When he graduated from Ashford University in 2009, Keith Caldwell went to work for his alma mater. But, he couldn’t quite shake a quote from his father.
“My dad always says that you can’t hire good help; you have to grow your own,” Caldwell said. “You can be very successful when you have the right team in place and have trust in your people.”
So Caldwell returned to the family business where he’d spent time since he was a child working and helping out. And they continue to “grow their own” when it comes to getting the right people. Founded by Caldwell’s grandfather and now run by his father, Russell Caldwell, CCSI International Inc. also employs Caldwell’s sister and uncle.
“All of us have our different functions, and we all mingle together,” Caldwell said.
As director of sales and marketing, Caldwell is primarily focused on the growth of the All Paws Pet Wash division of the business, which was launched in 2009.
In his role, he spends most of his time focused on business development, print and online advertising, as well as traveling to trade shows around the country to meet with distributors and customers.
“I love this industry,” Caldwell said. “I love our manufacturers, distributors and customers. There are so many great folks to get to know.”
And Caldwell thinks that in the next five to 10 years, the car wash industry will continue to attract more young people. “It’s just such an enjoyable place to be,” he said. “The car wash industry is not a fly-by-night industry. People are in it for decades.”
Which, for Caldwell, is exactly the draw. “This industry takes a lot of time investment, no matter which area you’re talking about,” he said. “But all of us enjoy our customers, whether it’s people who are thrilled to have a clean car or a clean dog, because customers walk away with a sense of joy and pride.”
Another draw? Being in the car wash business keeps him on his toes. “We love solving people’s problems,” Caldwell said. “We try to bring solutions to every problem to the table.”
Solving customer problems and being flexible to change is what has helped CCSI International stay strong through a number of economic ups and downs through the last 50-plus years.
“With the most recent economic downturn, there were a lot of companies who had to scale back, but we were fortunate to be one of the few who didn’t have to do that,” Caldwell said. “We were able to launch new products, like All Paws Pet Wash.”
According to Caldwell, All Paws Pet Wash was possible because of the way CCSI International does business. “Being flexible to change is critical,” Caldwell said. “We know that always making changes and being up to date by listening to customers and being resilient is the biggest part of being successful.”
CCSI International started as a manufacturer of swimming pool enclosures and open-roof systems. Eighteen years ago, the company transitioned into the car wash business through New Horizons Car Wash, creating modular car wash structures that are fully customized based on the customer’s needs.
And now, looking forward, Caldwell sees plenty of opportunity.
“People are doing a lot of extensions to their existing buildings, giving owners the ability to do something quick and inexpensive,” he said. “More and more, I’m seeing people renovating existing sites to add new revenue streams. Adding a pet wash, which takes such a small footprint, can certainly be an asset.”
Keith works for the family business, founded by his grandfather more than 50 years ago. Here he’s pictured at 13 years old, spending time working and helping out. “My dad always says that you can’t hire good help; you have to grow your own,” Caldwell said.