Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Fields.
Hi Jeff, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born on third base — my family was in the car wash business, so in a lot of ways I grew up in it. For a long time, I wanted nothing to do with it. The Fields family are serial entrepreneurs going back generations. It started in 1947 with a laundromat, moved into dry cleaning, and (by the late 1960s) into car washing. I grew up around all of it, went off to school, and figured I’d do my own thing.
Then in the early 2000s my dad called me back to help him. I came back to Bowling Green, Kentucky, and around the same time — 2003 — my daughter was born. That combination set me on the path I’ve been on for the last 20 years: fully dedicated to washing cars and building in this industry.
I built my first one with a partner. Got a little lucky, left my dad, started a detail shop, found a partner, got an SBA loan, and opened my first wash in Owensboro, Kentucky. The second came in 2013, then a third, fourth, fifth, sixth — I grew to six on my own by 2020, and sold two that year.
Along the way I developed a proprietary process to outperform other car washes: fabricating our own tools and dialing in a high-quality method that gets a cleaner, faster, drier car than anyone else. In 2022 we opened one of the most modern car washes in America, right here in Bowling Green. Now we’re looking to carry that growth into Nashville, Tennessee, and beyond — and we’re actively looking for real estate partners and investors to do it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No — it has not been a smooth road. There have been many struggles and obstacles along the
way. What I tell people is simple:
Keep going. Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.”
That’s one of my favorite sayings, and it has held true more times than I can count.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Cheetah Clean Auto Wash?
(OR ARTIST)
Cheetah Clean Auto Wash is a high-touch, premium, fast car wash service. We pair the speed people want with a level of quality and care most washes can’t match, and it shows — most of our stores carry a 4.9 to 5-star rating. Our flagship location at 2311 Cave Mill Station in Bowling Green, Kentucky is one of the most modern car washes in America, featuring a dual-belted interior cleaning setup, employing up to 75 people, and running as arguably one of the busiest car washes, dollar for dollar, in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Our offerings span the full range: soft-cloth washes, touchless washing, and full automotive detailing. We also operate a discount brand, Cub Express, for customers who want a great wash at a value price. Whatever the format, we’re known for one thing — a high level of service.
Andy Warhol said that making money is art, and working is art, and good business is the best art. That’s exactly how I see it, and it’s why I categorize myself as an artist.
What sets us apart is our proprietary, high-quality process — including tools we fabricate ourselves — that delivers a cleaner, faster, drier car than anyone else. To me this is a craft, and the car is the canvas. What I’m most proud of is that we’ve built something people come back to and stay with, grounded in three generations of operating discipline and a genuine obsession with getting it right.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory was probably playing football and winning a championship — we took the Toy Bowl. It was such an exciting time. The coaching was great, and being part of that team, working toward something together and coming out on top, is something that’s stuck with me ever since.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.cheetahclean.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheetahclean/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheetahcleanautowash/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cheetahcleanautowash/
- Twitter: https://x.com/cheetahclean?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cheetahcleanautowash4559
