Community Highlights: Meet Scott Brubaker of Spanking Clean and Green

Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Brubaker.

Hi Scott, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
How’s it going everyone? My name is Scott Brubaker and I am the owner of Spanking Clean and Green, an all-natural carpet and upholstery cleaning service.

On July 1st, 2018, after battling a decade-long heroin addiction, a change of scenery in my life was needed and Denver, Colorado, was the chosen setting for my girlfriend and I, with the goal of creating new and life-changing opportunities in mind. After nearly 15 years of cooking, I was ready to pull back from the culinary industry… for at least a little while. Following a 22 days stay in psych ward, due to a mental collapse I had caused from bipolar medication (that doctors in rehab put me on when it turns out I am not bipolar), I found myself in a job interview to begin cleaning houses for a company in Lakewood.

After having the impression that I nailed the interview, I was out cleaning houses in no time. The work I enjoyed more than I would have expected and with my work ethic, I became extremely efficient at it. A few months passed on by, things at work were great, but after learning that this company I was working for had a main source of revenue that wasn’t housekeeping, my mind did what it does and I began thinking.

That main source of revenue was carpet cleaning and my mind was screaming at me, saying, “How can I become a part of that?” I did not know why I was drawn to it at the time other than it was likely at least a little better return than the housekeeping. I asked the owner if he would be willing to train me. And he was willing.

The rest is kind of history. Within two months of my training, I became the top producing contractor for this company across the eight states they operate in. For nearly a year, I met with the owner three times a week for an hour each time, to educate myself in carpet cleaning and the vast amounts of situations that can arise while in the field.

As time went by, I got better and better—techniques improved. The newly gained knowledge paired with my diligent, mindfully efficient, and detail-focused working character along with my top of class intelligence proved to be everything I needed to have in the industry.

Since this company kind of taught their whole program like a mentorship program, where we were contractors, not employees, they always told us how they wanted to see us grow as our own individual companies. I took that to heart. I wanted my company to be fully functioning on its own. So after about a year and a half of running jobs booked through their marketing plan, my attention turned to finding my own clients. From ads in a senior citizens magazine to Nextdoor local deals, to considering bigger magazines to lead generation services.

It has been about a year and a half of trying different avenues as well as building a growing reputation but today, the large majority of the work I book is on my own and I have an amazing reputation as a carpet cleaner. Plus, all my product is green and naturally derived. In just a few years, now in my fourth, my business is projected to do north of 150k in revenue this year after crossing the six-figure barrier in only my 3rd year. I have set my company up to where in the near future, the expansion will begin to take place with my growing return clientele as well as my word of mouth referral rate.

Now my entrepreneurship does not just stop with carpet cleaning. With food preparation still possibly my strongest passion in life, outside of being a loving father of three and partner to my girl, I will soon be releasing my bottled sauce line. I also wrote and self-published a book called The Elephant’s Room to help spread awareness to the mental health crisis, plaguing our country and the world, through my own personal experience battling depression and addiction. I aim to help others out there who are struggling with the same things I have and still do sometimes. I know what it’s like being caught neck-deep in the mud and it is really no place for anyone no matter who you are.

Thanks so much for getting to know a little about me! And if you want to connect, on any level, you can find my email on either of my websites or message me through my social media platforms. I am also still looking to connect with a traditional publisher on my books so if anyone can help me with a connection in that area, please reach out. I am so grateful for having this opportunity to be here with you! Please, if willing, do us a solid and follow us on our social media platforms.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, the road has definitely not always been smooth for me. As stated earlier, I was a decade-long heroin/opiate addict and have dealt with depression from an early age. From growing up with a severely alcoholic father to being molested by an older kid. From losing friends to suicide to having friends that were murdered. It has taken every little drop of whatever I have in me to keep pushing on in life.

My state of being is in a much better place than it was during my dark days but I still struggle. Most of them are my own internal battles around many fears I have that can still eat me up from time to time, such as my fear of death. But what is different today is my focus on making constant growth and improvements in all areas of my life in order to breakdown perceived obstacles.

In terms of challenges professionally, since starting the carpet cleaning, finding avenues of earning my own clients has definitely been a battle. Determining what to spend resources on to help develop the company and what not to. There have been errors made. There have been things I tested just to see what would happen and failed. For the first couple of years, there were certain clients that I would have difficulty making connections with but those are much fewer and further in between. Grinding out jobs six days a week, most weeks can definitely become a little taxing on the body. The machine I carry up & downstairs all day is nearly 100 lbs. and 60-70 hour weeks are normal outside of winter. Also, I am the type of person who can work and work and work so making sure I’m keeping that healthy balance between work and family has definitely come into play on occasion. The two years where I was writing The Elephant’s Room, my second book, and then the editing and everything else that goes into self-publishing a book, was pretty sleep deprived as I freely chose to get up around 4:00 am most mornings in order to write before I went and cleaned carpets. Then, there are always the little things that come up with any business/entrepreneur that must be an accepted part of the journey and experience in becoming better and more well equipped in managing your business. Getting through the struggles while keeping on the hustle is where we all learn. When we break down the barriers and have new achievements, little by little, then that’s when self-fulfillment, which is everything, begins to enter our lives.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Spanking Clean and Green?
As an entrepreneur with his toes in more than one area, my primary business right now is Spanking Clean and Green. We are an all-natural, non-toxic carpet, area rug, and upholstery cleaning company servicing the Denver Metro as well as surrounding areas. We never bring any harsh chemicals into your home and are a much safer solution than what many have had in the past. We specialize in a low-moisture, dry foam encapsulation method with average dry times in 2-4 hours. What we are known for is our quality work, punctuality, professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail. We have earned the status of being rated a current top pro on Thumbtack since 2021 and carry a 5.0 rating after 111 verified reviews. What sets us apart is our diligent work ethic and attention to detail. We are honest and truly care about getting your carpets and upholstery into the best state that we possibly can. We make our strongest appeals as green solutions to those most affected by what’s in your carpet and upholstery… small children, pets, and people with allergy sensitivities. We have given wonderful first-time client specials and unlike other big-brand companies, the more you book with us, the more creative we can get in giving better deals in building more comfortable customized packages for our clients. Spanking Clean and Green was born in Colorado in 2019 and has been growing and developing a top reputation ever since. And we always are looking to be better!

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
For those starting out as an entrepreneur in any business, I would say accept early on that it is going to be tough. That is just part of the game. You will make mistakes and that’s okay. You will learn from those mistakes. You have to fail to grow. Some of our best accomplishments stem from what we perceive as our greatest failures. Try not to have outlandish expectations early. It’s about the little wins. Growth does not have to be fast. Stay committed to what’s in your heart. It’s okay to take a calculated risk from time to time even if it only leads to gaining the knowledge of something that doesn’t work. And the last thing I will say… is that you must fall in love with the process of it all. The sooner you can do that. The much better off you will be. Maintain a life outside of work and engulf yourself with the things that keep you motivated and in good spirits. Also, making decisions to surround yourself with the right people can only help such as people already having success in your chosen industry and those who show loving support.

Contact Info:

• Email: 1. spankingcleanandgreen@gmail.com 2. achanceatwriting@gmail.com
• Website: 1. www.spankingcleanandgreen.com 2. www.achanceatwriting.com
• Instagram: 1. https://www.instagram.com/spankingcleanandgreen/ 2. https://www.instagram.com/achanceatwriting/

Image Credits
Photos Scott Brubaker and Katerina Morris