An American Dream In the Making
Charles Brunner was in his second semester as an undergraduate when he started knocking on doors and asking people if they wanted their carpets cleaned.
At the time, he didn’t have fancy equipment like the other companies. But Charles leveraged his inner strengths — compassion, frugality, and hard work — and little by little built the business in Manhattan, Kansas known as Little Apple Carpet, Floor & Air Cleaning.
From the beginning, his desire was to create a business where customers felt respected. That meant showing up on time, doing what he promised, and speaking truthfully.
As one customer put it: “He's honest, fair, and personable ... all the things I would want in a service provider!“
Turning Point in the Little Apple
When his senior year rolled around, Charles had a big decision to make: go to grad school for physical therapy, or stay in Manhattan and continue building his carpet cleaning business?
He had good test scores and all the pre-requisites he needed to get into PT school. The biggest deterrent was debt. He might owe $100,000 or more by the time he finished.
When he started crunching the numbers, he realized he could turn his carpet cleaning gig into a viable long-term business. That’s when he started thinking of it as a career, not just a job.
Disciplined Growth
After college, Charles got serious about reinvesting in the business. After some years of growth he purchased a newer van with better equipment and expanded his services to include Floor and Air Duct Cleaning.
Customers really appreciate the company’s emphasis on relationships, reliability, and results. A lot of new business comes through word of mouth.
As his business continued to grow, Charles began exploring opportunities to expand into additional markets and in June of 2024 Charles and his family moved to Lincoln, Nebraska.
As for Charles, he’s thankful for a meaningful career that lets him get to know a lot of people in his community.
A New Chapter - Still Dreaming in Star City
The company is going through another growth spurt through 2024, with the addition of Heartland Carpet, Floor & Air Cleaning in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Cleaning Experts
Your choice for quality carpet, floor, and air duct cleaning in Lincoln, Nebraska and the surrounding communities!
“Thank you for welcoming Heartland Carpet, Floor & Air Cleaning to the Lincoln community. We’re excited to write a new chapter of our story with you!”
