The Business of Cleaning

In 2016, Illissa Figueroa and Ana Chicas McNamara decided to start their own cleaning business despite only knowing each other for six months. Join us as we look at their journey in the cleaning industry, from humbling beginnings to industry success.

Jason Davis found himself trapped in the monotonous routine of his dream job in banking, enduring the daily grind of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The toll of this predictable work schedule eventually convinced him that it wasn't the right path for him. One day, on impulse, he walked away from his banking career without a plan. Encouraged by his wife, he connected with the cleaners at her workplace, whi...

In the mid-1980s, Don Aslett made a pivotal stop at the Edison Museum en route to a Boy Scout jamboree, where he conceived the vision of establishing a museum dedicated to cleanliness. He envisioned a space that would pay homage to the past, present, and future of the cleaning industry, with a particular emphasis on showcasing classic equipment. This idea began to take shape when Don acquired 250...

Joel Craddock's first experience in the commercial cleaning industry came from his church, where he made $0.25 an hour. The job taught him hard work and responsibility from a young age. If he woke up, he knew that his job expected him to be at work. While in college, Joel worked his way up to an operations manager position for one of the biggest commercial cleaning companies in the Rochester,...

In 2001, Steven Harper made the decision to leave the corporate world after working for several fortune 500 companies. He chose to start his own commercial cleaning company, Spectrum Building Services of America. His goal was to build a company where he could leave his mark, instill his core values, and achieve personal and professional balance. While working in the corporate world, he endured 60...

As 2023 comes to a close, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude to our incredible BOC community. Join us in celebrating our top conversations of the year with our 'best of' episode. Stay tuned for more amazing content in 2024.

Mark's industry expertise is unique. He provides an in-depth breakdown of cross-selling and upselling in this episode, discussing how cleaners can better serve their customers. He stated that "people don’t realize they’re leaving money on the table with current customers." He dives into scaling a business and emphasizes the importance of having a developed plan before considering sca...

Over the past three years, sales approaches have witnessed a profound transformation, catalyzed primarily by the seismic impact of the 2020 pandemic. In this evolving landscape, MJ Mrga, Manager of Business Development for GDI Services, underscores the paramount importance of adaptability. The ability to be an empathetic listener and thoroughly comprehend customer needs has assumed heightened sign...

Like numerous businesses, Imperial Cleaners faced setbacks during the pandemic, particularly in staffing qualified candidates. With a population exceeding one million in Nova Scotia, the company needed to expand its horizons beyond provincial borders to locate and hire the right individuals. This expansion introduced challenges related to longer commutes and transportation logistics. However, Impe...

Training is crucial for a successful cleaning operation. This month, Brant Insero, ISSA’s Sr. Director of Global Education, discusses training trends and increased company investment in training programs. He also highlights how public perception has improved, leading to greater respect for industry workers.

When Ken Carfagno entered the cleaning industry in 2005, he had $160,000 in debt. Listen as Ken discusses how he remained determined to eliminate this staggering debt. Despite finding success with his business, Ken was working 70-hour work weeks and missing important family events. This is when he developed a plan to create the lifestyle he deserved, allowing him to work less and spend more time w...

In this edition, Scott Prather, Senior Regional Manager for BETCO Corporation unveils their groundbreaking product EnviroZyme Probiotic Solutions products. A probiotic that lasts 21 days on surfaces and is environmentally friendly. Scott guides us through the research and development of the cleaning product at their world headquarters in Bowling Green, Ohio. He also discusses how he’s witnessed sa...

In this episode, Edwin Eaton shares his strategies to building a positive company culture that leads to employee retention. Instead of promoting customer reviews, he promotes his employees on the company’s social media and sells his customers on his employees. This has created a family atmosphere between their customers and employees. Learn more about our show here:  https://www.janitorialmanager....

In this month's episode, Valerie Reyher introduces us to The Kennedy Collective and how they provide an all-inclusive approach to employment opportunities in the Commercial Cleaning Industry. Valerie Reyher started with The Kennedy Collective 28 years ago as a college graduate and has worked up in the company to her current position as VP of Workforce Development and Social Enterprise. Being a...

In this month's episode, we caught up with the Founder and President of Janitorial Manager, Archie Heinl. During the episode, we discuss the founding of Janitorial Manager and the many solutions JM provides to elevate cleaning organizations across the globe. Learn more about Archie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aheinl Learn more about Janitorial Manager: ⁠https://www.janitorialmanager.com/ Podc...

To kick off the year, host Halie Morris sat down with the Owner of Payroll Select, Mark Miller, to talk about the dos and don'ts of payroll you should be considering for your commercial cleaning business. Learn more about Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-miller-81269251/ Learn more about Payroll Select: https://www.payrollselectservices.com/ Episode blog, video, and transcript: https://www.j...

In this BoC podcast episode, Podcast Coordinator, Halie Morris, speaks with Jared Loar, an account manager for Janitorial Manager, regarding the effects of implementing change in the janitorial workplace. Jared is right on the front line when it comes to helping onboard new customers to Janitorial Manager’s software.    While onboarding, he hears what sort of feedback business owners in...

Mike Sawchuk, from Sawchuk Consulting, goes into detail about the effects of leadership on employee retention.   Host: Halie Morris | Guest: Mike Sawchuk    A cleaning business will never succeed without strong leadership and an employee will never stay with a company that lacks the leadership to provide proper support and a clear mission to follow. One without the other is des...

Not talked about enough with business strategy is how you maintain data and cyber security, but it’s no less important than your sales, marketing, and services. What steps are you taking to make sure your business is safe? We sat down with Oliver Greive , an Experience Designer I - Research and Strategy for UPMC Health Plan. His experience spans from linguistics to human-computer interaction. Oliv...

The difficulties of managing employee retention have only been highlighted more in the last few years as tolerance for undesirable work climates drops and employees demand more competitive compensation. Follow our conversation with Ben Walker on the Business of Cleaning podcast as we discuss the root causes of high turnover and how to combat them. Ben has been an educator, consultant, writer, and...

In order to land new contracts, marketing is vital for the success and growth of your business. It establishes a presence among your target customer base and allows you to create brand authority, both of which are necessary for the longevity of your operations. Stacy Tennyson is one of our sales experts at Janitorial Manager , with a strong background in marketing, SEO, and business growth. We bro...

It’s not easy to set yourself apart in the cleaning industry, validate the pricing of your services, and maintain a high standard of clean. We sat down with Mark Warner on the latest Business of Cleaning episode to talk about ways you can. Mark Warner is the National Sales Manager for the Bullen Companies in Folcroft, Pennsylvania, and has served as the Education Manager for ISSA’s Cleaning Manage...

An opportunity sits in front of you and there is no price, but your time and commitment for claiming it. LinkedIn is a free resource and Justin Clark sat down to talk about how it helps leaders take their cleaning operations to the next level. Justin Clark is the VP of Sales at Kelsan , one of the first Jan-San distributors in East Tennessee and based out of Knoxville. Kelsan is one of the largest...

Here’s a quick look back at ISSA Show North America 2021 as experienced by the JM team. Archie Heinl is the President of Janitorial Manager and has been working in the software-as-a-service space for many years. Through long years of dedication and a willingness to work with customers to find a solution, he’s developed a great reputation as a reliable and compassionate leader. Janitorial Manager i...