“Introducing the C3 Experience” released on October 14th, 2021. I had just given our family cleaning company a major brand change from the solo residential business to a commercial cleaning company with a team. Our family had “A New Freedom Vision” to live in Florida for the full month of February 2022. The company model would have to change. Over the next 8 months, we poured ourselves into this company to create the C3 Experience.

• We wanted to attract new customers and employees to our company core values of Excellence, Ownership, and Safety. 
• We wanted to grow through these core values to accomplish our mission statement to our community. “1,000 smiling faces every Monday morning in the professional, financial, and medical office spaces we clean in the Indian Valley.”
• We wanted to serve our Lord Jesus through the company vision he gave us. “C3 is a Ten-Talent Company (Matthew 25:14-30).”
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The company had to completely transform. Those 8 months were so difficult, but we achieved our goal and enjoyed a full month on the Gulf Coast of Florida in February 2022. It was a trip of lifetime for our family of 7. They will never forget, nor will Teresa and I. We were so grateful.

For the next 12 months, I poured myself into the community and serving my local chamber however I could. I joined the Membership Committee and called on other members to survey them. I participated in the chamber’s 5 year strategy meetings. I attended multiple networking events and even spoke at a few. We were rewarded with new customers. Our reputation grew and high-caliber employees were finding us.

2023 was a breakthrough year! We loved Florida so much in February 2022 that we hit the goal to do it again in February 2023. C3 was selected for the Cornerstone Award for Small Business of the Year in our chamber in March 2023. Our reputation grew more. More importantly, we really felt like we were making an impact in our community and living out our mission, vision, and values.

I joined a coaching group with other growing commercial cleaners in April 2024 and started implementing better systems in 2024. This allowed C3 to take on our first two 5-night per week clients. This was a huge step. C3 was now serving every night of the week. We updated our mission statement in early 2025. “5,000 smiling faces every morning in the professional, financial, and medical office spaces we clean in the Indian Valley.”

A few weeks ago, C3 reached a significant milestone. On July 25th, 2025, C3 celebrated 20 years in business. It’s hard to believe that 20 years ago, Teresa went to our county clerk to open Carfagno Cleaning so she could clean apartments part-time. It’s been an incredible journey. We’ve poured ourselves out in this company through sacrifice, commitment, and excellence. It has not been easy. Most days didn’t go as we had hoped. Nevertheless, we kept our faith in what God was doing through us. We remained patient when other well-wishers around us told us to quit. We invested time and money into a business that looked like a loser.

Yet, here we are. I am thrilled to announce that our family has decided to celebrate this 20-year anniversary in a big way. We are knocking one more bucket list trip off the list. The Carfagnos are traveling through 11 states in a month from the Dakotas westward with a focus on Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. This is the trip of a lifetime. The kids are so excited. Our team is excited for us. Friends in my chamber are cheering us on.

Read the rest of this article at the Smart Cleaning School website