Franchisee Stories
Nick Harris and his father have spent a decade expanding their Tide Services business across Nevada and Utah. Now they're preparing to open their 12th location in Henderson.
When Nick Harris and his father invested in Tide Services in 2015, they weren't looking to build a large franchise operation overnight. They wanted a business they could grow steadily, without the stress Harris had experienced in his previous career.
A decade later, their 50/50 partnership operates 11 Tide Services locations across Nevada and Utah, with a 12th scheduled to open this fall at 865 East Lake Mead Parkway in Henderson, Nevada. Harris credits what he calls his "slow dime" philosophy, which emphasizes sustainable growth over quick returns. With district managers overseeing operations in each market and a deliberate approach to real estate, the father-son team has expanded its business one location at a time.
With the Henderson opening approaching, Harris spoke with 1851 Franchise to discuss the decisions behind the partnership’s expansion and what he’s learned about managing a growing franchise operation. Here’s what he had to say:
1851 Franchise: Tell us your story in one sentence.
Nick Harris: Alongside my father in a 50/50 partnership, I’ve built an 11-unit Tide Services footprint across Nevada and Utah over the past decade, trading corporate stress for long-term operational stability and community recognition.
1851: What was happening in your life that made you realize it was time to make a change?
Harris: Back in 2015, I was looking for a career path that provided a much better work-life balance and significantly reduced daily stress. I wanted to build something sustainable alongside my father where we could own our time, run a clean operation and provide an essential service to local neighborhoods.
1851: Why did you choose this franchise over every other opportunity?
Harris: We intentionally favored what I call the "slow dime" profitability model over the fast, immediate returns typical of food-based franchises that often come with high overhead and relentless chaos. Tide Services offered an iconic, trusted national name paired with a reliable, essential service model. It gave us the exact foundation we needed to build a long-term multi-unit portfolio across two states.
1851: What is it really like owning a Tide Services franchise?
Harris: It requires a smart operational structure and active leadership. Today we manage 11 locations — six in Las Vegas and five in Utah — and we’re getting ready to open our 12th in Henderson. We rely on district managers in each market and a rotating operations manager, and I make on-site visits to every market roughly every two weeks. It’s hands-on management, but with the right team and real estate strategy in place, it provides fantastic balance.
1851: How has owning this franchise changed your life?
Harris: It allowed me to build a thriving family business with my dad that continues to expand. Winning awards like "Best of State" in Utah and seeing our team recognized in our communities shows that focusing on quality work and steady growth pays off.
1851: If your best friend had enough money to buy this franchise tomorrow, what would you tell them?
Harris: Focus heavily on real estate and location fundamentals from day one. Ingress, egress and being directly adjacent to where customers run their daily errands are critical factors for success. Combine great real estate with an iconic brand like Tide, and you have a winning strategy.
1851: What's the one thing you wish someone had told you before you bought this franchise?
Harris: Be prepared to adjust your initial timeline and profitability expectations post-launch. Growth is a continuous learning curve, but sticking to proven operational systems ensures long-term profitability.
ABOUT TIDE SERVICES:
If it's got to be clean, it's got to be Tide for consumers in the home and outside the home. Tide Services, a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble, is the only out-of-home laundry brand that cleans and cares for all consumers' clothes through a national network of expert franchisees, powered by the most trusted brand in the history of fabric care. Together, our Tide Cleaners and Tide Laundromat experiences deliver a full suite of cleaning services with a combined 220+ stores and additional access points like delivery, lockers and campus laundry. For more information, visit tidecleaners.com, tidelaundromat.com or tidefranchise.com for franchising opportunities.
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