Taylor and Emma’s journey began when they crossed paths on the very first day of school in a scripture class at Belmont Abbey College. Little did they know that this fateful meeting would shape their lives forever. Taylor, a talented four-year collegiate baseball player with aspirations of going pro, and Emma, a two-time All-American cheerleader, soon fell in love and embarked on a remarkable journey together.
Throughout their college years, they were not just a couple; they were a dynamic duo. They actively participated in various extracurricular activities, such as the Rotary Club, Business Leadership Club (where they clinched two state titles and one national title), and led mission trips and retreats. They even embraced Greek life together. But as graduation loomed on the horizon, Taylor faced a significant challenge: how to save up enough money to buy an engagement ring for Emma.
Taylor’s solution was to start working for a local window cleaning company. Little did he know that this job would become the cornerstone of their future business. Through his work, he gained essential skills in exterior cleaning, honing his expertise in window cleaning and pressure washing. Moreover, he absorbed valuable knowledge on running and scaling a business.
In January 2020, after diligent saving, Taylor was finally able to purchase the engagement ring he had dreamt of. Shortly thereafter, in the spring of 2020, the world was plunged into a global pandemic, altering their plans drastically. Taylor and Emma, like countless others, were forced to live with Emma’s parents in Florida, leaving behind their college lives and Taylor’s window cleaning job. Initially, they believed this would be a temporary disruption, but as we all know, two weeks turned into months.
During their time with Emma’s parents, they received unexpected news: Emma was pregnant, and their first child was due in December. This unexpected turn of events propelled them into parenthood, adding new responsibilities to their already hectic lives. In the midst of a global pandemic, they managed to graduate from college, plan a wedding in just three months, get married, move to Raleigh, NC, and welcome their first-born son into the world.
With the added expenses of parenthood and rising inflation, Taylor knew he needed to supplement their income, even though he still had his remote corporate job. Drawing on his experience from his college window cleaning job, he decided to start his own exterior cleaning business. Taylor began by selling his beloved dream truck to raise funds and invested in a more affordable truck, equipped with pressure washing and window cleaning systems.
Starting was tough as he navigated the challenges of finding customers and establishing his market presence. Taylor’s first breakthrough came when he walked into a gas station and secured his first sale – a mere $20 every two weeks to clean the gas station’s windows. It was a modest beginning, but it marked the start of something remarkable.
Taylor’s persistence led him to cold call potential clients, gradually expanding his roster of storefront customers. With each new customer, traffic to his website increased, leading to more sales. In no time, American Exteriors grew into a competitive exterior cleaning company in the Triangle area.
Despite the business’s success, Taylor and Emma yearned to be closer to friends, as their families were miles away. In the summer of 2021, they made the bold decision to uproot everything and relocate their business to Charlotte, where they were more familiar with the area and its people.
In Charlotte, they continued to nurture American Exteriors, and it blossomed into what it is today. With now two companies, American Exteriors and American Exteriors Lighting, Taylor and Emma look forward to the future with excitement, eager to see where their businesses will take them as they embrace new challenges. They remain steadfast in their commitment to their core values: Respect, Integrity, Success, and Excellence (R.I.S.E), which guide them every day, alongside their faith in God and each other, as they model these values for their growing family of two beautiful children and one on the way!
