This young company was started by Tanner Huckaby in March 2021, and he just won second place in the Youth Division of the 2022 Launch Rural Nevada competition held on November 4. The competition had 56 participants, which was then whittled down to 16, 8 in the Adult Division and 8 in the Youth Division. Cash awards were given to the top four finalists in each division.
The Launch Rural Nevada is an annual competition for startups and small business owners in rural Nevada consisting of two categories: the Youth Division which is open to students (Grades 8-12) from rural Nevada school districts, and the Adult Division which is open to all rural Nevada residents 18 years and older.
Tanner was awarded $2,000 for his second-place win in the Youth Division. “There were two or three rounds we had to go through to pitch our business ideas. Then on competition day, some of us attended on Zoom. I was in the chamber's conference room, and my mom was in the office with Lucy. Other people either attended on Zoom or were there in person. We all pitched our ideas, and then the committee made the awards right then. I was super excited to win second place.”
Tanner said he got the business idea from videos he saw on TikTok and Facebook about pressure washing. “When I started researching it, I found that no one else in town was doing it, and the window-washing people we did have had retired. So, I started out doing pressure washing, then expanded a few months later into window washing.” He said the name Squish came about because when Tanner was born, his mom Jessica was hoping for a chubby, “squishy” baby. “But I came out all skin and bones, and they just always called me Squish after that. I was inspired by my grandfather, working at Huck Salt since I was young, and developed the desire to start my own business.”
Squish Pressure Washing has already grown to include a variety of residential and commercial pressure washing and cleaning services. Some of the outdoor services they have done for The Grid, Lisa's Grooming, and the Fallon Youth Club included washing down buildings, sidewalks, and driveways, outdoor furniture, and window washing. “I can pressure wash anything, even stucco. For that, I use more of a soft wash and organic chemicals. I get all the dirt and grime off, then rinse it all down.”
When discussing commercial services and his future plans Tanner said, “I’d like to increase my business customers, since they need clean windows and buildings all year round. I have a goal of being able to work full-time right after graduation this year. Right now, it's just me but I hope to hire additional help as I get busier. And we can create custom cleaning packages for local businesses, too.”
Tanner also has a mobile washing unit that he uses to clean semi-trucks, heavy equipment, RVs, boats, and the like which is convenient for his customers because he can go to them. “I do a lot of truck washing in the winter and do all of Huck Salt's trucks. Plus, I can charge less than the big truck washing companies because I'm mobile.”
Tanner said he plans to invest the $2,000 award in a filtration unit for the window washing process that will provide a streak-free finish without hand drying, allowing him to reach windows two and three stories up. “I'll just put the money right back into the business. I’m constantly researching about new products or services too. I’d like to add on gutter cleaning services soon.”
Tanner said to schedule an appointment, just call or text 775-217-6892, or reach out to them on Facebook or Instagram. Squish is booking window washing appointments now for spring 2023, and the slots are filling up quickly. The service is priced by the window according to its size. “I can do inside, outside, and hard water stains. When I do the outside, I clean out the tracks and clean the screens. I come out and provide an estimate of what it will cost first. Right now, I go out to give quotes after school, then do the work on my days off from school.” More information about Squish's Pressure Washing can also be found on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/SquishsPressureWashing.
The Launch Rural Nevada program was established by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), StartUpNV, Audacity Institute, Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority, the Ozmen Center, the Nevada Small Business Development Center, Great Basin College, and University of Nevada at Reno. More information about the annual program can be found on their website, https://launchruralnevada.com/
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