Happy New Years!!
2013 marks 10 years from the time I first ordered carpet cleaning equipment and got into this crazy industry. I was 21 and didn't even have a place to call my own, I was living at a friends house at the time to get out of the service area of the previous carpet cleaning company I worked for because I had signed a non compete agreement with them and wanted to honor that. I sunk every penny I had, plus a large gift from my dad into a set of equipment from Carbonated Solutions.
My dad took me to see an accountant to set up my company as a sole proprietor. The name that I had chosen was already taken by another company, and so were the other ones we tried to come up with on the spot until we tried "Carpet Care Cleaners"
The first year in business I tried advertising anywhere I could, but mainly cleaned for a few friends and their friends. It wasn't a great start and I ended up very much in the red by the end of the year.
Life happens and after the first year in business I moved to Bellingham. I was unsure if I was going to continue cleaning carpet. I seriously contemplated calling it quits. But I had the equipment and thought I would give it another shot here in a new town. I had learned from mistakes and charged everything from the way I advertized to the way I priced my services. Although far from striking it rich it was still a good year, I wasn't busy cleaning all the time and had plenty of time to go to WWU full time and fit cleaning appointments in between my classes.
Business has changed a lot in ten years. I first carpet cleaning vehicle was a pick up truck, for a short period of time I had a trailer that I towed behind a Subaru, then came a couple of mini vans, followed by a large gas hog dodge cargo van, I then fell in love with Chevy astro vans that I currently run.
For no reason other then to learn the difference in types of companies I was learning about at school I changed from a sole proprietor to a C Corporation in 2007. Although it's much more paperwork and subject to higher taxes and even double taxation I remain the CEO of G. Green Inc dba Carpet Care Cleaners
My original logo was also a school project. I was taking an art class and part of my final project was to make business stationary. I needed a logo and painted a full size version of my CCC logo during the creative phase of my project before I made it more professional for business application.
My current logo came about after I was working on an online ad to put on the ski to sea web page. My wife said that it didn't look good and she started to look online for a new graphic to include in my ad. She found one that looked "cute." After using the image for the ski to sea ad, I contacted the graphic designer to made the image and bought the rites to "Mr. Green"
After a decade of cleaning carpets and running a small business there has been many changes just as large and as apparent as the change in logo. I don't want to go into all the changes and history of Carpet Care Cleaners, but I am so happy to have had such great customers and the support of the Bellingham community that has helped us grow in such a big way. I look forward to this exciting new year, and another decade of carpet cleaning in Bellingham.