Episode 1280 – The Free Clean Strategy That Skyrocketed This Cleaning Company
Brakken and Nikkie Barben took a leap and bought a cleaning business with zero experience — and instantly hit chaos. In this episode, they share how they went from losing their whole team to building a growing, profitable company. With the help of coaching, smarter pricing, and the surprisingly powerful “free clean” offer, they turned things around fast. Nikkie went from burnout to boss mode, and Brakken finally had real numbers that made sense. Tune in to hear how they doubled their client base, hired a second team, and had their best month ever. If you’re stuck or stressed in your cleaning business, this episode is your sign to make a change.
From Sales Meetings to Scrubbing Toilets
Brakken and Nikkie Barben weren’t born cleaning pros. In fact, they jumped into the industry by surprise when a neighbor decided to sell her cleaning company. With zero experience, they bought TidyCo and suddenly found themselves as business owners. Brakken had a corporate gig and Nikkie was managing home life, so when they lost all their staff right after buying the business… it got messy fast.
Things Got Worse Before They Got Better
The couple quickly learned the business wasn’t as advertised. Every employee quit. The systems were weak. Nikkie called it a “hamster wheel” – and not the cute kind. They wanted to grow but had no idea how. Clients were stuck, staff were hard to keep, and the stress? Through the roof. Nikkie was burned out and ready to walk away. Brakken was holding it together but knew something had to change.
Enter the Game-Changer: Coaching
That’s when they found Mike Campion and the Grow My Cleaning Company team. Scared? You bet. Nikkie was nervous about the cost. But as Mike told them: doing nothing would keep them stuck forever. They bit the bullet. With help, they raised their prices, learned real systems, and stopped undercharging. Best of all? They finally felt like real business owners — not just cleaners with a fancy name.
The Free Clean Secret Sauce
One of the boldest moves they made? Offering free cleans to new clients. At first, it sounded crazy. But it worked. BIG TIME. They’ve now done 15 free cleans — and every single one turned into a paying, recurring client. Some even added deep cleans for extra revenue. Nikkie and Brakken went from begging for clients to choosing who they want to work with. That’s power.
From Burnout to Boss Mode
Now, Nikkie says she feels “empowered” — no longer drained and drowning. They’ve doubled their client base, hired a second team, and are having their best month ever. The kids are happier, the house is calmer, and Bracken doesn’t have to drag Nikkie through business talks anymore. Their message? Don’t wait. Get help, do the hard stuff, and take your business from hot mess to huge success.