Episode 179 – Cleaning Business Success and How to Get It
Successful Cleaning Business Ideas
Episode 179 Robert Landers RL Commercial Systems
On today’s show/ blog, Mike helps Robert Landers, owner of RL Commercial Systems achieve cleaning business success by transitioning from day to day operations to and executive roll.
Robert, like many of you in Cleaning Nation has a tough time letting go. His business is his baby and it is scary to delegate and trust employees with his beautiful baby business.
RESOURCE ALERT: Click HERE for more on getting cleaning business success by transitioning out of day to day operations
Like so many other aspects of cleaning business success, it is first a mental shift first and then a change in action. Owners of cleaning companies often just want the “secret sauce” to transitioning out of day to day operations, but you have to start with HOW you look at your business.
The first deal killer is the myth of working harder or more hours = more money. Many of you were born poor like Mike and grew up equating time spent with money earned.
Cleaning business success comes from increasing the QUALITY of your work- NOT the quantity. Your compensation is based on the value you bring to the world, regardless of how much time it takes you.
KEY POINT: More hours does NOT equal more money or more cleaning business success
As long as you have that mental sabotage telling you it’s not fair that you get paid even when you don’t work- you never will…
If the hardest working people got paid the most, coal miners would be rich and politicians would be broke. As unfair as it is, you have to deal with reality on realities terms.
Once you have the right mindset, it’s time to put some systems and habits in place. Habits and systems run your life. They are at work as you read this. You may not have intentionally chosen the systems you are using, but they determine your cleaning business success all the same.
KEY POINT: Good or bad- systems run your life
Be intentional about your systems and habits you allow in your life. Record what you do on a daily basis. You will be surprised how much time is wasted on low value/ non CEO type activity. Intentionally start weeding out the low value tasks and replacing them with high level activity.
An excellent way to be effective is to create “boxes” to put your time in. When you want to start working ON your business instead of IN it, schedule time for high level activities like:
Creating systems
Working on company culture
Building relationships with high level clients
When you box time for these tasks that is the ONLY thing you are doing. No distractions, no exceptions. Eliminate things like:
Texts
Facebook messenger
Phone calls
Email
People walking in and interrupting
HINT: Work from Starbucks and leave your phone in the car
What about all the “emergencies” that you miss while doing the important tasks? No problem, just put a box around some time specifically to catch up on returning calls, texts and emails.
RESOURCE ALERT: Click HERE for a more in depth video on boxing your time!
Start looking at your time like money. If you don’t budget your money and tell it where to go, you will end up wondering where it went (full disclosure- Mike stole that right from Dave Ramsey). Decide on where you want to invest your time and box it or budget it, just like you do your money.
You will have more cleaning business success and more success in general when the majority of your time is spent doing things that you do once and get paid on forever- figuring out how to bring more value to your customers, clarifying your messaging to employees, building systems. All things you do once and get paid on forever.
Stay away from low level work. Things you stop getting paid the second you stop performing the work:
Paying bills
Making schedules
Checking on employees
Fixing vacuums
Start small. If you just spend 5-10 focused (boxed) hours a week on high value activities, your cleaning business success will come much faster than your competitors who are putting out fires 80 hours/ week.
Before the fun ends, Mike gives his guest the opportunity to share their experience and knowledge with you. He asks three quick questions and gets three amazing answers in the…
Lightning Round:
Best advice you’ve received either personally or professionally?
The only difference between cleaners and pro athletes is pro athletes have found their God given talent. They practice, work at it and don’t give up. Do the same and one day someone will be asking you for your autograph!
What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made in the cleaning business we can all learn from?
Don’t bite off more than you can chew
What one thing Cleaning Nation can do today to improve their lives or their business?
Call your competitors