We are thrilled to share this success story of a local business, Supreme Carpet Cleans, which is run by one of our tenants, Duane.
Duane applied for a Starting Blocks grant in December 2023 because he wanted help to grow his business and establish an online presence by creating a professional webpage and a social media presence.
The grant allowed Duane to invest in his personal development by giving him the funds to complete courses in carpet, upholstery and hard floor cleaning and maintenance. These courses gave him the knowledge to become a skilled carpet and upholstery cleaner; he learned about detergents, material management, how to effectively remove stains, fibre identification, and different cleaning methods. He used what he learned to focus on key areas such as deep cleaning, stain removal, and protective treatments.
Since completing his courses, Duane has significantly enhanced the services he provides to over 30 domestic households, with a 95% customer satisfaction rate and many clients noticing improved air quality and carpet longevity.
Duane worked closely with Mark Harris, the Enterprise Doctor who provided mentoring and coaching at each stage for his new vision, especially the online presence. Duane said the grant gave him the confidence to pursue his passion for carpet cleaning more seriously by enabling him to invest in skill-building and business growth. He told us that the support from Red Kite allowed him not only to improve his service quality but also to lay the foundation for his long-term goal of becoming a trusted expert in the field.
Red Kite’s involvement has been about more than just financial support — it has been about empowering a local entrepreneur to build a sustainable business. Duane expressed his gratitude, noting that Red Kite's backing gave him the motivation and tools to expand his services and pursue his dream of growing a successful company, all while improving the quality of life for his clients through floor and upholstery cleaning.
- Supreme Carpet Cleans offer a 20% discount to Red Kite tenants - visit their website to find out more
If this story has sparked an idea for something you'd like to get off the ground, then why not find out more about how to apply for Starting Blocks funding - it's a straightforward application process, and a decision is usually made within 10 days.