Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast

Ryan Williams spent two years at ZenMaid helping cleaning business owners better run their companies...then he bought into one. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Ryan, co-owner of The Villages Maid Service Hot Springs location and VP of Revenue at ZenMaid, to talk about what changed when he went from giving advice to living it. They talk about classic hiring chaos, the feast-or-famine pendulum, the contractor vs. W2 debate, and why brand still beats AI in 2026. They also have a few very unserious blooper moments, but that's what you get when you listen to a podcast with these two    📌 What You'll Learn  — Why the cleaners you trust earliest are often the ones who quit first  — How to handle the "feast or famine" swing between too many leads and not enough cleaners  — When the contractor model makes sense vs. when to switch to W2  — How to use Alex Hormozi's "Dream 100" to get your first paying customers  — Why brand and culture matter more than paid ads in 2026  — What to do when an applicant says "yes" the morning of and ghosts you anyway  — How to set expectations with 1099 cleaners around insurance and supplies   Resources Mentioned — The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Sales-Machine-Turbocharge-Relentless/dp/1591842158 — ZenMaid: https://get.zenmaid.com/ — The Villages Maid Service (Hot Springs + Florida locations): https://thevillagesmaidservice.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Stephanie's Consulting & Resources for Purchase: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://www.zenmaid.com/newsletter/ 

...and it worked! Well, kind of. In this solo episode, Stephanie talks about her experience at the Acquisition.com scaling workshop, which she took her entire management team to. Hosted by Alex Hormozi's team, she got to ask him a question directly about how to fix an ongoing issue at Serene Clean and walked away with the clearest game plan she's ever had for breaking through her revenue plateau.   📌 What You'll Learn — Why Stephanie brought all three of her managers to the workshop — How to categorize your clients as whales, dolphins, and minnows — The five business "value subtractors" every cleaning business owner should audit — Why Stephanie is launching a career path for her cleaners on June 1, 2026 — How group training cuts costs and protects your trainer's time — The interview questions that catch cleaners who can't physically handle the work — Why spending more on Indeed is solving her biggest constraint — How a single consulting call with Molly Moran moved Serene Clean from hourly to flat rate pricing — The estimating email tweak that more than doubled recurring bookings in one month   Resources Mentioned — Alex Hormozi's content: https://www.youtube.com/c/alexhormozi — Acquisition.com — Molly Moran (cleaning business coach): https://mollymoran.com/ — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind — ZenMaid Weekly Newsletter: https://www.zenmaid.com/newsletter/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Stephanie's Consulting & Resources for Purchase: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://www.zenmaid.com/newsletter/

Shannon Miller has been in the cleaning industry for 16 years, sold one company, is preparing to sell another, and coaches thousands of owners a year through Klean Freaks University. She's seen it all, and in this episode, Stephanie sits down with Shannon to unpack the realities of building, scaling, and eventually selling a cleaning business. They talk through the classic W-2 vs. 1099 debate, why a 100% satisfaction guarantee can actually bankrupt you, how free cleanings get weaponized without firm boundaries, and the safety policies you need before something goes sideways in a client's home.   📌 What You'll Learn — Why W-2 businesses sell for more than 1099 referral models, and when each makes sense — How to structure free cleanings so they don't turn into scope-creep nightmares — Why a 24-hour walkthrough policy beats an open-ended satisfaction guarantee — The Code of Conduct Shannon now requires every client to sign — How to coach younger techs to recognize and shut down inappropriate client behavior — Why the cleaning industry is the first real legacy-building opportunity dominated by women — When (and how) to pivot policies that aren't working anymore   Resources Mentioned — Klean Freaks University: https://kleanfreaksuniversity.com — Cleaning Business Life Podcast (Shannon's show): https://cleaningbusinesslife.buzzsprout.com/ — Shannon Leanne Miller's books on Amazon (8 published works): https://us.amazon.com/stores/Shannon-Lee-Ann-Miller/author/B0G1TTBB68?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1777512932&sr=8-1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=8779df07-7e5c-4788-a38b-491d558d9f39   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/  

Most business owners say they don't have time to read. But Stephanie has built a 7-figure cleaning company, and these books are a big reason why. In this solo episode, Stephanie breaks down every book that has had a lasting impact on her life and her business. From heavy personal reads on trauma, suffering, and purpose, to tactical frameworks on delegation, cash management, sales, and systems, she shares what she took from each one and exactly how she's applied it inside Serene Clean.   📌 What You'll Learn — Why Man's Search for Meaning reframes how you handle hard seasons in business — How The Body Keeps the Score helped Stephanie become a more empathetic leader — The 40% rule from David Goggins, and why your real capacity is almost always higher than you think — The three roles every business owner plays (and why the wrong one always wins) — How Profit First's 5-account system kept Serene Clean out of debt for 7 years — The 80-10-10 delegation rule from Buy Back Your Time and how to use it with a VA or EA — Why Thou Shall Prosper changed Stephanie's relationship with money and charging what she's worth — The "pigheaded discipline" concept behind Serene Clean's 500+ five-star reviews — What Deep Work revealed about time blocking and why most owners are busy but not moving forward — Why passion follows mastery, not the other way around   Resources Mentioned 📚 — Man's Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl — The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk — Can't Hurt Me — David Goggins — Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable — Tim Grover — Ikigai — Héctor García & Francesc Miralles — E-Myth Revisited — Michael Gerber — Profit First — Mike Michalowicz — Buy Back Your Time — Dan Martell — The Ultimate Sales Machine — Chet Holmes — Thou Shall Prosper — Rabbi Daniel Lapin — Your Next Five Moves — Patrick Bet-David — What Should We Do? — Joe Crisara — Start With Why — Simon Sinek — Good to Great — Jim Collins — Deep Work — Cal Newport — So Good They Can't Ignore You — Cal Newport — 4,000 Weeks — Oliver Burkeman — $100M Offers — Alex Hormozi — $100M Leads — Alex Hormozi   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://www.zenmaid.com/newsletter/

What happens when a corporate sales executive burns out so badly that her brother jokes she might end up on World News Tonight? She moves to Boulder and starts cleaning houses!   In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Natalie Mikishko, owner of Majestic Domestics and Clean Conscience Cleaning Service in Boulder, Colorado. Natalie walked away from a career that spanned HR training, grocery purchasing, cabinet sales, and commercial construction, and then built two cleaning companies from scratch — including a $15-a-clean lost leader campaign. She shares the full story of acquiring Clean Conscience in 2022, what she wishes she'd done differently, and how her team of two jumped in to clean when she lost seven staff members in a single month.   📌 What You'll Learn — How a Groupon-style newspaper deal at $15 per clean launched Majestic Domestics and created 15-year client relationships — What Natalie would demand before signing any acquisition deal again — Why she transitioned her team from hourly pay to percentage-based pay — How she recovered operationally after losing 7 cleaners in January without canceling on clients — The culture investments (backup company cars, AAA cards, a full office coffee and cocktail bar) that make her team stay   Resources Mentioned — ZenMaid scheduling software: https://get.zenmaid.com — CleanCon conference: https://www.mycleancon.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

Most cleaning business owners think checklists are unnecessary friction and just another paper to hold onto. But Stephanie thinks they're one of the main reasons she built a million-dollar company, and she's ready to convince you 😉 In this solo episode, Stephanie breaks down every angle of why Serene Clean has used a physical paper checklist at every single residential appointment since the very first free cleans she ever did. She also shares exactly what Serene Clean puts on theirs, including a notes section, an abbreviation key, a safety checklist, and QR codes for reviews.   📌 What You'll Learn — Why relying on memory instead of checklists is the #1 source of quality issues in cleaning businesses — How to create consistency across multiple staff members, different trainers, and ongoing turnover — The team accountability system Serene Clean uses, so there's never a "he said, she said" after a complaint — Why the checklist is one of Stephanie's most powerful sales tools — How a personal notes section at the bottom gets cleaning techs more tips — The abbreviation key Serene Clean added so clients always know why a task was skipped — How QR codes on the checklist drive more Google reviews without feeling pushy — When a digital checklist is the right starting point — What a safety checklist looks like and why it matters for client trust   Resources Mentioned: Filthy Rich Cleaners Ep. 70 on Client Cancellations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjSQPf4O604   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

Revenue is down $25,000, yet profit is up 53%. How does that happen? And what does it actually mean for the business? In this solo episode, Stephanie walks through her full Q1 2026 financial and business review for Serene Clean (the same report she presented to her management team that week). She covers the data analysis she did to uncover her insights, why revenue is down but profit is up, and the three hidden costs that a lost commercial account was bleeding from the business for months, and so much more.   📌 What You'll Learn — How Serene Clean brought in less revenue in Q1 2026 but made 53% more profit than the same quarter last year — The three hidden costs one bad commercial account was silently creating (overtime, training, and call-out chaos) — Why Stephanie is adding a dedicated training line item in Gusto, and how you can do it too, regardless of your payroll software — How to calculate the true cost of a failed hire, including what most owners never think to track — Why call-out hours dropped by 355 compared to Q1 of last year — How 46% of first-time cleans converted to recurring clients in Q1 — Why Serene Clean went from lead-constrained to capacity-constrained in a single quarter — The MRR goal Stephanie set for 2026, how she broke it into a monthly action plan, and whether they're on track — How price increases across 98 clients added $22,573 in revenue from the same customer base — How to use AI (specifically Claude) to analyze payroll data, appointment history, and sales reports together   Resources Mentioned — Filthy Rich Cleaners Ep. 103 — Stephanie's full 2025 year-end financial review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-GpAnCO2nM — ZenMaid (cleaning business scheduling software): https://get.zenmaid.com   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

She left nursing, started cleaning for friends as therapy, and accidentally built an 18-year cleaning empire in one of the wildest cities in America. LaShanda Brown has seen (and cleaned) everything 👀 In this episode, Stephanie sits down with LaShanda, owner of Sweeping Hands Cleaning Service in New Orleans, Louisiana, to talk about how she transitioned from a decade-long nursing career into cleaning, grew her business entirely on word of mouth, and built a 60% vacation-rental-focused operation complete with her own property management company. They talk about the wildest horror stories LaShanda has experienced, as well as advice on things like logistics, flat-rate pricing, and schedule routing through Mardi Gras parades. 📌 What You'll Learn  — How LaShanda went from nursing to owning an 18-year residential and vacation rental cleaning business  — Why word of mouth has been her only growth strategy  — How to price vacation rental cleanings with a flat rate that accounts for worst-case guests  — The off-site laundry system Sweeping Hands uses to run high-volume STR clients (color-coded bags, two shifts, property-specific labels)  — How to set expectations with first-time Airbnb owners so you stay in control of the scope  — Scheduling strategies for turnovers in a city full of parades, street closures, and unpredictable events  — Why she won't hire couples but does hire family members  — The pivotal COVID moment that led her to lock herself in an Airbnb for 5 days and finally build her ClickUp system  — How business coaches helped transform parts of her business  — Why knowing what you keep (not just what you make) is what ultimately builds wealth Resources Mentioned — Sweeping Hands Cleaning Service Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweepinghandscleaning/  — ZenMaid cleaning business scheduling software: https://get.zenmaid.com/  — ClickUp: https://clickup.com/  — RingCentral: https://www.ringcentral.com/  — CleanCon (Austin, Texas in September): https://www.mycleancon.com/austin  👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com  📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/  ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/ 

Every cleaning business owner Kala Pomeroy has ever spoken with, from brand-new solo operators to teams of 50, has one thing in common: the fear that they're doing it wrong.   In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Kala, a 10-year cleaning business owner in Southeast Texas and full-time ZenMaid Customer Success Specialist. Kala shares her own journey from solo cleaner to remote business operator, including how she landed her ZenMaid job after a homeless man broke into her hotel room the night before her interview. Stephanie and Kala talk through the mental patterns holding cleaning business owners back and how to build systems without losing your mind.   📌 What You'll Learn  — Why pricing anxiety shows up at every stage of business, from solo operators to 50-person teams  — How analysis paralysis is costing you more time than imperfect action ever would  — The difference between what should be automated and what should stay human in your cleaning business  — Why you need to map out a process on paper before you ever touch a single software tool  — How to stop comparing yourself to bigger businesses and start running your own race  — Why cleaning is not unskilled labor and why you should be proud of what you do! Resources Mentioned  — ZenMaid Pricing Calculator: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-much-to-charge-house-cleaning-2026/ — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

Happy 7 years in business to Serene Clean! 🥳 In this episode, Stephanie talks about 7 lessons she's learned — one for each year — owning and operating Serene Clean. From 2019 to now, Serene Clean is a $1.5 million company that she runs remotely from Savannah, Georgia, and Stephanie covers these 7 important lessons she picked up over the years:   Always be hiring Raise your prices before you're ready Difficult clients cost much more than the business they bring in Your values are the decision maker, even when you're not in the room The vacation test — you can let go and delegate more than you think You're going to keep having mindset-shifting moments, so don't be scared of the change Community is what keeps you from quitting   Resources Mentioned  — Episode 42: Group Interviews for Your Cleaning Business: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzpln5-Z0-A — Thou Shall Prosper by Daniel Lapin: https://www.amazon.com/Thou-Shall-Prosper-Commandments-Making/dp/0470485884 — Profit First by Mike Michalowicz: https://www.amazon.com/Profit-First-Transform-Cash-Eating-Money-Making/dp/073521414X — ZenMaid Mastermind (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/ 📖 Read the full transcript:

Jonathan Berger was living in his car and driving for Uber when the idea for Cleanzilla began. Now he runs 400+ recurring clients across New York City and just came back from six months in Southeast Asia. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Jonathan, co-founder and co-owner of Cleanzilla in New York City, to learn more about his origin story. From dropping out of high school, living in his car, and meeting his wife Anna, Jonathan has since built a multi-six-figure residential cleaning business across Manhattan and Queens. He breaks down the NYC logistics of running a cleaning business with solo cleaners, subway systems, and 600–1,500 sq ft apartments, how he cut ad spend from $8,000 to $1,500 per month while keeping 15–20 inbound leads per day, and how he and Anna built the systems to step away from the business for months at a time. 📌 What You'll Learn — How Cleanzilla scaled from Google Calendar to a fully remote operations setup with ZenMaid, Notion, and Quo — Why Jonathan dropped from $8K/month in Google Ads to $1,500/month in SEO but maintained the same lead volume — The "Pizzeria Effect:" how to stand out when you have five competitors on every block — How to structure a team that runs without you — What running a cleaning business in NYC actually looks like, including solo cleaners, metro cards, condensed supply kits, and apartment-only routing — How Jonathan and Anna built word-of-mouth hiring by treating their team like family — The honest truth about running a business with your spouse Resources Mentioned — ZenMaid (scheduling and CRM software): https://get.zenmaid.com/ — CBF / Cleaning Business Fundamentals by Debbie Sardone: https://debbiesardone.com/ — CBF Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cleaningbusinessprofits/ — Quo, formerly OpenPhone, affiliate link: https://www.openphone.com/perks/zenmaid?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=partnerstack&utm_content=community_experts&utm_campaign=c92107ec7cc9&pscd=get.openphone.com&ps_partner_key=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5&fbclid=IwY2xjawMr03ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBleUtsVnZtUjlJa2h5ZWpwAR7Gp8p4NVVF-Y8WODTTXb-NJi57ltYrsQs-pyFmuaRR4gMrj6TGYWpL1zlA_Q_aem_Ey2JG_AkBSk_SI8w5kDOBA&ps_xid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gsxid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gspk=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5  👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

Personable content that shows you (and your brand's) personality might be what your marketing strategy is missing! In this episode — recorded live from CleanCon in Indianapolis — Stephanie sits down with Nicole Somerstein, ZenMaid's Content Marketing Manager, to talk about why personable content can elevate your brand and build trust with cleaning clients. Nicole brings a marketer's eye to an industry she's come to love, and together, they break down why authenticity wins — while also sprinkling in some life advice ✨ And yes, Nicole is the one who wrote this podcast description. 📌 What You'll Learn  — Why your most imperfect, unplanned content often performs best  — Why cleaning businesses need an About Us page with a real face and a real story  — The difference between selling content and awareness content, and why you need both  — How to stop competing against other owners' timelines and focus on your own race  — Why getting on video is one of the highest-trust moves a cleaning business can make Resources Mentioned: CleanCon conference — https://www.mycleancon.com/ Drew Larson's episode — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NIBCsJQWkc ZenMaid Software — https://get.zenmaid.com/ 👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

Welcome back to Filthy Rich Cleaners! In this episode, Stephanie sits down for round two with Sean Parry, one of the leading automation, marketing, and SEO experts in the cleaning industry. Sean returns to break down the “black box” of local SEO and share practical, actionable strategies for cleaning business owners who want to generate more leads from Google. He dives into why ranking in the Google Maps top three is critical, and explains the website structure, Google Business Profile optimization, and consistency strategies that help cleaners rank higher and convert better. 📌 What You’ll Learn  — Why the Google Maps top 3 drives the majority of local clicks  — How Google Maps SEO can influence ChatGPT recommendations, too  — The website foundation of service pages + location pages  — What to put on your homepage “above the fold” so humans (and Google) trust you  — A realistic content target  — Why Google rewards consistency over big content dumps  — How real photos + proper image titles/alt text strengthen local signals  — The balance between SEO content and conversion-focused design  — Google Business Profile optimizations  — Backlinks explained  — Why “gray hat” SEO can tank your rankings  — The power of going hyperlocal first to win proximity-based rankings Resources Mentioned: — Project83 (Sean’s Marketing Agency): https://www.project83.co/  — Sean Parry's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@sean_parry 👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com  📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/  ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter:https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/    📖 Read the full transcript: https://zenmaid.com/magazine/sean-parry-on-google-maps-seo-for-cleaners/ 

Not every client cancellation means you failed, and not every client is worth saving. In this episode, Stephanie walks through three client situations that happened within a single week at Serene Clean, including a long-term weekly residential client who canceled after years, Stephanie's very first free-clean customer ever who just nearly left after a cleaner ignored her instructions, and a small commercial account that Serene Clean chose to fire after years of unpleasant behavior.  📌 What You'll Learn  — How to handle a client cancellation when the cleaner is in the wrong  — Why comparing a current cleaner to a former employee is a red flag that rarely resolves itself  — When offering a free re-clean is the right move to save a long-term client relationship  — Why quality checking the first appointment back after a save is non-negotiable  — How to recognize when a client simply cannot be pleased  — The opportunity cost of keeping a difficult client on your roster  — How to write a professional "breakup email" to fire a client with class  — Why listening to your cleaners' feedback about specific accounts matters 👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/ 📖 Read the full transcript:

Post-construction cleaning is one of the most in-demand, highest-paying niches in the cleaning industry, but there are few guidelines on how to do it right. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Samantha Price, founder of Cleansite Solutions in South Florida, to break down everything cleaning business owners need to know about post-construction work. Samantha shares how she launched her business with zero construction cleaning experience and eventually landed commercial accounts through cold calling and showing up at job sites. She talks through the three phases of construction cleaning, her flat-rate pricing approach, the equipment that actually matters, and more!  📌 What You'll Learn — How to get your first post-construction client through cold calling and drop-offs at job sites — The difference between rough cleaning, final cleaning, and touch-up cleaning — Why flat-rate pricing works better than hourly for construction clients — What equipment you actually need (and what to skip) — The #1 mistake cleaners make when they come from residential to construction sites — Why bidding a little lower on your first job with a contractor is a smart long-term strategy — How independent contractors make sense for post-construction work specifically — How Samantha has earned repeat business from 100% of the contractors she's ever worked with Resources Mentioned — ZenMaid Software: https://get.zenmaid.com — ZenMaid Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind — Cleansite Solutions Website: https://www.cleansitesouthflorida.com/ — Cleansite Solutions on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleansite_southflorida/ 👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/ 📖 Read the full transcript: 

If you think your market is too small, think again! In this episode, Stephanie talks with Julia Callahan, founder of Jubilee Cleaning Co., who went from knocking on doors to building a $100K/month cleaning company in under two years — all while serving a suburban/rural area outside Pittsburgh. Julia shares what it really took to leave a six-figure medical sales career, handle ego and criticism, switch from 1099 to W2 early, and build a sustainable growth engine. She and Stephanie also share key leadership moments that business owners need to face to prioritize standards over comfort.   📌 What You’ll Learn — How Julia hit $100K months in under two years  — Why saying YES to commercial cleaning accelerated growth  — The attendance incentive system that reduces call-offs  — How commission-based pay works for cleaning teams  — How they drive (and reward) 5-star reviews  — What to do when a clean goes sideways (and costs $10K)  — How to overcome price objections using “scope swaps”  — How to fill schedule gaps by upselling deep-clean bundles  — Why recurring bookings should be sold immediately  — The leadership skills that unlock scale   Resources Mentioned — Million Dollar Home Cleaning Coaching Group: https://homecleaningcoaching.com/homecleaningcourses?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnL6wLgGp7zGeSnikVk30hftg9RLFYRfpDlgMPIWaKhTgf5omG4n2mmS9m6Q0_aem_SUDQ2EjtoUd7oefLvKz_ww — Stephanie's Administrative Bundle: https://serene-clean.com/downloads/administrative-documents-bundle/ — ZenMaid Software: https://get.zenmaid.com    👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/   📖 Read the full transcript: https://zenmaid.com/magazine/how-julia-went-from-0-to-100k-months-in-under-2-years/

Katie Bradley is all over cleaning social media — but she’s not here for the viral “bucket of water on the floor” bullsh*t. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Katie, Owner of Maid Busters in Cincinnati, Ohio (aka “Come Clean with Katie” online), to talk about what social media gets wrong, what real pros do instead, and how to run a cleaning business that protects clients’ homes and the cleaner’s body. This episode dives deep into safer product choices, simpler kits, stainless steel that actually looks good, and the boundaries that keep cleaners from burning out.   📌 What You’ll Learn  — Why viral cleaning hacks can damage floors, counters, and finishes (and how to professionally say “no” to risky requests)  — Katie’s simplified cleaning kit essentials  — Why oils and “shine” products can cause buildup (and how to educate clients without making it weird_  — Boundaries that prevent resentment: clutter fees, scope clarity, and contracts that back you up  — The real reason raising prices feels scary and how to stop “getting in clients’ pockets”  — Content creation while cleaning  — Why reliability is a competitive advantage   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/   📖 Read the full transcript: https://zenmaid.com/magazine/katie-bradleys-simple-kit-strategy-for-faster-safer-more-profitable-cleans/

Are your cleaners going overtime or skipping check-ins? Before you blame the cleaner, you need to check yourself first 😉 In this solo episode, Stephanie breaks down one of the most common and costly problems in cleaning businesses: cleaners going over their approved time with no communication. Inspired by a real question from the ZenMaid Mastermind and a recent consulting call, Stephanie walks through every layer of the problem and gives practical, implementable fixes for each one.   📌 What You’ll Learn — Why the problem often starts with your estimating, not your cleaner's speed — What production rates are and how to audit yours using real data — How to calculate labor hours for first-time cleans, maintenance cleans, and vacant homes — Why cleaners need to know their approved time explicitly — How to set up a midpoint check-in process that gives you time to adjust before it's too late — The difference in risk between hourly vs. flat rate when jobs run long — How pay structure (hourly vs. performance-based) drives cleaner behavior — Why a fast feedback loop matters more than a formal sit-down — When to send a cleaner back through training vs. when it's a discipline issue — Legal considerations around docking pay for W2 employees who go over approved time   Resources Mentioned: — Serene Clean Document Bundles: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services  — Estimated Times Free Template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q75a_fQMs0fcwGGMr5tCQL6ZwtnGJqO9bc2slfx9Qfo/edit?tab=t.0  👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/ 📖 Read the full transcript: https://zenmaid.com/magazine/why-your-cleaners-keep-going-over-time/

In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie sits down with Kai DeMoss, owner of Kai Cleans in San Francisco, to talk about how they went from a gig cleaner to a cleaning business owner. Kai talks about their experience on platforms like Homeaglow and the good, bad, and ugly that came with it — from the signup process and “AI support,” to pricing caps, client expectations, and why the platform attracts cost-conscious customers. Kai also shares what it really took to transition off platforms, lean into a niche community for early adopter clients, raise prices without spiraling, and start building real momentum through relationship-based networking. 📌 What You’ll Learn — What Homeaglow looks like from the cleaner side (and why clients get so frustrated) — How pricing works on platforms and where the “ceiling” shows up — Simple personal touches that help solo cleaners stand out fast — Why taking platform clients off-app usually isn’t worth it (even if you could) — How Kai found early adopter clients by leaning into a niche community — A practical way to reframe price increases (and get time freedom back) — How networking groups like chambers of commerce can turn into long-term lead engines — The “three types of people” Kai believes every business owner needs   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/   📖 Read the full transcript: https://zenmaid.com/magazine/how-kai-demoss-went-from-a-gig-app-cleaner-to-real-clients-in-san-francisco/

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Emily Cox of Just Peachy Cleaning Professionals to talk about what it really looks like to build (and rebuild) a cleaning business. Emily shares how she went from a struggling new mom bartending late nights to launching a cleaning business on a whim, then scaling to a full team… only to make a partnership decision that nearly burned it all down. She walks through what went wrong, how she started over from scratch, and the systems that helped her grow back to $330K in annual revenue. 📌 What You’ll Learn — What to prioritize in due diligence, and why “customers + employees” is the whole game — How Marko approached price increases without causing churn — The operational risk of technical debt in long-running cleaning companies — Culture integration tips when you become the new owner — Why incentives work for things like attendance bonuses, cancellation fees, and behavior changes — Hiring and integrating a great VA — How tight service areas and supply policies can simplify operations in a big city   Resources Mentioned — Book: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson 👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-emily-built-a-330k-cleaning-business-after-starting-over-from-zero/ 

Is this our longest episode yet?! Join Stephanie for a consulting-style living room conversation with Jennifer Dorn, Owner of Augusta Housekeeping, about what it takes to scale a cleaning business without blowing up your margins, team, or sanity. Jennifer talks through her journey being in the early growth stage, navigating staffing challenges, pricing mistakes, payroll pressure, and the fear that comes with scaling “too fast” or “not fast enough.” Stephanie talks through where to focus, what systems matter most, and how to think strategically about commercial accounts, production rates, and cleaner structure. 📌 What You’ll Learn — How to think strategically about scaling when revenue is still small  — Why commercial accounts can create faster, more stable growth  — How to structure individual cleaners vs. teams (and when to use each)  — The biggest pricing and payroll mistakes new owners make  — How flat-rate and “approved hours” pay models change cleaner behavior  — Why production rates and walkthroughs are non-negotiable  — How to use testimonials and Google reviews as your best marketing asset  — What to consider before taking on Airbnb and event-based work  — How to protect quality while incentivizing speed and efficiency 👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/consult-style-session-on-scaling-fast-while-staffing-smart-with-jennifer-dorn/

A 6-hour orientation SOUNDS excessive...until you see what it actually fixes! In this solo episode, Stephanie breaks down Serene Clean’s full orientation structure, including why they built it, what’s inside it, and how it transformed onboarding from chaotic to scalable and clear. She explains how orientation functions like a sales + education experience for the “internal customer,” and how building it forced the company to eliminate gray areas. Stephanie also shares which tools they use, how they introduce software, pay, benefits, safety, code of conduct, “at-the-clean” expectations, and more!  What You’ll Learn — Why orientation reduces overwhelm and improves retention — How to structure orientation, even if you start bare-bones — What Serene Clean covers in their 6-hour walkthrough — How to onboard “culture” and expectations without info-dumping — The software setup flow: ZenMaid, Slack, Gusto, Train, and more — How orientation eliminates gray areas and creates scalable accountability — The safety section checklist (including situational awareness + SOS tools) — How to teach “how to be an employee here” before field training starts Resources Mentioned ZenMaid onboarding article: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/checklists-to-onboard-new-cleaning-employees/ Trainual Software: https://trainual.com/ 👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/ 🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-serene-clean-built-a-rockstar-new-cleaner-orientation-program/

A cleaning business acquisition that goes from 0 to 25 cleaners overnight? That’s exactly what happened in Chicago to Marko Lazarevic! In this episode, Stephanie talks with Marko, a former finance professional who acquired Manic Maids (a residential-heavy cleaning company operating since 1990), to talk about what surprised him after taking over and how he’s been modernizing an “old-school” operation. After growing the business by 20% (already!) since taking over, he breaks down what he looked for during due diligence, and how he's giving internal systems a huge facelift without wrecking culture, retention, reputation, or client trust.   📌 What You’ll Learn — What to prioritize in due diligence, and why “customers + employees” is the whole game — How Marko approached price increases without causing churn — The operational risk of technical debt in long-running cleaning companies — Culture integration tips when you become the new owner — Why incentives work for things like attendance bonuses, cancellation fees, and behavior changes — Hiring and integrating a great VA — How tight service areas and supply policies can simplify operations in a big city   Resources Mentioned — Manic Maids: https://manicmaids.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: Serene-cleanConsulting Services - Serene Clean ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: Newsletter Sign Up   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: (link)

2026 is the year that Stephanie buckles down for Serene Clean, and after a month, she's here to share a business update! January was a great month, but it wasn't because of luck. Stephanie breaks down the exact behavior changes that helped Serene Clean blow past its monthly recurring revenue goal, even without an impressive close rate (yet).   She shares the real wins from January and the behind-the-scenes systems that made them happen, including aggressive lead follow-up, a new “ongoing contact” status in ClickUp, adding phone calls back into the process, and introducing a simple one-hour-free offer after 30 days.   📌 What You’ll Learn — How Serene Clean added ~$2,400 in MRR in January (and why it wasn’t from a higher close rate) — The follow-up cadence that turns “dead leads” into booked recurring clients — Why silence isn’t a “no” and when a lead becomes truly dead — How one small offer can generate massive ROI without cheapening your brand — The leading indicators Stephanie tracks daily/weekly to drive predictable growth — Real production rate benchmarks for deep cleans, first-time cleans, and maintenance cleans   Resources Mentioned: — ClickUp: https://clickup.com/ — ZenMaid: https://get.zenmaid.com/ — Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com/ — Quo/OpenPhone (+ ZenMaid referral link): https://www.openphone.com/perks/zenmaid?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=partnerstack&utm_content=community_experts&utm_campaign=c92107ec7cc9&pscd=get.openphone.com&ps_partner_key=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5&fbclid=IwY2xjawMr03ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBleUtsVnZtUjlJa2h5ZWpwAR7Gp8p4NVVF-Y8WODTTXb-NJi57ltYrsQs-pyFmuaRR4gMrj6TGYWpL1zlA_Q_aem_Ey2JG_AkBSk_SI8w5kDOBA&ps_xid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gsxid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gspk=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5 — Drew Larson's Filthy Rich Cleaners episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NIBCsJQWkc   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 🎧 Spotify: (link) 🎧 Apple Podcasts: (link) 📖 Read the full transcript: (link)

  In this episode, Stephanie sits down with industry veteran Sharon Tinberg to break down one of the most frustrating parts of running a cleaning business: training that doesn’t stick. With decades of experience and nearly $2 million in annual revenue under her belt, Sharon shares exactly what most owners get wrong, as well as how to fix it with simple, repeatable systems. Resources Mentioned — ZenMaid: https://get.zenmaid.com/ — Clean Smart Academy: https://www.cleansmartacademy.com/ 📌 What You’ll Learn — Why shadowing trainers creates inconsistency and higher turnover — The difference between process and procedure (and why it matters) — How Sharon trained cleaners to clean homes correctly in just days — The overlooked details cleaners miss most — and how to prevent it — How periodic tasks improve client retention and reduce deep cleans — What it really took to manage 754 recurring clients successfully — How structured training systems lead to faster cleans and happier teams   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/sharon-tinbergs-cleaners-training-system/

In this solo episode, Stephanie tackles a listener question that came in through the ZenMaid newsletter! This is one that hits so many cleaning business owners — how do you grow when it feels like you’re always stuck choosing between turning down work… or hiring too early and scrambling to fill a schedule? Stephanie breaks down the real meaning of “always be hiring,” why the fix isn’t actually hiring nonstop (but rather building a pipeline), and how to create a more structured system for hiring cadence, regional staffing, and travel-heavy scheduling. 📌 What You’ll Learn — What “always be hiring” actually means (no, it’s not onboarding every week) — How to build a candidate pipeline so you’re never starting from zero — A simple way to decide when to hire based on capacity + training lead time — Why zoning your service area can reduce chaos and travel costs — How part-time hiring can solve the “schedule fill” pressure — When to charge travel fees and how to justify them — How Serene Clean approaches travel pay, home bases, and scheduling strategy — Why driving pay structure can make or break profitability in a large service radius Resources Mentioned — ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/  👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/    🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/managing-service-area-hiring-and-travel-costs-cleaning-business/

Welcome back to Filthy Rich Cleaners! In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Jacques Bastien, co-founder of Chery Maids in Tampa, Florida, to talk about what it takes to scale fast without burning out. Jacques shares how Chery Maids grew to 6 cleaning teams and 100–150 cleans per month in only 1.5 years, why he and his wife walked away from short-term rentals, and more. He and Stephanie talk about failure, marriage + business boundaries, hiring virtual team members, and Jacque's deeper mission behind his work supporting Black and Brown creators. 📌 What You’ll Learn — Why Jacques ditched short-term rental cleanings for a simpler residential model — The SEAD framework: Systematize, Eliminate, Automate, Delegate — What to focus on before SOPs, and why most people do it backwards — How to reduce stress by designing your business rules — A practical way to create scripts/SOPs by recording real work and using AI to draft documentation — Challenges of recruiting quality cleaners when reputation matters — How Jacques and his wife split roles to work together — How virtual team members can run real, important operations Resources Mentioned Book: The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss Book: The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande Book: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It―A Guide to Starting a Business in a Productive and Successful Way by Michael E. Gerber   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/building-a-cleaning-business-without-being-the-cleaner/

  In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie gets real about the messy middle of leadership: boundaries. You need boundaries to protect your business, yourself, your employees, and your sanity, especially when you’re a natural people-pleaser.   She breaks down why exceptions (made out of guilt, fear, scarcity, etc.) do more harm than good, and shares real scenarios from consulting calls and Serene Clean’s own history. Listen in for scenarios like the “but they’re a great cleaner” trap, pay advance requests, clients texting techs directly, cancellation policy inconsistency, vacation rental scope creep, and super weird asks from clients.   📌 What You’ll Learn — Why “Yeah, but they’re a great cleaner” is usually a leadership red flag — How inconsistent enforcement undermines your authority (and your confidence) — The power of policies to enforce blanket rules — Boundaries that you need to prevent chaos — How to reduce business liability (pets, service providers, watching kids, etc. — Simple scheduling boundaries to implement — Why doing “little extras” sets staff up for complaints later on — How to stop being held hostage by bad behavior and rebuild the power seat   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 🎧 Spotify: (link) 🎧 Apple Podcasts: (link) 📖 Read the full transcript: (link)

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Juan and Regina Jaramillo of Bright Corners Cleaning Service in Ocala, Florida to talk about all things commercial clients, including cold knocking, follow-ups, repeat clients, walkthroughs, bidding, systems, and more! ✨   Juan and Regina share how they started in residential and why they stayed obsessed with commercial, even when it took six months to land the first client. They also share a haunted-building story that’s now officially in Filthy Rich Cleaners' history 👻 If you're thinking about taking on commercial clients, this one's for you! 📌 What You’ll Learn — Why Mondays are the best day to land commercial accounts — How they approach cold walk-ins, follow-ups, and relationship building — What to look for during a walkthrough (measurements, photos, blueprints) — Why “one production rate” doesn’t exist in commercial cleaning — How they simplify training (including limiting chemicals to reduce confusion) — How they use a photo documentation system to “tell a story” — When it makes sense to lease equipment instead of buying it — What accounts are most profitable (medical, private schools, car dealerships) — The red flags that make them walk away from a prospect — How they think about scaling leadership, i.e., lead tech vs. field manager vs. subcontracting Resources Mentioned Bright Corners Cleaning Service: https://brightcornersservices.com/ The ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook group (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: (link)

Overpriced, underpriced, or just right? In this episode, Stephanie is brutally honest about the pricing story she’s been telling herself and the fear that kept Serene Clean stuck at $55 per man-hour for way too long. She talks about what finally pushed her to treat pricing like an experiment and why it's not actually an emotional decision, even though it often feels like one. Stephanie also shares numbers that matter and the margins you should be looking for when evaluating your pricing strategy.   📌 What You’ll Learn — Why “the ceiling in my market” is usually a fear-based story, not a fact — How to raise prices without destabilizing your schedule (batch increases vs. blanket changes) — The new Serene Clean pricing split that separates recurring vs. one-off/first-time cleans — How to use pricing to incentivize recurring revenue and hit monthly MRR goals — What to review when bookings drop — The role of social proof, follow-up systems, and value-building in closing higher rates   Resources Mentioned — Newsletter Sign-up: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/ — Steven and Anna's podcast episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBJCvAXymgs — ZenMaid Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ ✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/on-pricing-fear-and-profit-margins/

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Yari Ising, owner of a fast-growing cleaning company in Pennsylvania, whose story will light a fire under anyone who’s ever considered starting over. Yari shares how a surprise pregnancy, a move to a brand-new community, and a sudden shift in federal work requirements pushed her to bet on herself — and turn a “side hustle” into a real business. She explains what’s helped her stand out in a competitive market, how she’s building systems with Notion, and more.   📌 What You’ll Learn — How Yari validated demand instantly by calling local builders — Why Google visibility and reviews can unlock “big-league” opportunities — The early client strategies that worked (Thumbtack, referrals, and consistency) — How to build an operations hub with Notion (SOPs, tasks, candidates, content) — What to focus on when time, staffing, and growth all hit at once — How to stop overthinking and get better at fast decision-making — Mindset shifts like “Your business isn’t for everybody” + “Everything is figureoutable” — Why asking for help is a scaling strategy   Resources Mentioned — Notion: https://www.notion.com/ — Thumbtack: https://www.thumbtack.com/ — Nextdoor: https://nextdoor.com/ — ClickUp: https://app.clickup.com/ — Pink’s Window Cleaning: https://pinkswindows.com/ — The Financial Diet: https://thefinancialdiet.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-yari-ising-called-2-builders-and-accidentally-built-a-cleaning-company/

In this solo episode, Stephanie pulls back the curtain on what really happened inside Serene Clean in 2025 and takes ownership of the leadership choices that contributed to a revenue drop.   She shares an honest accountability review of the year, including how exciting new opportunities (podcasting, consulting, partnerships, speaking) unintentionally fragmented her focus, how she mistook comfort for safety, and why obsessing over lagging indicators kept her stuck in reaction mode. Stephanie also breaks down the numbers and talks about the mindset shift that’s fueling her 2026 comeback!   📌 What You’ll Learn — The hidden cost of “shiny opportunity” overload (and how it fragments leadership focus) — Why “stable” is not the same as “safe” in a cleaning business — The difference between lagging vs. leading indicators (and what to track instead) — How protected availability affects first-time cleans, recurring clients, and growth — What Stephanie’s 2026 revenue goal is and the behavior changes she’s making to hit it   Resources Mentioned — Extreme Ownership book: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057 — ZenMaid Mastermind (Facebook group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind — ZenMaid Cleaning Business Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/leadership-mistakes-that-cost-serene-clean-120k/

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Drew Larison of Five Door Media to break down why marketing “isn’t working” for many cleaning businesses, and how to fix it.   Stephanie and Drew walk through the “Five Doors” framework: choosing the right platform, creating scroll-stopping content, dialing in targeting, tightening up what happens after the click, and mastering the sales follow-up that actually turns leads into long-term recurring revenue. They also talk CleanCon, what to expect, and why this industry’s trust factor changes everything. 📌 What You’ll Learn — How to tell fast if you’re advertising on the wrong platform — Why video wins right now (and how to start even if you hate being on camera) — The most common creative mistakes that make people scroll past your ads — Targeting tweaks that improve lead quality (income, neighborhoods, service areas) — Why homepages are not landing pages—and what to do instead — How long forms, clunky pages, and too many questions kill conversions — Why “speed to lead” matters (and how follow-up should actually work) — What Clean Con is and why it’s built specifically for residential cleaners Resources Mentioned CleanCon Conference 2026: https://www.mycleancon.com/ Five Door Media: https://www.fivedoormedia.com/ SendJim Direct Mail Marketing: https://sendjim.com/ DOPE Marketing Direct Mail: https://www.dopemarketing.com/ Profit First Book: https://www.amazon.com/Profit-First-Transform-Cash-Eating-Money-Making/dp/073521414X   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/drew-larisons-take-on-google-vs-facebook-ads-for-cleaners/

Free cleanings sound insane... until you use them strategically 👀 In this episode, Stephanie breaks down one of Serene Clean’s “secret weapons”: Giving away free cleanings with guardrails, and how it’s driven real results across the business. She walks through four specific buckets where free cleanings create leverage: 1) Learning your production rates 2) Generating reviews and visibility 3) Building culture through giving 4) Reducing risk (especially when bidding commercial jobs)   📌 What You’ll Learn — How Stephanie used 10 free cleanings before opening Serene Clean (and why it mattered) — Why first-time cleans take longer than you think — and how to track room-by-room timing — The #1 rule: set guardrails (hours + scope) so “free” doesn’t become a disaster — How to turn free cleanings into reviews, social proof, and lead generation — Why Google reviews matter more than Stephanie realized early on — How giveaways drive visibility (and why Stephanie boosts the giveaway video) — How “Cleaning for a Reason” and nomination programs build trust, culture, and retention — A smart way to use free cleaning to reduce risk and collect bidding data for commercial — How free commercial “sample cleans” can help you prove quality and avoid underbidding   Resources Mentioned: — Cleaning for a Reason (nonprofit): https://cleaningforareason.org/ — ZenMaid Booking Forms / ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/the-free-cleaning-strategy-that-grows-your-business/

What happens when a homeschool mom starts cleaning “on the side”… and her corporate-leader husband realizes the numbers actually make sense? 👀 You get Grand Junction Cleaning Services!   In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Anna and Stephen Rodriguez to unpack how a single referral turned into a rapidly scaling cleaning company — complete with W2 employees, multiple revenue streams, five-star reviews, and a clear division of roles that actually works. They talk all things fear, anxiety, hiring mistakes, documentation lessons, customer recovery, fast growth pressure, and what it takes to move from being a great cleaner to running a successful business.   📌 What You’ll Learn — How Anna went from solo cleaner to managing a growing team — The mindset shift required to stop cleaning and start leading — Why Stephen pushed hiring before Anna felt ready — The real risks of hiring too late (and keeping the wrong people too long) — How clearly defined roles save partnerships and marriages — Why reviews matter more than almost anything else in local service businesses — How they scaled to $400K in revenue after hiring their first employee — What most cleaners misunderstand about W2 vs. 1099 — When adding services like carpet and floor care actually makes sense — How stress tolerance grows over time   Resources Mentioned: — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com — Cleaning Business Success (Stephen's coaching + book): https://cleaningbusinesssuccess.com — Grand Junction Cleaning Services: https://grandjunctioncleaningservices.com   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/scaling-a-cleaning-business-as-a-husband-and-wife-team/

In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie talks about her business by the numbers in 2025 and how, unfortunately, Serene Clean shrunk by $120,000 in revenue. It wasn’t random. There were system problems, including staffing instability, fragmented availability, and a time-off policy that unknowingly crushed onboarding capacity.   She walks through the exact reports she pulled (ZenMaid, QuickBooks, ClickUp, Gusto), how she used ChatGPT to analyze patterns, and the key metric she wasn’t tracking at all — Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR). Then she breaks down the 2026 plan to turn the ship around.   📌 What You’ll Learn — Why revenue decline is often capacity, not demand — The difference between “coverage” and growth capacity — How turnover creates schedule fragmentation that blocks new clients — Why approving PTO based only on “can we cover current cleans?” silently kills growth — The KPI Stephanie missed: MRR gained vs. MRR lost (and why churn alone lies) — The minimum first-time-clean requirement (8–10 labor hours) and why 1–2 hour gaps don’t help — The 2026 targets: 2–3 new recurring residential clients/month + 1 commercial account every 6–8 weeks — Why Stephanie is stepping back into sales + follow-up to convert past clients   Resources Mentioned — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/ — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind — EveryDollar budgeting app (mentioned): https://www.ramseysolutions.com/money/everydollar?srsltid=AfmBOopRMU0IL8EQEUh-rtRGTw6gBgaYuGMVyyA5wqUDuu1D87aVmGiA   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/the-data-and-numbers-behind-serene-cleans-2025/

Starting a cleaning business sounds simple — until pricing mistakes, unreliable cleaners, scope creep, and money stress hit you all at once 🥴 In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Sidi, a 25-year-old cleaning business owner out of Philadelphia, to unpack what it really looks like to start and grow a cleaning company from scratch. He shares the wins, mistakes, and mindset shifts that shaped his first two years in business, and dives into things like pricing confidence, sales scripts, flat-rate estimating, recruiting cleaners, running 1099 teams, why charging less “just to get the job” almost always backfires, and more!   📌 What You’ll Learn: — How Sidi's sales experience translated directly to closing cleaning jobs — Why most new owners underprice and how to stop doing it — Flat-rate pricing vs. hourly, and how Sidi estimates first-time cleans — The real cost of “giving discounts” and loose money boundaries — Why cleaners make or break your business — Lessons learned from trying to run a cleaning company remotely — How confidence closes higher-paying clients — The importance of systems, scripts, and call recordings Resources Mentioned: — ZenMaid Scheduling Software:  https://get.zenmaid.com — OpenPhone (now Quo) (call recording system): https://www.openphone.com/perks/zenmaid?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=partnerstack&utm_content=community_experts&utm_campaign=c92107ec7cc9&pscd=get.openphone.com&ps_partner_key=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5&fbclid=IwY2xjawMr03ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBleUtsVnZtUjlJa2h5ZWpwAR7Gp8p4NVVF-Y8WODTTXb-NJi57ltYrsQs-pyFmuaRR4gMrj6TGYWpL1zlA_Q_aem_Ey2JG_AkBSk_SI8w5kDOBA&ps_xid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gsxid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gspk=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5 — Cleaning Entrepreneur Academy: https://www.skool.com/cleaningacademy/about — Sidi's TikTok (cleaning business content): https://tiktok.com/@sidi.inspires   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/sidi-thiam-on-sales-skills-and-pricing-confidence/

What happens when a college grad with zero cleaning experience decides to launch a residential cleaning company in one of the most competitive markets in the USA? You get Mighty Maids — now one of the highest-rated cleaning companies in San Diego!   In this episode, Stephanie sits down with owner Victor Migos, who built his business from the ground up after being inspired by watching his mom clean homes to support their family. Eight years later, he’s running 19 employees, two service areas, and a residential-first model that consistently delivers 5-star experiences.   Victor breaks down how he hires, trains, routes, handles walk-through surprises, manages upset customers, and develops his team, all while maintaining the personal touch that sets Mighty Maids apart ✨   📌 What You’ll Learn — How Victor built Mighty Maids without ever doing the cleaning himself — Why he runs teams of two in his business — How to evaluate attitude vs. skill during training (and spot bad hires fast) — What actually creates a “unique client experience” in residential cleaning — The mystery-shopping strategy Victor used to out-serve competitors — How to handle pricing mismatches when homes don’t match the client’s description — Why emotional detachment is a leadership superpower in customer disputes — The logistics challenges of a big city and how Mighty Maids overcame them — How to create loyal employees who refer their friends and family — Why your "why" matters more than chasing bigger revenue numbers   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 🎧 Spotify: (link) 🎧 Apple Podcasts: (link) 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-victors-residential-first-model-achieved-600-5-star-reviews/

It's our 100th episode! 🥳 Oh, and it's also the holidays! So, we thought there'd be no better way to celebrate both things than by ringing in Episode 100 with a full breakdown of Serene Clean’s 2025 Naughty and Nice List 🎅   Lawsuits, staffing meltdowns, wild client situations, turnover chaos, and more — 2025 was a chaotic year for Serene Clean, and Stephanie gives a full rundown based on the year's memorable events. She walks through the biggest lessons, the hardest hits, the surprising victories, and the systems that saved Serene Clean from spiraling, all while wearing her Santa suit and sipping wine (and also having remnants of the flu)!   Whether you're new here or have been around since our first episode, THANK YOU! Filthy Rich Cleaners would be nothing without you, and we're so proud to hit 100 episodes 🙌   📌 What You’ll Learn — Serene Clean's official Naughty and Nice list breakdown, including: — A discrimination lawsuit — What actually happens when you underbid a large commercial job — The revenue-killing mistake Stephanie made with bookkeeping — How turnover spiraled this year — Why lockboxes, Slack, and OpenPhone were game-changing upgrades — The cleaner stories you truly couldn’t make up — How the training overhaul led to Serene Clean’s lowest complaint rate ever — The power of giveaways, hiring videos, and strategic Indeed boosting — What Stephanie is taking into 2026 after the hardest operational year to date   Resources Mentioned: — Serene Clean Training Bundle: https://sereneclean.com/consulting-services — Stephanie’s Maid Summit Training Program Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9GOeByDuUM&t=1s — Filthy Rich Cleaners episode with the bank story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvGvFf9ypqk   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/the-official-2025-naughty-and-nice-list/  

What if we told you that the easiest way to improve your marketing...is to stop trying to market to everyone 🤔 In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Katie Pearse of Glisten Academy, a nearly 20-year cleaning industry veteran who’s built multiple commercial and residential operations across Canada and the US.   Katie shares how her company exploded from a weekend side hustle into a multi-city business, and why the best marketing strategy is to sell to the version of you who would hire your own company. They get into the real psychology of residential clients and how checklists, proactive communication, and clear positioning are what actually let you charge premium prices. Katie also opens up about a hard lesson in fraud, and tips to prevent it in your own business.   📌 What You’ll Learn — Why the best way to sell cleaning is to “sell to yourself” — How to communicate that you understand your ideal client (not just claim you do) — The invisible nature of cleaning — and how checklists make clients feel real value — How proactive communication reduces client stress and cancellations — Differentiation ideas that don’t require rebranding your whole company — What it really takes to scale into multiple locations and industries — The risks of gatekeeping owner access — and why clients need a direct line — A real fraud story that shows why systems matter more than trust alone   Resources Mentioned: — Glisten Academy (Courses + Staff Training Programs): https://www.glistenacademy.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoravYMVGG2QPfsRtIVi4KGH0Er-7qIxCZN9cRLortLDmBx-DBBD — Discount Code: FILTHY50 — 50% off any Glisten Academy course — Contact Katie: [email protected]   — Glisten Academy on TikTok/Instagram: @glistencleaningacademy — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/the-be-your-customer-marketing-strategy-and-why-it-works-with-katie-pearse/

Fear of growth is one of the most universal problems for business owners — and it shows up everywhere. "If I hire, everything will fall apart!" "I want more clients, but it might make things more chaotic." Sound familiar?   In this episode, Stephanie breaks down the patterns she saw in four consulting calls last week — owners stuck because of fear, lack of systems, burnout, people-pleasing, and a complete misunderstanding of what real growth actually requires. She shares the exact concepts she taught these owners, so you can apply them too.   📌 What You’ll Learn — Why fear of growth appears at every revenue level — How to understand the real reason things feel overwhelming — Growth as a dial — How to hire with buffers instead of panic — When part-timers outperform full-timers for controlled scaling — Why systems must always continue to evolve — Must-have protections like client guidelines + employee docs — How to fix manual chaos in operations — Marketing that works with your mental capacity — When to pause growth without losing momentum — The mindset shift that finally lets you trust yourself as a leader   Resources Mentioned — Chelsea Withers’ episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cphw5tKzdF8 — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com — Signrequest for e-signatures: https://signrequest.com/index.html#/ — QuickBooks for bookkeeping: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ — Wave for bookkeeping: https://www.waveapps.com/ — OpenPhone (now “Quo”) for business lines: https://www.quo.com/ (plus ZenMaid discount link: https://www.quo.com/perks/zenmaid?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=partnerstack&utm_content=community_experts&utm_campaign=c92107ec7cc9&pscd=get.openphone.com&ps_partner_key=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5&fbclid=IwY2xjawMr03ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBleUtsVnZtUjlJa2h5ZWpwAR7Gp8p4NVVF-Y8WODTTXb-NJi57ltYrsQs-pyFmuaRR4gMrj6TGYWpL1zlA_Q_aem_Ey2JG_AkBSk_SI8w5kDOBA&ps_xid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gsxid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gspk=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5 ) — Extreme Ownership (book): https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 🎧 Spotify: (link) 🎧 Apple Podcasts: (link) 📖 Read the full transcript: (link)

Most new cleaning business owners think they need years of experience and a spotless (hah, get it?) strategy before they can grow. But Chelsea Withers, Owner of Mindful Methods Cleaning, proves all of that wrong. A stay-at-home mom battling postpartum depression, she started cleaning out of necessity. With no industry background, she still built a fast-growing company by focusing on deeply systemized operations in two years.   In this episode, Stephanie and Chelsea talk about how your prior experience matters far less than the systems you build, the way you think, and your ability to take action before you feel ready.   📌 What You’ll Learn — Why systems, not experience, determine whether your business grows or not — How ADHD became Chelsea’s unexpected advantage in building SOPs — The real reason her first hire exposed every gap in her business — Why taking extreme ownership accelerates success — How to avoid perfectionism and take action before you “feel ready” — What a strong customer journey actually looks like in the early stages — How Chelsea uses Slack, ZenMaid, Wave, and simple forms to streamline operations — Why hiring for values beats hiring for experience every time — How building systems now unlocks long-term scale and freedom   Resources Mentioned: — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind — Extreme Ownership Book: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057 — Wave (invoicing + bookkeeping): https://www.waveapps.com/ — Slack (team communication): https://slack.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/why-your-systems-determine-your-success-not-your-experience/

Lots of service-based businesses skip team meetings because they feel “unnecessary” or like wasted labor hours. Stephanie did too until she realized the silent damage it was causing, including teams that didn't mesh well together, inconsistent quality, scattered communication, and a culture that never fully gelled 😬 In this episode, she breaks down the exact system Serene Clean has used for years to keep 40+ cleaners aligned and informed, even with multiple locations and Stephanie as a remote owner. 📌 What You’ll Learn  — When to start holding meetings (hint: earlier than you think) — How to run meetings for solo-cleaner companies, team-based companies, and multi-location setups — A full breakdown of Serene Clean’s agenda (KPIs, wins, QC notes, reminders, housekeeping, connection time)  — How to make meetings work for different availabilities, locations, and schedules  — The exact cadence that keeps cleaners consistent  — The KPIs you should be sharing (that don't create anxiety in your staff)  — Why cleaners drift when you don’t hold consistent meetings 🙌 Free Resource: Team Meeting Agenda Template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ko80z5SaurwA9nx1WN6J5Cj32xmqCb1MuDUsOvPZINs/edit?usp=sharing   Additional Resources Mentioned: — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind   — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com   — Slack (for team communication): https://slack.com/  👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/yes-your-team-needs-weekly-meetings-and-heres-why/

Despite what you might assume, cleaning business owners aren’t held back by pricing, marketing, hiring, or retention. They’re actually held back by their mindset. Survival mode. Chaos mode. “I’ll do it myself” mode. And for many, it never stops, even years into their business.   In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Amar Ghose, CEO of ZenMaid software and former maid service owner, to break down the exact mindset differences between owners who stay stuck in the field forever and owners who build a business that runs without them. They talk about all things control issues, daily habits, brutal truths, and why you need to accept that your cleaners will never care as much as you do. Hopefully, this episode will help you understand the importance of thinking like a CEO — and how to take the first steps into adopting a CEO mindset.    What You’ll Learn  — The difference between working in the business vs. working on it  — Why 10–15 minutes of “CEO time” daily will change everything  — How to prioritize when everything feels like it’s on fire  — Why expecting cleaners to care as much as you do is unrealistic  — How systems create consistency even when humans don’t  — Why momentum beats “perfect planning” every time  — The mindset that helps you let go of control without letting go of quality  — How to tell if something is an actual problem… or just noise  — Why the business you build should need nothing from you someday   Resources Mentioned:  — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind  — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com    Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com  Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/you-need-to-think-like-a-ceo-not-a-cleaner/

Solo or team cleaning? Should you have a company car or should cleaners use their own? Is it better to look for experienced cleaners instead of people with no cleaning background? Decisions, decisions In this episode, Stephanie digs into three of the biggest operational decisions cleaning business owners have to make — and why there’s no single “right” answer. She shares why she runs Serene Clean almost entirely with solo cleaners, why she’ll probably never own a fleet of wrapped company cars, and how she hires for attitude over experience (and never regrets it). 📌 What You’ll Learn  — The real pros and cons of solo vs. team cleaning models  — Why efficiency often drops when you put cleaners together  — The hidden costs and headaches of managing company vehicles  — Why requiring cleaners to have their own cars can improve reliability  — How to decide if hiring experienced cleaners helps or hurts your growth  — When “experimenting” becomes dangerous as your company scales 👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/solo-or-team-cleaning-choosing-whats-right-for-your-business/

Most people want to grow their business, but few are willing to become the person required to do it. In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Misael Avalos talks about how he built his company, TimeMaid Cleaning in Arizona, from nothing after a rock-bottom moment changed everything.   They talk about the identity shifts, habits, and core values required to scale a cleaning business, and how Misael went from sleeping on his mom’s couch to cleaning seven days a week, handling every client himself, networking nonstop, and ultimately retiring his mother after 45 years in the field.   📌 What You’ll Learn — Why personal growth is mandatory if you want business growth — How Misael used "burn the boats” focus to scale from 0 to 24 cleaners — The role of networking and community when you have no budget — How your beliefs about yourself quietly limit your revenue — Why core values must be yours first before they become your team’s — How to fire fast without losing team morale — The onboarding elements that keep cleaners long term   Resources Mentioned: — The Cleaning Journey Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cleaning-journey/id1843212838 — The Cleaning Journey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaningjourney/ — Atomic Habits (book by James Clear): https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 🎧 Spotify: (link) 🎧 Apple Podcasts: (link) 📖 Read the full transcript: Most people want to grow their business, but few are willing to become the person required to do it. In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Misael Avalos talks about how he built his company, TimeMaid Cleaning in Arizona, from nothing after a rock-bottom moment changed everything.   They talk about the identity shifts, habits, and core values required to scale a cleaning business, and how Misael went from sleeping on his mom’s couch to cleaning seven days a week, handling every client himself, networking nonstop, and ultimately retiring his mother after 45 years in the field.   📌 What You’ll Learn — Why personal growth is mandatory if you want business growth — How Misael used "burn the boats” focus to scale from 0 to 24 cleaners — The role of networking and community when you have no budget — How your beliefs about yourself quietly limit your revenue — Why core values must be yours first before they become your team’s — How to fire fast without losing team morale — The onboarding elements that keep cleaners long term   Resources Mentioned: — The Cleaning Journey Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cleaning-journey/id1843212838 — The Cleaning Journey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaningjourney/ — Atomic Habits (book by James Clear): https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/couch-surfing-to-ceo-building-a-million-dollar-cleaning-company-with-misael-avalos/

Cleaning business owners who choose their pricing model and pay structure on gut instinct tend to pay for it later 😬 That's why in this episode, Stephanie breaks down all the major decisions you must make as a cleaning business owner in terms of how to charge clients and pay cleaners. She talks about the pros and cons of charging hourly, flat rate, by square foot, or using a hybrid model, as well as whether to pay cleaners hourly, via a percentage, or per job.   📌 What You’ll Learn: — The truth about hourly pricing (and why Serene Clean still uses it at scale) — Why charging a flat rate can explode profits and chaos at the same time — The reason square-foot pricing falls apart in residential and commercial — How to correctly run limited-hour cleans without confusing clients or techs — How to protect your profit when clients ask for extras — The hidden dangers of changing pay structures once you have staff — How to plan your services + packages — What production rates actually tell you and why your pricing depends on them   Resources Mentioned: — Stephanie’s Production Rate Audit Spreadsheet and Resources: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/ — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-to-set-your-pricing-staff-pay-and-packages/

Even the grittiest, hardest-working owners get burned by fuzzy pricing, weak boundaries, bad hires, and saying “I’ll figure it out later" 😅 In this follow-up episode with Cheryl Hajjar, Founder of Sisters Who Scale, Stephanie and Cheryl talk through the most common (and expensive) mistakes cleaning business owners make. In fact, these mistakes are ones both of them learned the hard way and now consult cleaning business owners on!   📌 What You’ll Learn : — Why “I’ll do anything while I’m here” destroys margins and confuses clients — The pricing math that keeps wages under control without underpaying your team — W2 vs 1099 in real life — what’s legal, what’s risky, and why “contractors” backfire in residential — How to stop desperation hires and interview for reliability (not just charisma) — Onboarding that reduces turnover — hybrid teams, clear roles, and quality control — GPS, time theft, and schedule optimization — protect your payroll and routes — Bookkeeping basics you can’t skip — owner draws, separate accounts, weekly P&L — Ads vs scrappy growth — when to spend, when to build brand and reviews first — Client communication that prevents scope creep and last-minute chaos — The mindset shift from cleaner to CEO — detach, lead, and document   Resources Mentioned: — Sisters Who Scale (Cheryl Hajjar): https://sisterswhoscale.com — Sisters Who Scale Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sisterswhoscale — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/the-biggest-mistakes-cleaning-owners-make-and-how-to-stop-them-with-cheryl-hajjar/

Even the best-run service companies face constant problems, and that’s normal! Every problem in your business falls into one of three buckets — Supply (staffing), Demand (leads/sales), or Operations (everything else) — and in this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie talks about how she's learned to quickly diagnose issues and move forward without the overwhelm.   📌 What You’ll Learn: — The 3-bucket framework to categorize every problem: Supply, Demand, Operations — How to use the “If we had 50 employees tomorrow, what would break?” thought experiment — When you should mitigate vs. eradicate a recurring problem — Practical ways to avoid analysis paralysis when making your first W-2 hire — Where to look first if quality slips during growth (training, QC, SOPs, delegation) — Simple workload wins: automation (reminders, follow-ups) and eliminating time sinks (e.g., unnecessary in-person walkthroughs) — Planning for the inevitable (like call-outs or schedule gaps) so they’re speed bumps, not crises   Resources Mentioned: — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind — ChatGPT (for step-by-step state hiring setup prompts): https://chatgpt.com/   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: (link)

In this episode, Stephanie is joined by Paige Collins, founder of All Spruced Up Cleaning Co., who went from being a dental hygienist during COVID to running a thriving residential and commercial cleaning business with 15 employees.   Paige shares all about her rapid growth, how she balances business and motherhood, her top tips for employee retention, and why flexibility and compassion have become her company’s superpowers. She and Stephanie also discuss building training systems for multiple employees, the right way to price commercial jobs, and what it's like hitting that first million in revenue.   📌 What You’ll Learn — How Paige grew her cleaning company from zero to 15 staff in under five years — The truth about hiring “out of desperation” and what to do instead — Why flexibility for working moms can actually boost retention — How to price and bid for commercial cleaning without overcomplicating it — Creative ways to use ZenMaid to systematize your business — What a “done early” checklist is — and how it helps with quality control — How Paige plans to scale to $1M and launch her nonprofit cleaning initiative   Resources Mentioned: — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/ — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind — Profit First by Mike Michalowicz — OpenPhone (now Quo) – the business phone system Paige uses: https://www.openphone.com/perks/zenmaid?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=partnerstack&utm_content=community_experts&utm_campaign=c92107ec7cc9&pscd=get.openphone.com&ps_partner_key=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5&fbclid=IwY2xjawMr03ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBleUtsVnZtUjlJa2h5ZWpwAR7Gp8p4NVVF-Y8WODTTXb-NJi57ltYrsQs-pyFmuaRR4gMrj6TGYWpL1zlA_Q_aem_Ey2JG_AkBSk_SI8w5kDOBA&ps_xid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gsxid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gspk=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5   👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com 📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/   🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 📖 Read the full transcript: (link)