D'BEST!

We recently received a very complimentary letter from Associate Dario Hernandez, owner of D'Best!, an extremely successful company located in Florida. Starting out six years ago doing part time carpet and upholstery cleaning, Dario has expanded his business to include air duct cleaning and more recently, has added carpet, tile, vinyl and laminate sales and installation to the services he offers his customers. Starting out with a mini van carrying carpet and tile samples, he now has his own showroom that people can visit.

Dario writes, "My original business of carpet and upholstery cleaning still stand strong and has never let me down, thanks to your extraordinary machines." Dario adds, "We are becoming popular, not just with the Hispanic community, but with the general public as well. Right now we have over 6,000 customers and are still growing." Today, D'Best! has six employees, three LMX carpet extractors, three Esprit upholstery extractors, and three "beautiful" trucks.

The company's financial growth has also been tremendous. The first year Dario made approximately $40,000 part time. The following year he decided to go full time with the business and ended with a 250% increase. The next three years all had substantial growth to the point where Dario feels his business will gross over $1,000,000 next year and, in the process, he will open his second showroom location.

As Dario said in his letter to us, "I would encourage anyone who is thinking about owning their own business to go with Von Schrader, a company that will guide them 100% and initiate them into a successful road to self-satisfaction and financial stability. It may not be easy in the beginning, but if you really work for it and make some sacrifices, you will succeed." He adds, "I am and will always be grateful to have put my trust in the Von Schrader Company."

American Services

"There are basketball players, and then there is Michael Jordan. There are carpet cleaners, and then there is Bob Draper. To say he was courteous, punctual, professional, and efficient would be a VAST understatement.. and as for the carpets, they look cleaner and brighter than when we bought them 7 and 11 years ago. Many, many thanks to Bob Draper of American Services for an outstanding job!"
-A satisfied Customer

Pretty heady stuff but worthy of Bob Draper and the carpet cleaning service he provides his customers. His company, American Services, is based in Virginia and , more recently, he has opened up another location in New Jersey with Partner Jim Hewitt. Together, they're covering large commercial accounts in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey using six LMX low moisture carpet extraction systems.

Bob Says, "Your wonderful LMX finally made it possible to break into the commercial cleaning market big time. "And he certainly means big time. Most of his jobs are 20,000 to 30,000 square feet and more. "We even did nearly $14,000 in business in November ('99) - our off season - and it's growing each month," he stated.

Bob and his wife Jackie drove up to Washington, D.C. nearly three years ago and attended one of the Von Schrader Spot Removal Training Seminars to help him with residential cleaning jobs he was performing with another cleaning system. It was also his first introduction to the LMX and, although he liked it - he felt as though he could not afford it. Bob now says "Boy we were stupid. We could have used a credit card and experienced rapid growth in 96', 97', and 98 instead of just 99'."

Bob's business has gotten so big that he and his new partner are looking for other associates who would be willing to help them out in geographical areas that are difficult for them to service. This, they say, would help not only American Services' business but the individual associates' business as well.

Bob always asks for written comments after a job is performed and has sent us copies of some of these letters (143 total!) that he puts into a binder and shows to new customer prospects (good idea!) Sure enough, the Michael Jordan/ Bob Draper testimonial is in there.

Empty Nesters with a Golden Egg

When opportunity knocked on Jan Robbin's door, she opened it wide enough to boost her annual income by 50%!

Jan Robbins of Kenosha, Wisconsin had a small cleaning company, worked part time in a real estate office and she takes a realtor's perspective on opportunity. She decided to capitalize on her knowledge of homes and home care to create a new business for herself, a business that would provide a home service in constant demand: carpet cleaning.

She knew how important clean carpets are to home buyers. "Dirty, matted down carpet looks older than it really is. Realtors can see a sale slip away when carpeting looks as though 20 children and 13 dogs played on it!"

Putting two and two together and adding some initiative, Jan began to investigate carpet cleaning services. She asked some important questions: How much would it cost to get involved in a carpet cleaning business of her own? What would be the best system to use in order to have repeat business and referrals? How could she become a carpet care expert? Last of all, she asked, could she sell realtors on the idea of rehabilitating carpets in houses and apartments, creating for herself a specialized service?

Selling realtors turned out to be simple. Using her small cleaning company and her real estate contacts, she formed Jan's Carpet Cleaning. "I had carpet cleaning jobs for 96 apartments before buying my present carpet cleaning machines!" she says.

Choosing the carpet cleaning system was easy too. She'd heard of Von Schrader Company, headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin. Calling them, she received complete information. What she learned sounded so good that she took the next step without hesitation. She signed up to attend free training sessions the company offered.

Von Schrader offers hands-on training with the company's machines. Other instructions explain how carpets are constructed, how to perform spot removal as well as marketing advice and instructions on using collateral sales material. When Jan completed the training session, she purchased her equipment.

That was her only investment. "I haven't spent $1 on advertising, either," she adds. "I tied into one realty company who needed my services, and I have never had to make another cold call for business."

"I've increased my income 50% because of the repeat nature of working for the realty company," she says. In other words, she has been busy.

Last year, Jan's husband Jim joined her in the business, having just retired from the auto industry. At 54 and 55 years of age with their only son now in college, they call themselves "empty nesters with a golden egg!"

You don't have to have an empty nest to appreciate the scope of this opportunity. Stop and think of all the carpeting today in offices, schools, and public buildings. Carpeting is everywhere. In many settings, carpeting is the single most costly item, the biggest investment. In addition, it's tacked down and must be cleaned on the premises. This has created the need for a fast growing service business: carpet cleaning.

Von Schrader pioneered on-site carpet cleaning equipment and now offers state-of-the-art systems and equipment. The Extractor was developed in collaboration with carpet fiber mills. Used in leading hotels, it restores carpet to its original brightness. The machine glides across a carpet so easily that you can push it with just one finger.

Von Schrader offers you the opportunity to have your own business providing a service everyone needs or wants with plenty of repeat business and unlimited growth potential. Since overhead expenses are low, almost everything you earn is yours to keep. The training is free, the investment is small and the business is yours to run as you see fit, full or part-time.

Here's a chance to have an independent business with the name of a highly reputable company behind you. You don't have to have real estate contacts as Jan did to find your own "golden egg" in the carpet cleaning business.

The American Dream

I would like to take time and let you know that the past seven years have completely taken me by surprise. I never thought that I would be the owner of a thriving little company with a great reputation. We recently disposed of four rolodexes and replaced them with a computer that contains some fifteen hundred customer names. I have so many wonderful stories to tell that I hardly know where to start. Our little company is as busy as ever.

I remember my happiness the day our first machine was delivered seven years ago. Since that day our lives have changed immensely. My wife runs the office and now has an assistant working part time with her while myself and two helpers make customers happy by giving our very best in carpet and upholstery cleaning. Our phone rings from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with regular as well as new customers. It is amazing how many phone calls we receive from personal referrals.

I'm happy to report that our little company is moving right along and making profits we never thought possible. In fact, last December Theda and I were able to take our first cruise thanks to the success of our business. Recently I attended the First National Von Schrader Convention in Las Vegas. It was such a delight to meet all of you from the home office as well as other representatives from all over the country. We have a lot to thank Von Schrader for: mostly for helping us make the American dream come true.

Yours truly,

Belton and Theda Hogue
Alldry Carpet and Upholstery Care

Skunking The Competition

Bob Joly spends his evenings watching profits take off at airports, or waltzing into the black around hotel ballrooms - with his carpet and upholstery cleaning business. He cleans hotels, banks, theaters and other major commercial accounts with large areas of carpeting and a high volume of upholstered furniture. In a few hours a night, he is able to clean up to 200 chairs for hotel banquet rooms or upholstered sofas and seats in bank visitor areas, or thousands of feet of carpeted public areas.

Joly, who owns Majestic Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning in Colorado, has been in the carpet cleaning business since 1988. Joly says,

"The quick-drying, low moisture features have been the main selling points of my service."

He has also made believers out of potential customers through the skunking presentation. After a customers carpet has been cleaned through the wet process, Joly runs Von Schrader's low moisture machine down the center. The glaring difference between the wet process and the clean "skunk" stripe left by the Mach-12 is powerful testimonial.

"My productivity and profitability have been boosted 500 percent since I've used the Mach-12 High Speed Carpet Extractor and the Esprit Upholstery Extractor. These machines have made it possible for us to handle any facility with large areas of carpeting and a high volume of upholstered furniture."

He began his business by cleaning homes, but when few people wanted their homes cleaned between Thanksgiving and Tax Day, he started to clean local hotels. Today, Joly counts among his clients major chain hotels such as Holiday Inn, Sheraton, Hilton and Best Western. Doing house calls on short notice to hotels during the festive season is profitable and strengthens the relationship. Joly regularly restores hotel ballrooms up to about 10,000 square feet on call, creating significant revenues for both. The math of his business is simple for Joly, who contends that his company makes as much money in one night for commercial cleaning than it would all week cleaning homes. However, to do commercial accounts, warns, Joly, entails a lot of work at night, after businesses shut down. But consider the rewards.

The Sky is The Limit

Cindy Becker and Jon Davis are owners of Skyline Specialty Services in Wisconsin. They've been Von Schrader Associates for less than three years. Cindy was a former area manager for a large retail department store, and Jon was an investigator for a national bank. They both wanted a career change, and teamed up to start their own specialized service contracting business, where they could control their own destiny and income.

Skyline offers carpet, upholstery, wall and ceiling cleaning services to commercial and residential customers, and they own Von Schrader's LMX Low Moisture Carpet Cleaning System, Esprit Low Moisture Upholstery Cleaning System and VersaTile Wall and Acoustical Ceiling Tile Cleaning System. (A VS Mach-12 High Speed Carpet Extractor will be purchased in the near future.)Their commercial cleaning business has been growing rapidly. Rather than sell price alone, Cindy and Jon promote quality, fast drying time and reliable follow-up customer service. Their VersaTile acoustical tile cleaning business has also grown steadily. Jon and Cindy primarily concentrate on restaurants and emphasize the need for sanitary conditions in the kitchen areas, and building appearance and brightness in the customer eating areas.

Improving indoor air quality (IAQ) is also promoted. One of their easiest and most profitable VersaTile wall cleaning jobs was for a building contractor. They removed drywall dust on 15,000 square feet of walls in a newly constructed, unoccupied building. It only took them 1 1/2 hours, and they earned over $1,800.00. That is efficiency! Skyline also sold a number of commercial upholstery cleaning jobs. One in particular was a large convention center in Northern Illinois. They needed their fabric covered walls cleaned in 14 banquet dining rooms. Cindy and Jon used the Esprit on the fabric walls, and were able to do the complete job in a relatively short time.

Whenever they are called to clean a customers carpet or upholstery or wall/ceilings, Skyline always promotes all three cleaning services. Eventually, their goal is to perform all services for all of their customers. And, they're proud to say, that they are well on the way to accomplishing this goal! Skyline is expanding more into residential cleaning, and offering specialty furniture cleaning: leather, velour, velvet, tapestry, as well as oriental rugs, mattresses, and Prism carpet color repair. With Skyline, truly the sky is the limit it.

Associate Adds Upholstery Cleaning to Expand Unique Yacht Care Business

Von Schrader Associate, Mike Johnson, found a need eight years ago and then answered that need. As a result, Lakeshore Yacht Care Service was born. Mike and his crew regularly wash over 100 yachts of all sizes every week. They also maintain a busy schedule of buffing, waxing and maintaining yacht exteriors, as well as restoring teakwood finishes, and doing complete boat interior cleaning. They work out of five marinas in a thirty mile radius, all along the Lake Michigan shore in Southeastern Wisconsin. Mike's busiest yacht care time is from early March to November. However, he needed a way to keep the revenue flowing in during the balance of the year.

He discovered the ideal way. By incorporating the Esprit Upholstery Cleaning System into his business, he would be able to compliment his existing carpet cleaning service. The Esprit quickly helped him accomplish two major challenges: one, clean upholstery in commercial and residential locations during his off season; and two, clean yacht cushions and seats easier and faster during his peak times. Mike noted that marine engine exhaust and smoke were getting drawn into the cabin areas and settling on the seat cushions and the headliners. This oily and greasy film is now able to be removed faster and easier with pre-spray and the Esprit unit. As a result, more yacht interiors can be cleaned per hour by his crew, thereby increasing company profits.

During the boating season, Mike, along with his nine full-time employees and five part-time college students, focus their primary efforts on yacht cleaning. Some carpet and upholstery cleaning is done in homes and businesses during this time. However, from November to March, they step up their efforts and concentrate on home and business carpet and upholstery cleaning. Mike worked out a very successful employee hiring system that actually tied-in perfectly with his business cycle. He hires college students during his busiest work time when the students are available and are looking for work. When they need to go back to school in the fall, his yacht care business slows down and he doesn't need to carry extra help into his slower period.

Lakeshore Yacht Care Services takes regular care of 275 boats. In early spring they work inside the storage facilities before the season begins. They continue their work outside when the yachts are at anchor, and finish in late fall prior to storage. They also offer shrink-wrapping services to protect the yachts during out of water storage.

This is another good example of how the Esprit Upholstery Cleaning System can help provide an additional add-on service to a growing business.