Episode 1175 – Coaching Skeptic to Success Story: Claire’s Game-Changing Shift - Part 1
Meet Claire Bear, the Cleaning Company Owner Rockstar
Mike kicks off this episode with Claire Montgomery, aka “Claire Bear,” owner of Brilliant Spaces. Claire has been in the cleaning game for over a decade, and she and Mike share similar “nerdy” mindsets, which makes this episode packed with insights and laughs. If you don’t like Mike’s style, Claire’s probably not for you either, but if you’re here for some real talk about growing a cleaning business, buckle up!
Working Hard Isn’t Always Working Smart
Claire shared how she built her business through sheer hard work and word-of-mouth. But after running on fumes for years and surviving COVID, she realized the hustle wasn’t sustainable. Her workload was out of control—60 to 80 hours a week—and she hadn’t given herself a raise in who knows how long. It was time for a change. She knew she needed outside help to figure out how to make her business not just survive, but thrive.
Coaching: The Game-Changer
When Claire decided to reach out for coaching, it wasn’t easy. She had worked with coaches before, but none specific to her industry. She and her husband, Terry, sat down and realized they needed real, tactical advice—someone who understood the cleaning business and could give clear action steps to fix things. That’s when she found Mike, and although the initial conversation was a little uncomfortable (okay, a lot uncomfortable), it was clear that she needed to commit to making a big change.
Time to Take Imperfect Action
One of Claire’s biggest challenges? Being a perfectionist. She admitted that before coaching, she wouldn’t take action unless everything was perfectly lined up. But Mike helped her shift her mindset to “imperfect action is better than no action.” Now, she doesn’t let the need for perfection hold her back. She just gets started, trusting that she’ll learn and adjust along the way. This mindset change was a huge key to her success.
The Tough Love That Made It Happen
Mike recalls their first call as one of the toughest he’s had, with both Claire and her husband, Terry, being hesitant to dive in. But Mike pushed back—hard. He knew they needed this to succeed and fought for them to take the leap. In the end, Claire committed, and she hasn’t looked back since. Now, she’s reaping the rewards of working smarter, not harder, and her business is on a whole new level.
Stay tuned for part two, where Claire will dive into the specifics of what she did differently to make her business a success!