Episode 1179 – The Power of Prepayments, Systems, and Clients Who ‘Get It’: Cindy’s Game-Changing Moves
Starting Small and Dreaming Big
Cindy Friesen kicked off her cleaning business, “Cindy-rella’s Cleaning Service,” in 2014. Back then, it was just her, a few cleaning supplies, and a lot of hard work. By 2021, she started bringing on employees, but the road to success wasn’t exactly smooth. Based in Manitoba, Canada, Cindy worked mostly on residential homes, but the business wasn’t growing the way she wanted. Sound familiar?
Life Changes and Big Decisions
Cindy’s personal life was also in turmoil. She had been listening to the Grow My Cleaning Company podcast for years but felt stuck. Her spouse wasn’t supportive of investing in her business, which led to frustration and, eventually, a separation. Two months after the split, Cindy reached out for help. The timing was tough, but sometimes hitting rock bottom is the first step up. She realized that if she was going to make a living and support herself, she had to stop playing small and start thinking like a business owner.
Making Tough but Necessary Changes
One of Cindy’s first big shifts was in how she ran her business. She stopped doing things the hard way—like accepting payments after a cleaning was done, which often left her chasing down money. She also wasn’t charging enough. These were tough adjustments, but necessary. Cindy began charging clients upfront, adjusting her prices, and adding structure to her business with systems Mike taught. These changes weren’t flashy, but boy, did they make a difference!
From Chaos to Calm: Less Work, More Results
At first, Cindy was still juggling cleaning jobs and managing her team. She hired a manager but quickly realized that it was costing her too much for too little return. Once she switched to a simple scheduling system and hired a much cheaper scheduler, everything clicked into place. Cindy went from working 20 to 30 hours a week cleaning, to barely having to touch a mop. Now, she spends a few hours managing and enjoys her time while her business runs smoothly.
Mindset Shift = Massive Growth
One of the biggest surprises for Cindy wasn’t just the business growth but how much she enjoyed it. Her mindset shifted, thanks to working with both tactical business strategies and mindset coaching from Suzanne Bandick. Cindy also shared that in one month, she managed to close 82% of her bids, adding $5,100 in sales. The key? Confidence. Walking into sales calls believing they were hers to lose made all the difference. Cindy’s final piece of advice to Cleaning Nation: trust the process, invest in yourself, and stop playing small. You’re worth it!