8 Successful Cleaning Business Stories That’ll Inspire You

by | May 19, 2023 | Tips and Tricks

Want to know if your cleaning venture will hit the jackpot?

While there’s no crystal ball, gauging your success is relatively easy by contrasting your business with these triumphant stories of cleaning endeavors.

In this article, we present Katie Pearse, our Canadian cleaning heroine who built a million-dollar cleaning empire in a mere three years.

And stick around for even more inspiring entrepreneurial tales from the world of cleaning businesses.

Green Clean Squad: the million-dollar clean machine

In 2008, Katie was immersed in web communications, captivated by online marketing and devoting her free time to mastering the latest tools and strategies.

However, her day job left no room for experimentation. So Katie set out to forge her own path and transform her marketing fantasies into reality.

In cahoots with a local cleaning virtuoso, they established an Edmonton-based cleaning company, the Green Clean Squad.

To reach those dizzying heights, Katie employed tactics rarely seen in the residential cleaning industry.

Here’s how the Green Clean Squad broke the mold:

  • Undercover shopping: Katie initiated a covert shopping program to appraise her cleaners’ skills. Clients received a 50% discount if they gave a detailed assessment of that day’s cleaners, and top-scoring cleaners earned a bonus.
  • Customer service: Katie continually strove for an exceptional customer experience, going above and beyond whenever possible. This bespoke service justified the company’s premium hourly rate.
  • Online quotes: While most companies visit clientele for in-person quotes, Katie found this inefficient. Ingeniously, she devised a method to provide accurate quotes online.

Green Clean Squad’s seven-year rise to power

STORIES
2008
Katie and her business accomplice hit the ground running in April, juggling evening and weekend cleans with full-time day jobs. Business was booming by May, prompting Katie to ditch her day job. They recruited their first employee in June.
2011
The business reached its first million in sales.
2012
Katie and her partner implemented a staff benefits plan, attracting top talent and retaining their star players.
2013
The business hit $1M in sales that year alone.
2015
Katie ramped up advertising investments, and in three months, monthly revenue soared from $80,000 to $115,000. That year, Katie bid the business adieu and ventured into consulting and other enterprises.

Discover 7 more squeaky-clean tales of entrepreneurial triumph

Feeling motivated by Katie’s journey? Allow us to introduce you to six other shining examples of unbeatable cleaning businesses and uncover their secrets to success:

  1. Karen Conchie’s career-change led her to establish . With its army of professional cleaners, the enterprise has flourished by harnessing Bizvalet to keep track of essential job particulars on-the-go. Talk about being spotless!

    2. Scouring over 500 abodes and offices monthly,  caters to more than 25 Nebraskan communities. Their recipe for success? A one-of-a-kind , eagle-eyed attention to detail, and a commitment to exceptional client experiences. Bravo!

    3. For years,  has sparkled as a leading residential cleaning venture in Los Angeles. By introducing online booking through , they managed to almost double their leads. How’s that for scrubbing up nicely?

    4.  Harnessed the power of , online promotional efforts, and top-tier client communication to expand their empire. They’ve since welcomed 50 cleaners under their umbrella across various Floridian locations. Well, scrub-a-dub-dub!

    5.  Began with Grace Reynolds, a single mother of two. By employing  on Facebook, she expanded the venture alongside her now-husband, Kevin. The dynamic duo also manages the . Quite the family business!

    6.  Encompasses community spirit by hiring workers from low-income backgrounds or tough life situations. Their dedication to social responsibility and has won them the trust of clients through word-of-mouth recommendations.

    7. Irene Zibin’s eSunshine Cleaning boasts a crew of eco-conscious cleaners, providing top-notch green residential cleaning services. When the pressures of running the business piled up, Irene turned to Bizvalet to sweep away her scheduling and invoicing woes. Problem solved!


    So, what’s the going rate of cleaning business success?

    remain standing after their initial two years. But beware! This number plummets below 50% within the first five years, so elbow grease and determination are a must.

    With the cleaning industry witnessing 20% growth year-on-year, according to , and 80% of households projected to hire cleaning services by 2024, there’s no better moment to learn  in the residential sector. Plus, you might be intrigued to find out .