Today on the podcast, we have Amy Collins of Cleen Sweep located in Pennsicola, Florida. Amy has been a business owner for 13 years and felt like she was getting taken advantage of by her employees. They were dictating how much she should pay them, how much she should charge for jobs and was making zero money at the end of all of it. After being tired of working hard and making no money, she was ready to make a change and came to Mike. Listen in to learn how she made the changes she needed to to take back control of her business and create the culture she wanted to.

What was happening to Amy is so common for business owners. However, being too nice without setting boundaries can lead to employees taking advantage of the situation. It’s important to understand that being kind and caring doesn’t mean you can’t set rules and boundaries for your employees. Just like with children, it’s important to provide love and grace while also setting boundaries to ensure they are treated well in society. By setting rules and boundaries, you are helping your employees in the long run, while also protecting your business.

The tables started to turn when Amy realized that the nicer she was to her employees, the more they would take advantage of her. She was afraid that if she was too strict, she would lose her employees, and also felt that she was just trying to be nice. This is a common problem in the cleaning industry, and that the solution lies in finding a balance between kindness and setting boundaries.

To get from a culture of entitlement to a positive culture, the first step is to focus on core values. This involves taking time to reflect on what kind of company you want to create and what values should drive that culture. This can be challenging, but it’s important to think through and identify what is truly important to you and your business. The next step is to communicate those core values to your employees and make sure they understand how they fit into the company culture. Lead by example and encourage everyone to work together to maintain a positive culture.

Separating emotions and identity from your business and setting core values can lead to a more fulfilling work experience and control over the business. By letting go of clients or employees that do not align with these values, you can establish boundaries and take control of your business. This can result in a more fulfilling work experience as you are able to give your best to the people and projects that align with your values.