Best friends start business to buy first car | Features

Like many teenagers, Nathan Young and Brody Long knew they wanted a car as soon as they could drive. 

The 16-year-old Mountain Ridge High School students explored small jobs, but they didn’t quite work out. Instead, they took their financial futures into their own hands and started a pressure-washing business to buy their first cars. 

“We both have dreams that we want to chase, so we started it,” Long said.

Young and Long began their power washing business in October, and after a slow start, they gained traction on social media. After doing research, they found that the East Coast has a much larger power washing business market than the West Coast because of the mold and mildew from rainfall. However, given the state’s dust, there is still a need for the service in Arizona. 

The pair pressure washes nearly anything for their clients, from patios and driveways to outdoor furniture and trash cans. They’ve already found several clients and are accepting jobs from across the West Valley.

“People didn’t know we were so young,” Long said. “You could tell they were shocked when they met us. I made them realize that there are kids out there trying to make things happen.”

Prices are determined after assessments, but trash cans cost between $20 and $40 each, depending on their size and dirtiness. 

Driveways average from $75 to $150, and anything exterior on the homes usually range from $250 to $350 for a two-story building.

“We come from very hard-working families, I’d say the American working class, and hard work is kind of just in our genes,” Long said.

“We want to do good for ourselves, and it’s something we enjoy. At first, when we started on our own property, doing driveways, trash cans, fences and stuff, it was a struggle at first learning how to use it. Once we got it down, it only picked up from there and made it better.”

The duo advertises on social media, utilizing Facebook groups to reach a broad audience in the Valley. The effort is working — one of Young’s first posts on Nov. 25 received over 40 comments and 140 reactions. 

“Nathan and Brody cleaned out both our cans which were in pretty bad shape and did an excellent job,” Julie Baumiller-Harrison posted on Facebook. 

“Priced well with big companies when you do one time service and not prescription. Great job, gentlemen and good luck with your business.”

Long hopes to buy an older Silverado truck, and Young is leaning toward an older truck as well. Through their online presence, the pair have seen adults compliment their initiative, and they hope their example encourages other teens to start a business.

“Don’t put it off if you want to get it done and start. Don’t procrastinate. At the end of the day, that’s what we mainly learned,” Young said.  

Nathan Young and Brody Long

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