Episode 756 – Advice for Beginners
Welcome, Cleaning Nation! Today on the podcast, we have Sarah of New Broom. She started her cleaning company very recently in October 2021 (we’re currently in January of 2022) in Brainerd Lakes Minnesota after cleaning at a resort herself, and saw the need for consistent cleaners so decided to start her own company and provide that service. Listen in as she talks to Mike about the first steps to getting her business going, best practices for hiring, and advice for getting momentum in her newly started business.
Don’t Make Short Term Rentals Your Bread and Butter
Currently, Sarah mostly cleans AirBnbs and VRBO vacation properties niching herself in that category. While these can be a great revenue source in peak season, they are very seasonal. Meaning you can be so busy you have a hard time finding enough help for a few months out of the year only to be totally dead the other 9 months. It’s hard to systemize and expand with that model. Mike recommends only having 25% of total income coming from that revenue source and the bulk coming from recurring residential clients to keep things more stable and predictable.
When is the Right Time to Get out of Cleaning?
Though Sarah is a new business owner, she is already crystal clear that she doesn’t want to clean. She wants to run a business. She wants to know when is the right time to get out of cleaning. Mike’s answer is of course, now. Yesterday. As soon as you can. In order to do that though, she needs a system that is going to serve her so that she can hire qualified cleaners who will help her build her business and contribute to her success rather than be stuck with whoever she can get to show up.
When You’re Starting Out, Find Someone Who Knows More Than You
Find a mentor who can show you the ropes. Someone who has done this before, and can teach you how to find the same success they have found. Understand that it takes money to make money. If you aren’t willing to invest in your business, it’s not going to grow. If you aren’t willing to invest in a system for hiring, you’re going to have what’s left in terms of employees. Create a work environment that focuses on core values rather than just an hourly rate and you’ll be more likely to find people you vibe with and who can be an asset to your team. From there, things will really start to move.
Final Takeaway: Start now to get systems in place that will set you up for a future of growth. Start now to get systems in place that will set you up for a future of growth.
Want to know more about these tools and what you can do to get out of your own way and improve your mindset? Go to growmycleaningcompany.com to listen to our FREE webinar or growmycleaningcompany.com/talk and book a call with one of our coaches. They will get you set up with all the tools, systems, and more to build the business you’ve always wan