Chris Shrader: 145% Growth Through Fire, Cancer and COVID

<p>This week on Cleaner Conversations, we sit down with Chris Shrader of Best &amp; New Brand Cleaners in Middle Tennessee.</p><p></p><p>Chris shares how a part-time job became a nearly 30-year career building six locations, five pickup and delivery routes, and a family business positioned for its next generation.</p><p></p><p>We talk about closing underperforming locations, building a leadership team, expanding into affluent neighborhoods, creating a specialty wedding gown division, and learning to step back as an owner.</p><p></p><p>Chris also shares the powerful story of losing his entire plant in a fire and being diagnosed with cancer just weeks later. He explains how those experiences changed his outlook on leadership, stress, family, faith, and what truly matters.</p><p></p><p>Since putting the right leadership team in place, Best &amp; New Brand Cleaners has grown sales by 145% in four years. Chris breaks down why owners must stop trying to handle everything themselves and start building systems and people that allow the business to grow beyond them.</p><p></p><p>This is a conversation about resilience, leadership, family business, customer service, and continuing to show up when everything feels like it is falling apart.</p><p></p><p>Topics Covered:</p><p></p><p>• How Chris entered the dry cleaning industry</p><p>• Knowing when to close an underperforming location</p><p>• Building six locations and five delivery routes</p><p>• How customer expectations have changed</p><p>• Using technology to create more personal service</p><p>• Building a specialty wedding gown division</p><p>• Growing sales by 145% in four years</p><p>• Hiring leaders and stepping back as an owner</p><p>• Rebuilding after losing the plant in a fire</p><p>• Being diagnosed with cancer weeks after the fire</p><p>• Targeting affluent neighborhoods using customer data</p><p>• Building adoption inside specific neighborhoods</p><p>• The good and bad of operating a family business</p><p>• Preparing the next generation for ownership</p><p>• Why struggling owners must continue to show up</p><p></p><p>Subscribe for more conversations with operators, founders, and leaders across the garment care industry.</p><p></p><p>Cleaner Conversations is built to highlight the people, stories, and ideas moving the garment care industry forward.</p><p></p><p>Cleaner Marketing is a full-service agency with more than 40 employees built specifically to serve the garment care industry. We help cleaners grow through marketing strategy, websites, SEO, paid advertising, reviews, customer retention, and pickup and delivery growth.</p><p></p><p>Learn more here:</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://api.cleaner.marketing/widget/bookings/cleanermarketingstrategymeeting" target="_blank">https://api.cleaner.marketing/widget/bookings/cleanermarketingstrategymeeting</a></p><p></p><p>Music licensed through Soundstripe.</p><p>Code: L0AZNBKBJEEVY8Y9</p>