Why Columbus, Ohio, Is Fertile Ground For Carpet Cleaning Franchises

Strong economy, minimal Chem-Dry footprint means best cleaning franchises can thrive in Buckeye State capital

We had a terrific time last month in Columbus, when a crowd of entrepreneurs and people considering entrepreneurship came to our discovery dinner at McCormick & Schmick?s. Some wonderful people got to know our top executives and learn why Chem-Dry is one of the best values in the franchise industry.

The Columbus skyline (Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau)

In these still-tight times, we wanted to know them as much as they wanted to know us. Since our founding in 1977, we?ve had a strong presence out West, anchored by our headquarters in Logan, Utah, and we?re already the world?s leading carpet cleaning franchise. But this year, we began focusing more on the territory east of the Rockies, where our system isn?t quite as developed. We opened a regional headquarters in Nashville and began reaching out to target markets either unserved or underserved by our brand.

Of those markets, the Columbus area ? with a population of 1.9 million and market size of $22 million but only two Chem-Dry franchises ? is by far the largest. It?s a key market for a number of reasons:

• Its economy has a sound foundation. Unlike some markets with tourist- or entertainment-based local economies, Columbus has laid a sound foundation for the future with information services, technology, healthcare and research and development jobs, many in a research and technology corridor that includes The Ohio State University, a major employer. That means not only that the area?s overall economy is in good shape, it?s set up well to thrive for decades to come ? and that?s good news for Chem-Dry franchise owners who want their business.
• It?s rich in our target demographic. Chem-Dry aims to serve affluent customers with solid, good-paying jobs ? the kinds of folks willing to spend a little extra to keep their surfaces looking nice. Columbus? economy remained strong even in the depths of the recession, and it?s one of the Midwest?s leaders in. Those are fields many Chem-Dry clients work in. It?s a well-educated workforce, too: Of Columbus? more than 1 million workers, nearly 30 percent have bachelor’s degrees and 10 percent have master’s degrees, according to the Columbus Chamber.
• Columbus is small business-friendly. The city has long been recognized as an incubator for small businesses and corporations in the Midwest; it?s set up a model infrastructure for small business, including the renowned Ohio Small Business Development Center, a public-private small business development and consulting agency that offers its services for free. Nine of every 10 Columbus Chamber members are small businesspeople.

We?re looking forward to planting more seeds in the nutrient-rich soil of Columbus and meeting more folks in our target areas; we?ve had a great time meeting terrific people in Houston, Cincinnati and Oklahoma City, too. Keep an eye on this blog for details about our upcoming events near or in your town!

And even if you can?t make it to one of our events, we?d still love to hear from you. Fill out the form on this site, download our free franchise report and find out why Chem-Dry might be your small business dream come true.