Carpet cleaning is one of the most profitable small businesses in the US. Having spotless carpets or rugs is essential to creating a welcoming environment both in our homes and commercial settings. Therefore, you are guaranteed a client among homeowners and real estate owners.
If you have made up your mind to venture into this business, you need to learn how to start a carpet cleaning business. The good thing is most of the steps are similar to starting a business in most industries.
- Have training and Get Certified
The good thing with carpet cleaning is that you can have quick training and get certified. If you don’t have a proper carpet cleaning experience under your belt, you can start by getting appropriate training and licensing.
Institutions such as the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) offer this course and can get you certified as a carpet cleaner. The institution can also certify you as a rug cleaning technician, a commercial carpet maintenance technician, and other related specialization.
You can also find training resources on online sites such as TMF Academy. Training will help you make a proper business plan and gauge your employees’ skills.
- Write a Business Plan
A business plan will be vital to keeping your carpet cleaning business on track, getting investors or grants for your organization, and estimating profits. Before you do anything, writing a comprehensive business plan should be the first project to take.
The plan should offer you a roadmap on how you’ll run your business effectively by describing your goals and how you’ll achieve them. That said, your carpet cleaning business should have the following information:
- The basics, such as who you are and what your business does, among others
- Your target audience and how you are going to attract them
- Your goals, predictions, and how you are going to achieve them
- Your plan to top your competitors in the market
- Your housing flip business location and how you’ll manage it
- Buy the Right Equipment
Carpet cleaning equipment comes in a wide range of prices. Though starting with less expensive equipment to reduce early risks is a good idea, this will limit the type of job you can accomplish. To stand out from the competitors, you will need high-quality equipment.
Before starting this business, you need to invest in professional equipment. We do not recommend used equipment.
- Secure Location
You should figure out where you want your business to operate. However, having a storefront where customers visit is not a good idea for this business. You may have an office where your employees show up daily or a store for your equipment.
For business operations, you have to take it online. Carpet cleaning customers usually look for carpet cleaning businesses online and give them a call. This is good news because it allows you to operate from anywhere.
- Register Your Business
If you choose to run your carpet cleaning business as a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation, US Small Business Administration (SBA) requires that you register it. These two business structures come with liability protection. LLC also offers some tax benefits and is the most preferred. You can hire business formation services such as ZenBusiness to handle the business formation process on your behalf.
You don’t have to register your business if you are operating as a sole proprietor or partnership. However, you will not enjoy liability protection. Meaning, your personal assets can be used to compensate for your business liability.
- Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Another step to legally establishing your carpet cleaning business is registering for taxation. Once you register for taxes, obtain an EIN. Also known as a Federal tax ID number, EIN is your business social security number. You will need it to pay taxes, open up business bank accounts, take out loans for your business, hire employees, and apply for a license and permit.
- Open a Business Bank Account
A business needs to have its own bank account and credit cards. This is because keeping your business finances separate from your personal finances will protect you from being held personally liable for any amount your business is liable for.
If your personal and business finances aren’t separate enough, a court might pierce the corporate veil and hold you personally liable for business liabilities. Keeping your business’s accounts in order is the responsible thing to do in any case, and staying organized will help you avoid any financial or legal trouble as your agency grows.
- Promote Your Carpet Cleaning Business
You don’t start a business and expect it to grow out of blues. You need to invest in marketing as well. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer you the cheapest option to reach millions of people. If you have enough funds for advertisement, you can involve other channels such as digital signage screens, TV, and radios.
Conclusion
Starting any business can be challenging, but our step-by-step guide can get you off to a strong start with carpet cleaning. Once you have taken the fundamental steps, the next big task is promoting your business. For more information on business start-ups, visit Bizreport.
