walking my dog on a daily basis.
There are more things but those are the most important passions I have currently, however I would be remiss if I did not include my faith and love for God. Without him giving me strength, hope and love, none of this would exist.
Q: Aside from the Chamber, how do you stay connected within the Naperville community?
We are active in our neighborhood. We belong to Naperville Newcomers Club, along with an all women entrepreneur leads group. We are members of Good Shepherd church, whom we volunteer for and have painted numerous times. We are actively involved with our community by holding two fundraisers a year and participating in many different events and activities throughout the Naperville area. We are proud to live in such a wonderful community.
Gottfried Woman of the Quarter Bio
Judy Jung is an entrepreneur, survivor, visionary, and writer whose life is a testament to the power of second chances. She was raised in her family’s business, and upon graduating from MSU she kept growing, striving, and learning about leadership, sales, and business development. Suffering traumatic loss in 2002 by losing her dream of owning part of the family business and the sudden loss of her mother, at 62, she knew it was time to start over to pursue a life shaped by purpose, faith, and possibility. Judy repeatedly embraced new beginnings, from striking out on her own, reinventing her career, and overcoming an oppressive marriage. During her divorce she started Extra Edge, LLC, while continuing her mission to support nonprofits. That same year she met Bob Jung, at the Naperville Chamber, and they began dating, until they married in 2016. On their honeymoon Bob asked her to become his business partner and reinvent his company. She cautiously accepted the challenge and started building a new life with Bob, eventually renaming the company to Jung Family Painting. They recently celebrated 10 years together while tripling the size of their company. Today, Judy continues her mission to give back by sharing the lessons she’s learned about finding purpose, resilience, and joy after life’s greatest challenges.
Judy Jung, President, Jung Family Painting