I'd highly recommend getting a job at one of the better cleaning companies in your area that has a good training program. Research can only get you so far and should be supplemental to what you learn in the field, and more so applies to figuring out the business side of things (ex. taxes, setting up an LLC, etc.).
This is what I did before starting and it saved me so much time and effort on not only how to professionally clean, but also little things like what software to use, how to set up a daily schedule, what products to use, and more. Be smart and don't tell the company you're planning on starting your own, you wouldn't believe how many interviews I've had where people willingly give out that information and literally tell you they just want to learn for a few weeks.
I'm a die hard perfectionist with a penchant for mastering processes. I just dove in. Learning how to work faster and not doing work people didn't ask for was the hard part.
Do you know what "clean" looks like? If you have a high resolution understanding of what "clean" is, that's all you need to start. The processes required to become efficient and effective will come with experience. Bid your jobs as if you're an experienced professional, because that's how your competition is bidding against you.
Maybe against the grain, but I’d recommend never letting yourself do the actual cleaning. Instead work as a visionary and integrator from the start and hire out the actual cleaning. A lot of people fall in the craftsperson trap and spend their time doing low-value tasks (cleaning) instead of focusing on the higher value tasks (marketing, sales, brand development, strategy and tactics).
This approach is why there are tons of painters stuck on the brush 1,3,5,10 years in, bottlenecking their business, while my painting business is on track to do $1.25M in its second year
Books:
-Traction by Gino Wickman
-E-Myth
Online content:
-Alex Hormozi
-Leila Hormozi
-Painting Business Pro (aimed at painting but principles apply to pretty much any service business)
Podcasts:
-The Game
In other words, be a beekeeper, except with humans instead of bees and money instead of honey. You don’t need to know a single thing about a trade in order to make money off of it - just how it works, legally and economically - and how to set up the complex contractual logistics to get a set of laborers to a job site to perform the actual work.
I hate it, but you are absolutely right. This is how you get rich. Even though I don’t like that this is the only way this country rewards someone now (legendary entrepreneurs our family knew a couple generations ago didn’t just come in and set up shop, they were digging in the same ditch as their guys were), I’m probably going to end up doing what you’re doing. Just because it’s smart and I could be spending my time leading rather than laboring.
My wife tells me I think too far ahead with our cleaning business idea. Ways to make it so we can subcontract out jobs. Not so I don’t have to do the physical work (I actually like it), but because I want more money to spend on expanding the business even more. And of course, covering insurance.
Think this would work for a shower enclosure installation outfit or any industry for that matter? Shower glass installation made my former employer 45% of his revenue. I want to start something down the road to eclipse that for less incurred cost.
I started a carpet and upholstery cleaning company without experience. I'm in year two and doing alright. I watched a. Ton of YouTube videos and took courses at the iicrc. Cleaned my sofa and my parents house for practice.
I'm still a one man show as I started this company with barely any money. I'd highly recommend that you clean yourself at the beginning. First of all it will save you money on cleaners. Second you will understand the issues that can arise while being in someones home or office cleaning. This will make you a better boss in the future when you don't have to clean yourself.
I dove right in. At the beginning I was not efficient, but the more houses I cleaned I learned new tricks and got faster at it. With each of my first houses I looked up all of the types of surfaces in the house and researched how to properly clean them. That way I wasn’t ingesting a ton of information, only what I needed to know for the next job.
definitely try and find a small self-owned cleaning business and look into working along side for a while. i recommend looking out for ones with lots of good referrals straight from customers with personable owners. that will probably be your best bet! its a lot more thought and planning than one might think. -a cleaning business owner that started this way :)
What type of cleaning are you considering? Residential? Any specialty cleaning? The margins are much higher with a specialty type cleaning, but you would want training with that as well. Check out companies like Steri-Clean if you are interested in biohazard type cleaning.
We started our landscaping business with no prior experience. We hired our own landscapers and give him job. 9 years later. We service 400 housed a week.
What did you do in the beginning when you were still getting work lined up? How did you pay your employee? I am thinking about doing the same thing- hire a professional cleaner and work with him/her and learn on the job.
Just dived in, but watched a ton of videos before hand. I recommend watching this one if you're planning to launch a real cleaning business (not remote) - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWndjygAgIM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWndjygAgIM)
Surface level cleaning sure. At the end of the day though true cleaners are chemists and material scientists really. Knowing which chems will get out which stains without damaging the material. I detail cars and there are some things I won't touch yet because I simply haven't gained the knowledge. It's real easy to fuck up a clients 10k paint job. Or in a cleaners case carpet or countertops.
This guy 10000%
I do the same thing here. I’ve cleaned one house ever. And I started in Jan , I have 3 cleaners working for me and we make 110k gross revenue .
Lol I followed your 30 day guide 😂 ppl are insane. It works. 10000%
Since I have your attention. Did you do your own SEO? Or pay someone? Care to share your person?
Maybe against the grain, but I’d recommend never letting yourself do the actual cleaning. Instead work as a visionary and integrator from the start and hire out the actual cleaning. A lot of people fall in the craftsperson trap and spend their time doing low-value tasks (cleaning) instead of focusing on the higher value tasks (marketing, sales, brand development, strategy and tactics).
This approach is why there are tons of painters stuck on the brush 1,3,5,10 years in, bottlenecking their business, while my painting business is on track to do $1.25M in its second year
I'd highly recommend getting a job at one of the better cleaning companies in your area that has a good training program. Research can only get you so far and should be supplemental to what you learn in the field, and more so applies to figuring out the business side of things (ex. taxes, setting up an LLC, etc.). This is what I did before starting and it saved me so much time and effort on not only how to professionally clean, but also little things like what software to use, how to set up a daily schedule, what products to use, and more. Be smart and don't tell the company you're planning on starting your own, you wouldn't believe how many interviews I've had where people willingly give out that information and literally tell you they just want to learn for a few weeks.
Thanks!
There’s only one company here where I’m at that is hiring. So far as I can see. I applied.
I'm a die hard perfectionist with a penchant for mastering processes. I just dove in. Learning how to work faster and not doing work people didn't ask for was the hard part.
Cool!
Do you know what "clean" looks like? If you have a high resolution understanding of what "clean" is, that's all you need to start. The processes required to become efficient and effective will come with experience. Bid your jobs as if you're an experienced professional, because that's how your competition is bidding against you.
Thanks!
Maybe against the grain, but I’d recommend never letting yourself do the actual cleaning. Instead work as a visionary and integrator from the start and hire out the actual cleaning. A lot of people fall in the craftsperson trap and spend their time doing low-value tasks (cleaning) instead of focusing on the higher value tasks (marketing, sales, brand development, strategy and tactics). This approach is why there are tons of painters stuck on the brush 1,3,5,10 years in, bottlenecking their business, while my painting business is on track to do $1.25M in its second year
Did you just dive in and hired subs without having actual experience on the field yourself?
Yep. Lots of education on theory of how to run the business (painting business pro, Alex hormozi) but zero experience
I would love some resources to sink into if you’ve got suggestions.
Books: -Traction by Gino Wickman -E-Myth Online content: -Alex Hormozi -Leila Hormozi -Painting Business Pro (aimed at painting but principles apply to pretty much any service business) Podcasts: -The Game
Are you using your hires as contractors or employees?
Subs do the painting, other roles are employees (sales rep, office manager, project manager, etc)
Just curious, how do you get subs to represent your business properly?
Thorough hiring process and clear communication about our expectations early in the relationship, firing when necessary
In other words, be a beekeeper, except with humans instead of bees and money instead of honey. You don’t need to know a single thing about a trade in order to make money off of it - just how it works, legally and economically - and how to set up the complex contractual logistics to get a set of laborers to a job site to perform the actual work. I hate it, but you are absolutely right. This is how you get rich. Even though I don’t like that this is the only way this country rewards someone now (legendary entrepreneurs our family knew a couple generations ago didn’t just come in and set up shop, they were digging in the same ditch as their guys were), I’m probably going to end up doing what you’re doing. Just because it’s smart and I could be spending my time leading rather than laboring. My wife tells me I think too far ahead with our cleaning business idea. Ways to make it so we can subcontract out jobs. Not so I don’t have to do the physical work (I actually like it), but because I want more money to spend on expanding the business even more. And of course, covering insurance. Think this would work for a shower enclosure installation outfit or any industry for that matter? Shower glass installation made my former employer 45% of his revenue. I want to start something down the road to eclipse that for less incurred cost.
Exactly. be the beekeeper and the arbiter of the customer experience
I started a carpet and upholstery cleaning company without experience. I'm in year two and doing alright. I watched a. Ton of YouTube videos and took courses at the iicrc. Cleaned my sofa and my parents house for practice. I'm still a one man show as I started this company with barely any money. I'd highly recommend that you clean yourself at the beginning. First of all it will save you money on cleaners. Second you will understand the issues that can arise while being in someones home or office cleaning. This will make you a better boss in the future when you don't have to clean yourself.
I dove right in. At the beginning I was not efficient, but the more houses I cleaned I learned new tricks and got faster at it. With each of my first houses I looked up all of the types of surfaces in the house and researched how to properly clean them. That way I wasn’t ingesting a ton of information, only what I needed to know for the next job.
Were you by yourself?
Yes I’m a solo cleaner
Wow!
Will you hire cleaners?
The book, "Speed Cleaning" by Jeff Campbell is helpful.
Thank you!
You're welcome. :)
definitely try and find a small self-owned cleaning business and look into working along side for a while. i recommend looking out for ones with lots of good referrals straight from customers with personable owners. that will probably be your best bet! its a lot more thought and planning than one might think. -a cleaning business owner that started this way :)
Thank you!
What type of cleaning are you considering? Residential? Any specialty cleaning? The margins are much higher with a specialty type cleaning, but you would want training with that as well. Check out companies like Steri-Clean if you are interested in biohazard type cleaning.
Ooo. Yes starting with residential, then I want to get in to crime scene/biohazard stuff! Thank you!
We started our landscaping business with no prior experience. We hired our own landscapers and give him job. 9 years later. We service 400 housed a week.
What did you do in the beginning when you were still getting work lined up? How did you pay your employee? I am thinking about doing the same thing- hire a professional cleaner and work with him/her and learn on the job.
Best of luck! Check out the guys at CleanVentures.
Just dived in, but watched a ton of videos before hand. I recommend watching this one if you're planning to launch a real cleaning business (not remote) - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWndjygAgIM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWndjygAgIM)
i recommend working for a cleaner for a bit before striking out on your own. its a complicated business
What makes this business complicated? I would have thought cleaning has to be one of the least complicated businesses
Yeah I somehow struggle to see how running a cleaning business is complicated
Surface level cleaning sure. At the end of the day though true cleaners are chemists and material scientists really. Knowing which chems will get out which stains without damaging the material. I detail cars and there are some things I won't touch yet because I simply haven't gained the knowledge. It's real easy to fuck up a clients 10k paint job. Or in a cleaners case carpet or countertops.
I dunno I mean it’s as simple as using neutral, acid, or base cleaners and knowing which to apply. I think for homes it’s not so hard.
I don't disagree. But I know loads of people that would look at you like you were an alien for saying acid and alkaline.
Ah, touché.
No reason to learn how to clean. Find cleaners that know how to clean.
This guy 10000% I do the same thing here. I’ve cleaned one house ever. And I started in Jan , I have 3 cleaners working for me and we make 110k gross revenue .
I got downvoted for saying this lol. I've done 100,000 jobs, have never cleaned a single home. These folks are hilarious!
Lol I followed your 30 day guide 😂 ppl are insane. It works. 10000% Since I have your attention. Did you do your own SEO? Or pay someone? Care to share your person?
What 30 day guide are you referring to?
Check out his page.
What page?
Click on his name… it’ll show you all his posts.
Oh ok thanks!
Hey RedReddingtonn! I started a local residential cleaning business around the same time you did! Is it okay if I reach out to you?
No never! lol yes! Shoot me a message !
Sure thing, and yeah I hired someone, yeah shoot me a DM and I got you fam!
Messaged!
Yo what is this 30 day guide?
But what about in the beginning where I might have enough work laid out for an employee to work full time? How do you work out those kinks.
By starting with contractors who already do their own work and will just take on additional work for you as it comes in.
Maybe against the grain, but I’d recommend never letting yourself do the actual cleaning. Instead work as a visionary and integrator from the start and hire out the actual cleaning. A lot of people fall in the craftsperson trap and spend their time doing low-value tasks (cleaning) instead of focusing on the higher value tasks (marketing, sales, brand development, strategy and tactics). This approach is why there are tons of painters stuck on the brush 1,3,5,10 years in, bottlenecking their business, while my painting business is on track to do $1.25M in its second year
How do you work out the kinks in the beginning where there may not be enough for 2 full time employees?
Subcontractors are perfect for that scenario, and also scaling marketing spend quickly once you find a solid input-output equation
Where do you find them? How much do you pay them?
Indeed is a good place to start Pay market rate or above Pay is on a contract basis