An American Dream In the Making
Charles Brunner was in his second semester at Kansas State University 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 in town. But Charles leveraged his inner strengths — compassion, frugality, and hard work — and little by little built the company now 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!“
The First Vehicles: 2011 to 2014
Purchased from a family member for $500, the first van was big enough to hold all the equipment and have a professional appearance. However, it broke down pretty regularly and Charles was afraid to put his logo on it.
On one occasion Charles showed up for his first ever job with his equipment crunched in the back of his compact car — a white Hyundai hatchback. The customer laughed and said, “Could you get anything smaller?” It was a funny moment he will never forget. Eventually he traded the Hyundai in for a (slightly bigger) Honda Element.
Turning Point
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.
Second Wave of Vans with Logos: 2014 to Present
After college, Charles got serious about reinvesting in the business. He bought a newer van and better equipment. And this time, he put a nice, professional logo on the side.
Disciplined Growth
Since 2014, Little Apple Carpet Cleaning has grown slow and steady, 30% year over year. Customers really appreciate the company’s emphasis on relationships, reliability, and results. A lot of new business comes through word of mouth.
Two years ago, Charles’ wife, Julie, left her job at K-State to stay home with the kids. The business has been able to support the family ever since.
As for Charles, he’s thankful for a meaningful career that lets him get to know a lot of people in the community.
Still Dreaming
The company is going through another growth spurt through 2022, adding several full-time employees and offering hardwood floor, tile, and grout cleaning.
To reflect the new suite of services, Little Apple Carpet Cleaning was renamed Little Apple Carpet, Floor & Air Cleaning.
“Thank you for trusting Little Apple Carpet Cleaning for the past 10 years. We couldn’t have written this story without you!”