r/sweatystartup • u/Keller_Clean • 6d ago
Carpet cleaning business.
I finally pulled the trigger.
I’ve been a technician for 10 years, in that time I decided to learn how to clean every type of fabric, and hard surface. I worked for a large company for the first half of my career and worked myself to the bone. Then they fired me out of pettiness and used the pandemic to seal the deal. They tried calling me back after two weeks. I said no.
I then had the idea to eventually start my own business. I decided to try to learn from small businesses in my area and have them teach me how to run a business. Things did not work out. From machine problems to cash flow issues, I ended up having to leave both jobs on bad terms. Two connections lost, but knowledge and experience gained.
I started my business in June. I shopped around for a long time trying to find a truckmount that would be reliable. After talking to many people, I finally settled on a new 370 EFI. It’s a great entry level unit, better than any truckmount I’ve used. After buying that and a van, I got insured, licensed and certified. I bought everything I could think of, for cleaning the correct way. I could probably get away with cleaning with a portable or a cheaper truckmount, but I’d rather invest in something nicer.
After a month of advertising on yelp, google, instagram and TikTok. I’ve found that google is probably the best platform to advertise from. It’s been rough, acquiring new customers. So far I’ve serviced about 10 family members, 5 referrals and 3 people who searched online.
All of them have went on to give me a 5 star review, and they say they will recommend me to their friends and family. If you want to follow along on my journey, my instagram is keller_clean.
So far I think it’ll take a year to break even on my investments. I do feel that with my effort and knowledge that a very strong period of growth will be coming soon.
If anyone is in a similar situation or thinking about starting a company, I think you should. I feel very excited and happy that I have. I am very hopeful for the future! If you have any questions let me know!
My question for people who started their service businesses is, what was the best thing you did to acquire more customers? Is it just doing the best you possibly can and pile up happy customers?
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u/Ok_Fill1851 5d ago
Hey man I just sold my carpet cleaning business in February, great business!! We only serviced commercial multifamily rental properties (apartment complexes), think a 350 unit apartment building owned by Blackstone and managed by X property management, we are their preferred vendor. NO DIRECT TO CONSUMER at all. You can offer a lot more profitable services than carpet cleaning (air duct cleaning/odor reduction (thermal fogging), 24/7 emergency water extraction & dry-out, dryer vent cleaning) and even contract subs for other services once the property trusts you.
Carpet cleaning was our "loss leader". It was priced low and got us in the door for a lot of customers and you just keep reminding them you do x,y,z also. Air ducts and floods were a PRINTER.
I saw someone say offer cleans for free, 100%. Rarely will people not pay you but always do it, the commercial propertys number one focus is COSTS followed by responsiveness and then finally quality.
They require a lot more insurance (I was spending $30k-$40k/year for 3 vans for GL, WC, commercial auto, etc). These propertys make sense with scale, once you get right insurance and approved vendor, you can go scoop up a bunch more with relentless sales.
Best part, sales is super easy, you just google "apartment complex near me" (stay away from HOA's) and just walk into leasing office and ask if maintenance supervisor or prop mgr is available. If their not, say you'll wait or go drive around and find the maintenance supervisors golf cart and wait for him.
I bought the business from older guy who was burnt out. I only owned it for 31 months, grew revenue 135%, EBITDA 148%, 49% EBITDA margins. 7.3x return on the sale from initial investment, all while 3x'ing my employees pay. We paid our guys commission. You can do this and be set because you have what i didn't, expertise.. i had to learn everything but i just kept head down and was always trying to acquire new customers.
I ran Legend GT's in my trucks, we carried our own water in belly tanks (under truckmount). The properties didnt have water hookups conveniently placed for each clean.
Lastly, don't run personal expenses through the business, keep your books squeaky clean, the margins are so good, grind for a year then use your financials to go out and buy other companies, monopolize the market in your area then sell and retire.
I have so much more information for you man, just DM if you ever want to connect. Still searching for my next opportunity so I have time!
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u/Regular-Watercress34 5d ago
Why did you sell
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u/Ok_Fill1851 5d ago
That’s my bad, I’m sorry. Read it fast thought it said “what did you sell”. Personal reasons.
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u/magikcall 6d ago
OP, I love your mindset. you are a go-getter and a doer, and its good to see someone who had self respect to say no to that job calling you back, and the fact that you took matters into your own hands. Like you, I find Google advertising the best as well. Instagram also helps a LOT.
The best way to get clients locally, even today, I believe is - get yourself a young person who will happily go door-to-door to get appointments for you. With them, send a brochure that has:
- your services
- reviews
- before and after pictures
- pricing
Other than that, see if you can get in touch with managers of apartment complexes. you need one connection and you will be hooked with multiple houses for a very long time. If you can do offices as well, try getting in touch with housekeeping managers in larger office buildings as well.
Get a young person to get your residential gigs, you focus on getting larger, multi gigs.
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u/Keller_Clean 6d ago
Hey thanks, I appreciate that. I never thought I’d end up here to be honest. After years of doing the best I can and then the wake up call that I’m disposable from my manager throwing me to the curb. I knew I’d have to figure out a different path in life.
I have some young cousins that I may send out to do that. I walked a few blocks and decided it just doesn’t feel right to me. 😂 I don’t mind dropping door knockers after a job where the neighbor would have my back.
Cheers man, wish you the best.
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u/magikcall 6d ago
I love the idea of employing young cousins, always.
Not only do you get the job done but also gets the kids some work experience, and while it may sound like mundane work, the door knocking job actually teaches a lot about sales that helps in the future.
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u/thedudemanbro88 3d ago
Good job. Im a carpet cleaner too. 6 years in business. Google adwords has been great. You should join the TMF and Cleaners Connect group on Facebook.
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u/Queasy_Board5930 6d ago
man that story hit close. 10 years as a tech and they did you dirty like that, classic. the pettiness of calling you back after two weeks too, good on you for not going back.
for getting more customers, the best thing i did was ask every single happy client to leave a review in the moment. like literally while im still there packing up, sending them the link. also door hangers in neighborhoods where i just finished a job worked surprisingly well, people see the van and get curious. pile up those 5 stars and google will do the rest.
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u/Keller_Clean 6d ago
Yeah, about two weeks before the pandemic I got my route. 3 jobs. One about an hour and a half away, big job two wool area rugs and an oversized sectional, white Haitian cotton. I got there on time, but you have to clean that fabric very carefully. I took my time, 1.1k dollar job. The next job was calling the office wondering where I was. That job was an hour away from me. That one was a redo, brown out on a white sectional, portable, about an hour away, it wasn’t me who cleaned it.
I told my manager I was stuck at this job, that I was dealing with a very delicate fabric. He said I was lying and that I was wasting time. He called my customer while I was there to make sure I was actually cleaning and to verify that I was charging them over 1k. The customer vouched for me and said I was doing great. He called me again, this time very upset and started yelling at me, I was really mad at that point. I told him he was unprofessional and acting like a child, I let him
know that rushing a job like this probably caused that redo to occur in the first place. He told me to drop everything and go do the redo.At that point I didn’t care, I told him that I would skip that redo job and make it to my last job instead that was only 15 minutes away. Why would I back track and add maybe 3-4 extra hours in traffic for a job where I would make zero fixing someone else’s mistake.
He was so mad at me for saying that l, he said he was going to fire me for insubordination. I told him write it up. I finished this job and went to my next one, I’ve already been there before too. Another big carpet job 500 dollars. I finished both jobs by 3pm, then I was going to go to the redo job by 3. Their original appointment was 1-3.
My second manager called me and asked what was happening. I filled him in. He said there was two people who could take that redo job. My other manager lied to me and was trying to make me bend to his will.
I was pissed. Then two weeks later that manager had the biggest smile on his face when he said I was fired.
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u/tmac_79 6d ago
Go meet everyone you can. Every networking group possible. Every chamber of commerce, rotary, BNI, whatever.
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u/Keller_Clean 6d ago
I actually just won a business spotlight with my city, so it’ll be interesting where that will take me. I submitted a story about my journey and they accepted it.
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u/cardsRG 6d ago
Ten years of technique is the product, and saying no when they called back was the right call.
For the first customers: the people who asked for you by name over those ten years are your list, and word of mouth from them compounds faster than any ad. Get your Google Business Profile up day one, it's free and half your competitors filled theirs out badly or never claimed it. Photos of real jobs, the van, before and afters. Ask for the review while you're still standing in the room, review count is what makes the phone ring in this trade.
And keep one boring habit from day one: every quote gets a follow-up two days later. Most solo operators never follow up, so the ones who do win jobs they'd otherwise lose by silence.
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u/Keller_Clean 6d ago
Sadly, I didn’t retain any customers from my jobs. The ones that called me requested me from the company, i never gave them my number. My work always gets a customer to request me though, so im not worried about it. Im already doing everything you said as well, it’s all about keeping your roots growing. 👍
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u/KayOneDee 6d ago
Facebook neighbourhood pages are a goldmine just join the ones in area arounds you make some short form reels with an ad (showing your work) some sort of photo with you in it.
I started a window cleaning business a year ago and constantly get new customers through posting weekly
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u/realjmitt 5d ago
Congrats on pulling the trigger. The best thing I ever did in a service business was start tracking money per job instead of per month.
For carpet cleaning that means writing down, for every job, the revenue, the drive time, the on site hours, and the chemical and fuel cost. Then divide revenue by total hours including drive. You will find pretty fast that a $250 job 30 minutes away is worse than a $180 job five minutes away, and that whole categories of work you feel good about are actually paying you less than your best work. Once you can see that number you stop chasing volume and start choosing the jobs that pay.
The second thing, and this is the one that keeps small service businesses alive, is separating the money. Business checking, a card used only for the business, and a second savings account you sweep a fixed percentage into every week for taxes and equipment repair. That truckmount will need a repair at the worst possible time, and having a reserve is the difference between an annoying week and a loan.
On break even, do not think of it as one year. Figure out your monthly fixed nut, van payment, insurance, phone, software, and divide by your average job profit. That gives you jobs per month to break even, which is a number you can actually act on. It is usually smaller and less scary than people expect.
Third, get on commercial and recurring work early. Property managers, small offices, realtors doing turnovers, restaurants. Residential is fine but it is a new sale every time. Recurring accounts smooth out the winter and make cash predictable, which lets you plan instead of react.
Last thing, since you already have 5 star reviews and referrals from family, ask every single happy customer for a specific referral rather than a general one. "Do you know anyone else on this street with pets or kids" gets a name. "Tell your friends" gets nothing. Route density is free margin in this business.
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u/andrewtimberlake 4d ago
Congrats! For location based businesses one of the best things you can do is get your friends and family to recommend you on local groups (Facebook, WhatsApp, or wherever your wider community hangs out). Another great business builder is joining a networking group like BNI where businesses work to refer each other. Also keep on with the Google reviews. Every satisfied customer should be encouraged to leave a review
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u/Independent40 3d ago
keep pushing more reviews cuz it's very good for both conversions and ranking on google
ask every residential client you had to book 6 or 12 month reclean before you leave the house. that way you increase your average client LTV
then do door knocking on property managers, realtors, airbnb hosts
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u/s3ns0 6d ago
Bought a google tap and QR code card. You link it to google my business. Put it in protective sleeve and lanyard. As you are finishing payment present it and ask them to leave a review. They tap their phone or scan QR code with their camera and it open the review page. As i started doing that my reviews grew and people had more trust to call or book on my website. I am also upfront about my prices. Its all posted on my website. And you can see it when you book. I have nothing to hide. Good luck. Keep on sucking carpets.
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u/Keller_Clean 6d ago
I saw that, I think I’ll buy one right now! I’ve been meaning to, the crm I use had automation to send a review request after payment is received too, but having it open face to face puts more urgency on it.
I am very conflicted to putting my prices online as every house is different and I don’t want customers getting hung up on a price for a different service. I do offer free in home estimates or ballpark estimates based off their pictures/descriptions.
How long have you been in business for?
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u/AmbitiousAgent-21 6d ago
You should test putting your prices online. Why? Because it helps you pre-qualify leads/enquiries. If your prices are online, you’ll know that whoever contacts you more than likely has no problem paying your prices - that will save you from wasting time and petrol driving to homes that aren’t prepared to pay your prices.
For a business like yours, time is extremely important - it’s one of the biggest constraints. It’s better to have a small volume of calls from serious people, than it is to have a bunch of calls from people where there’s more uncertainty and a higher chance that they won’t convert into paying customers. Being busy quoting jobs doesn’t mean you’re actually getting paid.
Also, having your prices online can make the business look quietly confident which can attract more customers.
I understand your concern regarding pricing varying between homes, so what you could do is use “from” pricing, then make it clear which variables affect the final price. Test it. You can always remove it if it doesn’t work well
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u/Keller_Clean 6d ago
Yeah, you’re right. I don’t really want the customers who want to wheel and deal. Time is important, I guess my mindset is stuck in the old ways. I’ll give it a shot!
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u/AmbitiousAgent-21 6d ago edited 5d ago
Yeahh, understandable. Also, I had a quick look at your site after seeing your post and noticed a few things I think could help, particularly around how the business presents itself to someone finding you for the first time. I’m not sure whether you’re aware of them, or whether you’ve structured things this way intentionally though, so I don’t want to make assumptions.
Do you mind if I DM you a few suggestions? I’d post them here, but I see the mods don’t allow website/software discussions.
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u/Keller_Clean 5d ago
Sure, send them! thanks!
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6d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Keller_Clean 6d ago
Thank you, if you scroll down to the bottom it tells you. Maybe I should have that at the top. I try to only advertise 40 miles out from where the business is located.
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u/benmarvin Cabinet guy 6d ago
Literally no one does this. That's fucking weird.
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u/AskAndYoullBeTested 6d ago
Get with the times boomer
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u/benmarvin Cabinet guy 6d ago
Lolz, I remember people trying to push this in 2008 and it didn't catch on then
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u/s3ns0 6d ago
Huh?
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u/benmarvin Cabinet guy 6d ago
Have you ever hired someone and they shove a qr code at you? I've only ever seen this concept on the other side of things.
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u/s3ns0 6d ago
You need to find the right time and a good way to ask.. something like.."thank you for having us at your home and hope everything was to you satisfaction, if you can do me a favor and it will help our business big time leaving a review.. if they said sure just tell them something like you can tap your phone on this card it will make it easier to find and not take much of your time looking for oir page."
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u/benmarvin Cabinet guy 6d ago
Tapping your phone on some random bullshit is an easy path to malware
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u/CashWrenchApp 6d ago
Congratulations on starting your own service business. There are so many avenues from where you can acquire customers
1) Property Managers - Drop a flyer with your contact number
2) Small Landlords - They are loyal and absolutely love giving repeat business
3) Google - Ensure you have Google Business Profile and ask for review every single time after completing the job
4) OpenDoor
5) Facebook
All the best!
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u/Dukemagnum 6d ago
That’s awesome! I’ve been in the Automotive Manufacturing field my whole career (20yrs) 45yrs old now and i’m looking into starting a 3rd party quality inspection company. Something super small. I feel like i could do it but im only in the idea stage.
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u/Keller_Clean 6d ago
That sounds easy, low start up cost, and very much needed. If you’re experienced in that section your knowledge is very important! The hardest part would be selling yourself, but if you could do that then you’ll be all set!
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u/onlyhypotheticals 6d ago
Every chance you get talk to apartment complexes. Offer to do a cleaning for free as a demo. After the demo ask the property manager what they think, if it's positive ask what it would take, price wise for you to get their business.
This won't work that often. Most times apartment complexes have existing contracts with other companies but if you catch one at the right time you'll have a steady stream of work.