The Cleaning Journey

Victor Mijangos built The Mighty Maids into one of San Diego's highest-rated residential cleaning companies with more than 800 five-star reviews. But getting there required much more than working harder. In this episode, Victor shares how hiring virtual assistants, building repeatable sales systems, focusing on customer experience, and investing in leadership helped transform his business from a stressful job into a scalable company. If you've ever felt like you're doing everything yourself, this conversation will show you what needs to change. Topics include: • Hiring your first VA • Delegating sales and follow-ups • Customer experience strategies • Building recurring revenue • Leadership and company culture • Follow-up systems that convert more clients • Creating freedom through systems Connect with Victor   Instagram: @themightymaids Website: https://themightymaidssandiego.com/   👇 Let us know your biggest takeaway in the comments!   If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place.   Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10RsS2J2CzQjW8ttbljx2LfebK9sMtmSz9AG0ipMAlx8/edit

What separates the cleaning companies people remember from the ones they forget? In Part 2 of our conversation, Lisa Macqueen shares why branding, leadership, and marketing have become just as important as delivering a great cleaning service. Lisa explains how she intentionally positioned Clean Corp away from every other cleaning company in the market by changing the company's messaging, website, photography, and overall customer experience. She also shares lessons from business failures, building company culture, creating authentic content, and why she believes every business owner should embrace a media mindset. If Part 1 focused on building systems, Part 2 is about building a brand. In this episode: Thinking like a media company Standing out in a crowded industry Building a memorable brand Leadership and company culture Learning from business failures Authentic marketing and storytelling Personal branding Content creation that builds trust Rapid-fire business advice No matter what stage your cleaning business is in, this episode will help you think differently about growth and long-term success.   👇 Connect with Lisa Macqueen   LinkedIn:      / lisamacqueen     Clean Corp: https://www.cleancorp.com     If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place.   Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-aval...   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10RsS...

What happens when you stop running your cleaning company like a cleaning company—and start running it like a business? In Part 1 of this conversation, Lisa Macqueen shares how she helped transform Clean Corp from a $700,000 business into a multi-million-dollar commercial cleaning company by focusing on marketing, systems, automation, and brand positioning. Lisa discusses why relying solely on referrals limits growth, how implementing a CRM became one of the biggest turning points for the business, and why creating repeatable systems allowed the company to scale without adding unnecessary overhead. You'll also hear why your website should do more than list your services—it should build trust, tell your story, and help potential clients immediately understand why your company is different. In this episode: Breaking through the $700K revenue plateau Growing to over $2 million Why marketing creates predictable growth Implementing a CRM that scales with your business Building automated operational systems Creating a website that converts Using branding to stand out in a crowded market Why people buy from people If you're looking to build a cleaning business that can scale beyond referrals and operate like a real company, this episode is full of actionable advice you can apply immediately.   👇 Connect with Lisa Macqueen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamacqueen/ Clean Corp: https://www.cleancorp.com   🎧 Enjoying the show?   Subscribe for weekly conversations with cleaning business owners, operators, and industry leaders sharing real-world lessons from the front lines.   Interested in growing your cleaning business?   Book a free 45-minute strategy call: https://www.misaelavalos.com   If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place.   Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-aval...   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10RsS...

In Episode #36 of The Cleaning Journey, Misael Avalos speaks with Marcelo Matos, owner of Prime Cleaning Services in Columbus, Ohio. Marcelo shares his remarkable journey from immigrating to the United States in 2015 to building a cleaning company that now performs approximately 2,000 cleanings per month with a team of 54 employees and 16 vehicles. The conversation covers the challenges of losing more than 90% of clients during the pandemic, making the decision to go "all in" on the business, acquiring a larger company while facing significant financial pressure, and working through one of the most demanding periods of entrepreneurship imaginable. Marcelo also discusses the systems, leadership structure, customer service standards, and operational processes that have helped Prime Cleaning scale while reducing owner dependency. This episode is packed with lessons on resilience, risk, growth, and what it really takes to build a sustainable cleaning company. Topics discussed: • Immigrating to the United States and starting a cleaning business • Surviving COVID-related client loss • Business acquisitions • Cash flow challenges • Scaling operations • Building management teams • Systems and process development • Customer experience and retention • Long-term business growth Interested in growing your cleaning business?   Book a free 45-minute strategy call: https://www.misaelavalos.com   If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place.   Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10RsS2J2CzQjW8ttbljx2LfebK9sMtmSz9AG0ipMAlx8/edit

Episode Summary Finding clients isn't the hardest part of running a cleaning company. Finding and keeping great cleaners is. In Part 2 of this conversation, Victoria Westcott shares the hiring systems, employee retention strategies, recurring revenue model, and leadership lessons that helped her build a successful residential cleaning business. Victoria explains why many cleaning business owners focus on the wrong bottleneck, how to attract and retain experienced cleaners, and why recurring clients create a stronger and more profitable company than constantly chasing one-time jobs. She also discusses the importance of systems, boundaries, and building a business that can grow without creating chaos. Whether you're starting a cleaning company, managing a maid service, or scaling a residential cleaning business, this episode offers practical insights on hiring, retention, recurring revenue, and sustainable growth. What You'll Learn Victoria's step-by-step hiring process How to attract experienced cleaners Why hiring should never be emotional Employee retention strategies for cleaning businesses Daily pay versus traditional payroll Building recurring revenue through recurring clients Creating healthy client boundaries How recurring customers increase profitability The difference between growth and chaos Why systems matter more than hustle Leadership lessons learned from high employee turnover Guest Victoria Westcott Key Topics Cleaning business hiring Employee retention Recruiting cleaners Residential cleaning companies Maid service growth Recurring revenue Recurring cleaning clients Leadership Business systems Cleaning company operations Scaling a cleaning business Team culture Notable Quotes "The real problem isn't clients. It's finding cleaners." "Recurring revenue creates stability." "Systems matter more than hustle." We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, client communication, and recurring services all in one place.   🚀 Start your free trial and get 20% off for 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   Connect With The Cleaning Journey   🎥 Subscribe: @misaavalos 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos 🎙️ Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast 📞 Free 45-Minute Discovery Call: https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call   Want To Be A Guest? Apply to be on The Cleaning Journey Podcast: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10RsS2J2CzQjW8ttbljx2LfebK9sMtmSz9AG0ipMAlx8/edit