Episode 1314 – How to Build a $1M Cleaning Business Working Less Than 15 Hours/Week
Want to grow your cleaning business fast while working less? In this episode, Mike Campion breaks down how to go from overworked owner to empowered coach. You’ll learn when (and who) to hire, how to train your team the right way, and why “thin slicing” your roles is a game-changer. Mike shares his proven system to build a team that runs your business — so you can focus on the big stuff. If you’re still cleaning, scheduling, or answering phones, this is your wake-up call. Get ready to work smarter, build stronger systems, and lead like a boss.
How to Grow Your Cleaning Biz Without Working Crazy Hours
Mike Campion wants you to grow your cleaning company fast — while working less than 15 hours a week. Sounds wild, right? The secret? You stop being the “do-it-all” person and start being the coach of your business. That means your job is to set the vision, build the team, and let your people run the plays. Don’t clean. Don’t schedule. Don’t fly the whole plane and serve peanuts too. Be the coach. Let your systems and team do the heavy lifting.
Hire Smarter, Not Harder
Most owners hire when they’re “just busy.” But Mike says nope! — instead, hire when a task you don’t like is stealing time from your “big boss” work. Start by getting out of cleaning for real — not “I only clean when someone calls out.” Then move on to things like scheduling, phone answering, and bookkeeping. Always hire with purpose, not panic. And remember: your new hires need to fit your company’s values — not just fill a seat.
Build a Rockstar Team Step-by-Step
Mike breaks training down into a simple system. First, your new hire watches you. Then you watch them. Then they check someone else’s work. Finally, they train the next person. Sounds easy, right? It works because it keeps the standards high from day one. And here’s the kicker: people learn best when they teach. So don’t wait months to let them train someone — do it early and smart, while you can keep an eye on things.
Thin Slice Your Roles (Like a Pizza!)
Don’t dump random tasks on one “catch-all” person. That creates chaos and makes your business fragile. Mike calls this “thin slicing.” Hire each person for one clear job — like just scheduling, or just accounting. That way, if someone leaves, you’re not scrambling. You can plug someone new into the exact system. It’s cleaner (pun intended), simpler, and way easier to manage.
Your Real Job Is Building the Machine
Here’s the truth bomb: when you are doing the work, you are the bottleneck. Your real job is to build a team and systems that run without you. The best cleaning companies don’t need the owner to be Superman. They need the owner to be the coach, the vision-caster, the systems-builder. Do that, and not only can you take vacations — your company might just grow faster without you in the way.