After talking about it with his friends and family, Padilla said he decided he could do it better, and shortly thereafter Austin Steam It was born.
When he first started Steam It in 2007 with just a pickup truck, a trailer and a few classes on carpet cleaning, Padilla said he was not sure it would work out.“I was thinking, ‘I’ll start my own business, serve my community and I’m young enough that if it fails, I’ll be OK,’” Padilla said.
The onset of the 2008 recession less than a year after Padilla started his business further shook his confidence, but Steam It ended up gaining traction in spite of the challenges.“Actually, it worked out really well. My first year was great,” Padilla said.
Initially Steam It only offered carpet cleaning, and Padilla said he had no plans to do anything else.
However, Padilla’s regular customers began to ask if he could clean their tile as well, so he learned to clean tile.
Over time, the requests continued to build, Padilla continued to accommodate them, and today the range of services at Steam It includes carpet, tile, air duct and upholstery cleaning.
“My customers drove this business into all the different things we do,” Padilla said.As the list of services at Steam It has grown, Padilla said so, too, has the business itself.
What was originally a solo endeavor that Padilla managed out of his pickup truck is now a business with seven employees and a fleet of five vans.
The COVID-19 pandemic stalled growth somewhat, forcing the business to scale back from 12 employees, but Padilla said his experience dealing with the recession prepared him to face pandemic-related challenges.
Padilla said after 15 years, his favorite part of running Steam It has been getting to know his regular customers as well as growing his clientele.
Steam It serves customers across a large area of Central Texas. The bulk of his clients are in Travis and Williamson counties, but Padilla said the growth has not stopped him from developing and maintaining those relationships.
“Most of my regular customers don’t even schedule online; they just text me,” Padilla said. “In 15 years, you make a lot of friends.” Austin Steam It
4701 Priem Lane, Ste. C3, Pflugerville
512-202-3808
https://austinsteamit.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.,
Sat.-Sun. by appointment only
