Mr. Clean Comes Clean
Entrepreneur|May 2017

Pat Swisher was a brash young franchise titan until a stretch in federal prison changed the way he thought about business.

Greg Lacour
Mr. Clean Comes Clean

Pat Swisher used to carry himself with a cocky self-assurance. He figured it was his due for being a successful, self-made man. Then he went to jail.

“I’ll never forget walking into the dorm,” he says. The first person he met was a huge, heavily muscled inmate with gold teeth. Swisher is a former college football player, but he’s not an intimidating man—about 5-foot-9, with a carefully combed coif of reddish-gold hair. As the inmate approached, Swisher remembers thinking, This guy’s going to beat the hell out of me.

Instead, “he put his arm around me and said, ‘I got you, man. If anybody messes with you, tell ’em to come see me.’” Swisher chokes up at the memory. “It turned out that this was the most genuine, sweetest man I ever met. To this day, I love that man. He didn’t have a dime. All he wanted to do was get out so he could see his son play basketball. Excuse me.” Swisher reaches for a tissue.“So, yeah,” he says, composing himself. “That’s how you learn who you’re dealing with.

”That moment altered the way Swisher, 62, conducts business. A lifelong entrepreneur, he started Swisher Hygiene in 1983 in Charlotte, N.C., a pioneer in franchised hygiene services for commercial restrooms, mainly in restaurants and gas stations. By the early 2000s, he had shepherded the company into operations in 23 countries, serving more than 100,000 clients and with annual revenue of $22 million from his 140 units. He had a virtual lock on the market, deep-cleaning with proprietary chemicals and treatments to protect surfaces from bacteria, viruses, and odor that soap-and-water cleaning and standard disinfectants couldn’t kill. He was living large. “Big ego, pursuing a fast life and my own plans—you know what I’m talking about,” he says.

This story is from the May 2017 edition of Entrepreneur.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 2017 edition of Entrepreneur.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ENTREPRENEURView All
MY FAVORITE CUSTOMER
Entrepreneur US

MY FAVORITE CUSTOMER

For small, independent businesses, loyal patrons are benefactors, protectors, muses, and mascots. They make sure the show goes on. Here, three business owners celebrate an irreplaceable member of their community.

time-read
1 min  |
Startups - Spring 2024
Do You Say 'Yes' Enough?
Entrepreneur US

Do You Say 'Yes' Enough?

We don't give ourselves enough credit for trying. So let's start doing it right now.

time-read
2 mins  |
Startups - Spring 2024
He Does $10 Million-Plus in Sales
Entrepreneur US

He Does $10 Million-Plus in Sales

When Jeffrey Bell gave up horse training to buy a Floor Coverings International franchise, he wanted to get out ahead of his new pack. To do that, he had to learn to delegate.

time-read
2 mins  |
Startups - Spring 2024
How This Business Rookie Became a Top Seller
Entrepreneur US

How This Business Rookie Became a Top Seller

After competing in two Olympics, Cammile Adams dove headfirst into her second career - and became SafeSplash Swim School's #1 franchisee. Here's how.

time-read
2 mins  |
Startups - Spring 2024
How to Pick the Perfect Franchise For You
Entrepreneur US

How to Pick the Perfect Franchise For You

There are a lot of great brands out there. But that doesn't mean they're all a great fit.

time-read
2 mins  |
Startups - Spring 2024
Serving the Underserved
Entrepreneur US

Serving the Underserved

When Dennis Johnson opened a Pizza Ranch in Minnesota, he hoped to serve the nearby Native American communities in more ways than one.

time-read
2 mins  |
Startups - Spring 2024
When Life Is Preparation
Entrepreneur US

When Life Is Preparation

Vanesa Ellis was no expert on mosquitoes or lawn care. But as it turns out, something else made her the perfect fit for two home-care franchise brands.

time-read
2 mins  |
Startups - Spring 2024
Changing Careers? Consider Franchising.
Entrepreneur US

Changing Careers? Consider Franchising.

Here are five reasons why franchise ownership could be the right fit for you.

time-read
2 mins  |
Startups - Spring 2024
WRANGLING THE MANY-HEADED MONSTER
Entrepreneur US

WRANGLING THE MANY-HEADED MONSTER

For mom-and-pop business owners, just as inflation calms in one area of operations, it rears its head somewhere else. The best way to stay on top of it, experts say, is to stay flexible.

time-read
2 mins  |
Startups - Spring 2024
MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT
Entrepreneur US

MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT

There's no one way to market a small business. So how do you get the word out? Experts say you must experiment...and really stick with it.

time-read
2 mins  |
Startups - Spring 2024