Meet The Owners
Tell us more about you. Your educational background, family, pets, hobbies
Carter and Leslie met in college at the University of Arkansas. Carter grew up in Central Arkansas and Leslie grew up in Memphis, TN before moving to Bentonville, Arkansas. Since graduating college and getting married, they have lived in several of the cities that make up Northwest Arkansas. They love all that the area has to offer, raising their four amazing kids and at least a couple of rescue dogs! As a family, they spend lots of time outside, playing basketball, soccer, pickleball, connecting through church, and enjoying the growing number of family and friends in their community.
How long have you lived in the area where you will be servicing? What is your favorite thing about the area?
Leslie has been in NWA since 2000 and Carter since 2005. We love the small town charm of our area, the nods to history, the protected and amazingly maintained green spaces and trail systems. We love that those are all a priority while still incorporating big town ambition and supporting our inevitable growth. We’ve seen a lot of change happen here in the last 25 years and we’re proud and grateful to call it home. We love our local church, the activities our kids keep us busy with, and building a life that balances hard work and lots of fun with the people we love.
What were the reasons/motivations that prompted you to start your own business? What is the most exciting thing about your new business venture?
We’re always up for something new and exciting! We look for opportunities to take on a challenge, teach our kids valuable life lessons, create value for our family, and tackle new adventures. Needing these services ourselves and recognizing that our peers and community also need these service lines, we started exploring if that was a space where we could meet needs and thrive doing it. Starting this business seemed like a good opportunity to utilize our skills and connections, creating value for our family in the short and long term. Our area continues to grow (+38 people daily) and we want the opportunity to grow with it, hopefully becoming the leading exterior enhancement company in Northwest Arkansas!
Tell us about the area you’ll be operating in. What is it like? Does it have unique features that you consider special? Any key landmarks, rivers, mountains, historical sites, points of interest? Please list all.
Northwest Arkansas is a vibrant and fast-growing region nestled in the scenic Ozark Mountains, known for its rolling hills, rivers, and extensive trail systems. Examples of popular activities around here are hiking at Devil’s Den, world class mountain biking at Coler or the Back 40, and kayaking the Buffalo River. This is paired with a thriving arts and culinary scene anchored by world-class institutions like Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, 21C Museum Hotel, The Walton Arts Center, and The Walmart AMP outdoor amphitheater. The area is home to major companies including Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt, and is quickly becoming a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. With top-ranked schools like the University of Arkansas, and a strong sense of community, it’s a great place for families and professionals alike. Go Hogs!
Are there any charities and/or community organizations you donate to, participate in, or support? If so, which ones?
Fellowship Bible Church. Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter. Helping Hands. Children’s Advocacy Center. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Best Friends Animal Society. Sharing and Caring of Benton County. Samaritan Community Center. We’re also currently exploring which BNI group(s) to join.
What will make your Sparkle Squad business different from other local competitors?
We recently had our windows washed by a competitive franchise to see what the experience was like. We walked away thinking the experience was affordable, but overall, unmemorable. Our hope is to train our staff and customers to tell the story that Sparkle Squad uses differentiated technology to provide unmatched results. Beyond the story of quality, our attention to our customers’ needs should leave them feeling like our team is part of their yearly or monthly routine to enhance their lives in the most positive way possible.
Can you provide us with one quote that summarizes how you plan on servicing your community as a Sparkle Squad business?
Maya Angelou – People may forget what you said, and forget what you did, but they will never forget the way you made them feel.
If we can make a customer FEEL glad to have hired us and proud of their home (it looks better, smells better, and took something off of their to-do list), we will win that customer for life.