Small Business, Big Success

Nashville Rags-to-Riches Company Announces 53,000th Booking

As of 2020, Inc. Magazine named Nashville #11 of Best U.S. Cities to Start a Business. These days, start ups make up a huge slice of the “It” city’s economy. But “It” all started before the big town went big. Prior to the hype, generations of Nashville entrepreneurs have built the foundation for today’s small business success. Take, for example, the story of Pro-Care, the “Floor Care for Life” company.

Locally owned and operated, Pro-Care got its start in 1995. Even then, Browning and his team merited top reviews for carpet care. The Nashville cleaning company has since earned multiple IICRC certifications and has evolved to cover a host of services. Pro-Care professionals now offer expert oriental and area rug cleaning. This is in addition to carpet cleaning. Furthermore, this team holds certifications in upholstery cleaning and hard-surface care.  And most recently, the Pro-Care team has added a stain-protection service for area rugs and upholstery. It is a wide range of specializations for a company that employs less than twenty Tennesseans. Still, repeat business signals that clients like the quality and variety of services they receive from Pro-Care.

If numbers talk then this small business is clearly doing something right. As of the new decade, Pro-Care’s President John Browning has just booked his company’s 53,000th appointment.  That marks a milestone for what is now one of Nashville’s most successful cleaning companies. These days, Pro-Care’s service vans are a familiar sight throughout Middle Tennessee. But the humble beginnings of this small business gave little indication of their big success to come.

A Little History

It all started with a man and a truck.  In the early 1990’s, Browning saw a need in the industry. Nashville’s interior designers, retailers and clients all needed someone trustworthy to service their luxury carpets and rugs, “I realized that I had two options. I could be the best lone textile cleaner I could” with only a truck and a dream. Or “I could learn how to run a business and eventually replace myself” in the field.

It was the perfect set up for another Nashville rags-to-riches story.  Looking back over the last twenty-five years, Browning feels a lot of pride, “We established the mission and values of the company around 2000.  This really helped us during our early years of growth.  I attended conferences. I had a good mentor, Howard Partridge. That made it possible to learn the skills and gain the understanding of running a small business.”  Browning smiles. “To this day I still can hear Howard saying, ‘You should manage your business based on mission, not emotion.’” 

In 2020, Browning and Pro-Care remain committed to the company’s mission statement. It is a pledge, “To Provide the Most Outstanding Service Experience Ever.” This mission is posted on the walls throughout Pro-Care’s Nashville office. Consequently, employees can read it every day. Browning says the company culture encourages team members to live up to the mission with every client. Clearly, those clients are happy with the company’s floor and textile care services. In fact, Pro-Care’s success is largely due to decades of word-of-mouth promotion.

The Small Business Difference

John admits he has learned from the mistakes of his competitors, “Many clients have had a bad service experience.” And word of mouth cuts both ways. So when clients find a trustworthy service company, they tend to be loyal and to spread the word.  “The reason our service experience is consistent is the team understands [our] mission statement,” Browning explains. So why does this make a difference? “We’re small and local. I truly believe it is the employees’ buy-in of our mission and the training we provide [that sets us apart].” John adds. “Each employee takes pride in who we are. They really enjoy working as a team.”

Pro-Care intends to stay a small, local business. All the same, the company continues to set themselves apart from others in the Nashville cleaning trade, especially the big-name chains.

“A nationwide franchise is all about high volume and low prices,”  says Brand Ambassador Wendy Morrison. “Pro-Care focuses on two things. First, we hire and train the most talented employees in Nashville. Second, we build long-term relationships with each family we serve.” Morrison sums up, “We love to make our customers happy.  It is so affirming when they come back to us and when they brag about us to their friends. We are grateful for all their positive testimonials.”

High Hopes for Continued Success

There’s no sign of a slow-down in Nashville’s small business surge. With hopes for another decade of growth, Browning concludes, “We’re delighted to be celebrating our 53,000th booking and we look forward to many more opportunities to serve our Middle Tennessee clients.”  The Pro-Care team is made up of 15 full-time employees. This includes technicians and administrative staff. The team serves clients throughout the Greater Nashville Area. They regularly cover Mt. Juliet to Bellevue, Franklin to Brentwood, Nolensville to Hendersonville and all points in between. 

For more coverage of Music City’s business boom, log on to https://www.nashvillechamber.com/rankings or visit https://www.inc.com . Information about Pro-Care can be found at https://www.procareofnashville.com/

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