About Us

Col and Rose Nation started a small carpet cleaning business in 1982. It grew into a much larger operation with several employees.  During this time they also started a separate Persian rug cleaning business and a fabric protection business. All three businesses ran concurrently.

In 1998 they sold their three businesses in Brisbane and “semi-retired” to the Sunshine Coast. Well that was the plan, but after a few months of taking it easy, the passion of business called again. Rose ventured back into the retail industry and took on a position of operations manager for a shop that grew into a multi-million dollar business.  Col’s vast experience in textile maintenance led him to start a specialty cleaning consulting and stain removal service which still operates today and has been taken over by their daughter and her partner. Go to Abbsolve Services to get an idea of the specialty work we do.

Col and Rose realized that the special skills that have helped them prosper should be passed on to others. Nation Training was developed to help share these special skills to help new generations succeed.

Rose Nation: “My career includes a strong grounding in the service and retail industries. This includes human resources, customer service, training development and small business management. Using this experience, I have created programs aimed at helping people turn their passion into profit. I deliver no-nonsense training to teach you simple and practical skills that you can use in your business immediately.

My training style is like a friendly, fun conversation that will have you learning with laughter and excitement that will leave you feeling motivated and empowered.  My qualifications include Diploma in Business Management, Cert IV in Small Business Operations and Management, and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment plus a lifetime of experience in both the service and retail industries.”

Colin Nation: “I am a carpet cleaning industry veteran with a strong technical and practical background. I am committed to sharing my knowledge and experience to help individuals and companies achieve their goals. 

As a fully qualified industry trainer (Certificate IV in Training and Assessment) I believe that hands on experience with guidance from a very experienced operator is the best way to learn. A trainer cannot  teach experience, but you can learn from my 39 years of hands on industry experience. My upholstery and carpet cleaning training style is relaxed and fun, with loads of hands on activities because I understand that most people in service industries such as carpet cleaning are hands-on learners. The training that I offer is based on real life experience that I will share with you.”

Col’s current industry experience also includes:

1. Standards Australia committees TX9 & TX23 responsible for writing Australian standards for carpet and upholstery industries.
2. Consultant to the carpet industry, solving problems for carpet manufacturers, retailers and insurance companies, carpet and upholstery cleaning businesses and consumers.
3. WoolSafe Registered Inspector. Inspection, testing and writing reports to help solve problems related to carpet and upholstery.
4. Carpet Arbitrator. Through the Carpet Institute of Australia, Colin is called on by carpet manufacturers, Carpet Retailers and consumers to make legally binding decisions in carpet related disputes.
5. WoolSafe Trainer. Providing professional carpet cleaning training (and upholstery training) to the highest level of independent certification available for the carpet cleaning industry. The WoolSafe Organisation certifies cleaning products for use on wool as well as certifying operators who clean wool carpet and upholstery.