This Is Carolina: High school student starts his own pressure washing company

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - The pressure is on for 18-year-old Caleb Droll who balances school and his own company, pressure washing homes and driveways.

He started his business with one goal in mind.

“Just to save for college. Going to Georgetown Tech next year for some basic business courses,” said Droll.

The teen’s hard work ethic began at just 14 years old when he worked for his parent’s granite company in Socastee and other jobs with his father.

“I helped my dad pressure wash our house several years ago. Then I started doing my family’s and a couple of my friends. I kind of liked it, so I decided to start doing it myself,” Droll explained.

His ambition has turned into a profitable one. He made almost $30,000 so far, which was enough to buy a truck and professional-grade equipment.

“I purchased a commercial pressure washer which has hot water. Bought the trailer, the tank and the company we use hooked it up for us,” he said.

Droll then hooked it up for WMBF News, so we can see him in action.

It’s a lengthy process for one person that doesn’t always go off without a hitch. But, once the kinks are out, he wastes no time pre-treating and pressure washing the Hardie board siding, before giving us a lesson on how to pressure wash the driveway.

“It’s a really satisfying job seeing the before and after. It doesn’t take a lot of time to see that. I guess it keeps my mind busy. You get to deal with a lot of different people, you get to meet a lot of people. I guess I enjoy that too,” he said.

Droll said he enjoys the job so much, that he’s thinking about turning his business into a career after college.

“We’re going to have a website design and my truck is going to be wrapped in the next couple of months.”

He’s also ramping up his marketing signs with a new name and logo called, Paragon Pro-wash. He then read the definition.

“It’s a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality,” said Caleb. “It took weeks and weeks to come up with that name. Actually, my mom recommended it to me and I kind of liked it, so it stuck and that’s what we’ve been going off since.”

Droll said his family is proud of what he’s accomplished so far, and he encourages other teens to become entrepreneurs, as well.

“It really does teach you a lot of hard work. It really humbles you when you have to see what a business is actually like and how much things actually cost,” he said. “I really do enjoy it so I don’t see it as being hard work. It does make me proud. It does make me feel good inside.”

It’s his hardworking spirit that makes him part of This Is Carolina.

Call 843-798-1146 if you’d like to hire Droll for a pressure washing job.

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