Building a Stronger Pressure Washing Business: How Berry Little Advocates for Smarter Operations and Sustainable Growth
- PWNA
- 6 minutes ago
- 5 min read
In an industry often driven by equipment upgrades and short-term wins, long-term success in pressure washing comes down to something far more important: operating procedures, consistency, and smart client acquisition.
Few contractors understand this better than Berry Little, owner of Little’s Pressure Washing in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and a PWNA Enterprise Member who has spent the last decade building, refining, and protecting a real-world service business.
Berry is widely recognized within the pressure washing community as an industry advocate—someone who believes that professionalism, structure, and education are just as critical as cleaning results. His approach reflects a growing shift in the industry: moving away from “figure it out as you go” and toward repeatable systems that protect both the contractor and the customer.
Ten Years in the Field: Experience That Shapes Better Decisions
Berry Little’s approach to pressure washing operations is the result of long-term, hands-on experience rather than linear growth. Before starting Little’s Pressure Washing in 2015, Berry spent approximately ten years working in the industry on a part-time basis while holding other jobs. During that period, he operated a detailed shop in Tennessee and gained early exposure to service-based operations and customer expectations.
His path into exterior cleaning began with automotive detailing, progressed into fleet washing, and ultimately evolved into residential and commercial pressure washing. After stepping away from the industry for a period, Berry returned in 2015 and launched Little’s Pressure Washing, operating under the same business name since its inception.
Across more than a decade of combined part-time and full-time experience, Berry has encountered the full range of operational challenges common to the industry—pricing pressure, workforce development, customer expectations, equipment risk, and liability exposure. Rather than treating these challenges as isolated events, he has consistently used them to identify gaps in structure and documentation. That experience informs his emphasis on defined operating procedures, verification, and risk mitigation at every stage of service delivery.
Operating Procedures as Risk Mitigation
One of the most frequent issues Berry identifies among newer contractors is the absence of defined SOPs. Informal workflows may appear efficient in the short term, but they often lead to inconsistent results, preventable safety exposure, and customer disputes. Documented procedures allow businesses to deliver consistent service regardless of technician, reduce callbacks, improve property protection, and support long-term operational continuity. Create a business that can grow beyond the owner
Berry’s perspective reinforces a simple truth: good systems don’t slow you down—they protect your momentum.
Client Acquisition Without Chasing Every Job
That same discipline extends to client acquisition. Rather than pursuing volume or price-driven work, Berry emphasizes qualification, expectation management, and professional communication. Clear scope definitions, documented follow-up, customer education, and the willingness to decline high-risk or misaligned jobs contribute to stronger client relationships and more defensible operations. Advocacy Through Action
PWNA Interview: What a Decade in Business Actually Teaches You
As a PWNA Enterprise Member, Berry Little represents the type of contractor the industry needs more of: experienced, reflective, and willing to share lessons learned. His advocacy is rooted in real experience—not theory—and focuses on helping the next generation of contractors avoid common pitfalls while building businesses they can be proud of.
Berry Little’s approach is shaped by direct operational experience rather than theory. The observations he shares—about systems, risk management, and client qualification—come from years of field execution, documented outcomes, and process refinement.
In the following interview, Berry expands on these principles by addressing real operational decisions, lessons learned over more than a decade in business, and the standards he believes contractors should prioritize to build resilient, compliant pressure washing operations.
1. Looking back over the last decade, what would you say was your biggest win as a business owner and why?
My biggest win has been learning that you don’t build something meaningful by chasing
everything. I don’t chase, I attract. You attract who you are. When you build strong systems and a healthy culture, the right people and the right clients naturally follow. The business becomes an engine that supports everyone involved, not just the owner.
2. What was one hard lesson or loss that significantly changed how you operate your business today?
I learned that speed without structure creates chaos. Early mistakes taught me that clarity,
documentation, and culture protect people and profits. Systems reduce stress, improve
consistency, and allow a business to grow without burning everyone out.
3. If you could go back to year one, what is one thing you would do differently from an operations or systems standpoint?
I would build systems and culture immediately. I would document how we operate, how we
communicate, and how we reward performance from day one. Systems create freedom, and
culture keeps people aligned.
4. What operating procedures do you believe every pressure washing business should have in place, no matter how small they are?
Clear procedures for estimating, safety, chemical handling, job execution, documentation, and
follow-up. Even a one-truck operation needs structure. Consistency builds trust, and trust builds growth.
5. What are the most common mistakes you see newer contractors making that could be avoided with better planning or education?
Chasing every job, competing on price, and ignoring culture. People want more than a job. They want to belong to something. Education and planning help owners build teams instead of just filling positions.
6. How has your approach to client acquisition evolved over the years, and what has proven to be most effective long-term?
We focus on relationships, not transactions. We treat customers like family, provide white-glove service, and over-deliver every single time. Our best marketing has always been our customers. We have built our company entirely through referrals and word of mouth. We have never run paid ads.
7. What advice would you give contractors who feel pressure to compete on price instead of value?
The race to the bottom never leads anywhere good. Value attracts better clients and better team members. When you operate with integrity, professionalism, and consistency, price becomes secondary.
8. For someone starting a pressure washing business today, what are the top things to avoid if they want to build something sustainable?
Avoid shortcuts. Avoid neglecting systems and culture. Avoid building a business that depends entirely on you. Empower people with the right tools, create ownership through performancebased pay and bonuses, and give them something bigger to be part of. People don’t want just a job. They want purpose.
Systems Aren't Red Tape—They're Freedom
Berry Little's story isn't about shortcuts or overnight success. It's about what happens when someone stops chasing every dollar and starts building something real—something that protects clients, supports a team, and actually works when the owner isn't on every job.
After more than a decade in the field, Berry's message is simple: systems aren't red tape. They're freedom. Culture isn't a buzzword. It's what keeps good people around. And competing on value instead of price isn't just smarter—it's the only way to build something that lasts.
The pressure washing industry is changing. Contractors who document their processes, invest in their people, and lead with professionalism aren't just protecting themselves—they're raising the bar for everyone. That shift doesn't happen in isolation. It happens when experienced operators like Berry share what they've learned and newer contractors are willing to listen.
PWNA Elevate: Build Smarter. Learn From Experience.
If Berry's approach resonates with you—whether you're just starting out or trying to level up an existing operation—there's no better place to connect with contractors who think this way than the PWNA/IWCA Elevate event in Orlando, Florida.
Elevate brings together the contractors, educators, and industry advocates who are actively building better businesses. It's where real conversations happen about systems, growth, risk management, and what actually works in the field. You'll walk away with actionable strategies, proven processes, and a network of people who understand what you're up against.
Don't build this alone. The lessons Berry spent a decade learning are available to you in a few days—if you show up. Join us at Elevate in Orlando. Learn from those who've already walked the path. Build something stronger. DoubleTree SeaWorld, Orlando, FL
February 18 - 20, 2026
Berry Little
Little’s Pressure Washing
1900 Webster Street
Muscle Shoals Alabama
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