Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast

Even excellent cleaning companies fail because of these three common mistakes. In this episode, Stephanie shares the costly errors she sees cleaning business owners make "all the time" - mistakes that force you to work harder and spend more money than necessary to attract clients.   Learn exactly what to do instead, from smarter scheduling strategies to leveraging free cleanings, and discover why Google reviews should be your top priority from day one.   What You'll Learn In This Episode: How to take control of your scheduling process The right way to ask about client availability Why Google reviews beat Facebook reviews How to get verified on Google quickly Smart strategies for getting your first reviews Using free cleanings to build momentum Tips for running successful cleaning giveaways Mentioned in this Episode: ZenMaid Google My Business Serene Clean (serene-clean.com) Try ZenMaid free for 14 days! Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.

In this powerful episode, host Stephanie Pipkin sits down with Carolyn Arellano, owner of Spotless Cleaning and The Cleaning Business Mentor, for a raw conversation about the mental toughness required to build a successful cleaning business.   Learn how Carolyn transformed from an anxiety-ridden college graduate with crushing debt to a thriving entrepreneur, and learn why the right mindset is your most valuable asset when building your cleaning empire. Both owners share vulnerable stories about their early struggles and the lessons that shaped their success. Key Takeaways: How to develop business confidence when you're starting with zero experience Why having a mentor can save you years of costly mistakes (and how to find the right one) The emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship and how to handle stressful situations Why your business won't grow if you keep reacting emotionally to every challenge How to maintain focus when constant distractions are literally part of your job The importance of persistence when you're tempted to quit Mentioned in this Episode: ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group The Cleaning Business Mentor Spotless Cleaning Service "Think and Grow Rich" book Melissa Maker's cleaning business resources   Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com/ Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/filthy-rich-cleaners-podcast-episode-19/

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: katie@glistenacademy.com   — 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)

Every cleaning business owner hits this breaking point — when you’re juggling every email, call, quote, and cleaning, wondering how much longer you can keep your sh*t together. In this episode, Stephanie breaks down how she transitioned from doing everything herself at Serene Clean to building a reliable, well-trained admin team that keeps operations running smoothly (even when things go wrong).   📌 What You’ll Learn: — Why your first office hire shouldn’t be full-time — How to transition a cleaner into an admin role (without overwhelming them) — How to decide what to delegate first — The most common mistakes business owners make when hiring admin help — How Serene Clean structures its daily operations and priorities — Tips for building a “buffer” between you and the field — How to create trust, accountability, and systems that actually work   🧰 Resources Mentioned: — Trainual (Train Now) — SOP documentation & onboarding: https://trainual.com/newhome — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (Free): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind — Book: Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell — Book: The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes   👉 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-to-delegate-without-losing-control-of-your-cleaning-business/

Jamie Runco prayed for a new direction in life, and four years later, she’s running a thriving residential and commercial cleaning business in rural California. In this episode, FRC Host Stephanie Pipkin sits with Jamie to talk about how she went from cleaning church floors to leading a full team, hiring her first coach, and scaling to six figures (and beyond). They share what it’s like to build a business when failure isn’t an option, including learning payroll and OSHA laws the hard way, navigating maternity leave, hiring friends, and managing panic-fueled creativity.   📌 What You’ll Learn: — How Jamie turned a $25/hour solo hustle into a multi-employee cleaning company — Why mentorship and accountability can accelerate your business growth — The biggest legal and financial mistakes new cleaning business owners make — How to handle employee laws, OSHA requirements, and California’s strict labor rules — Why “panic moments” can actually fuel your creativity and growth — The importance of building community reputation in small towns — How to structure pricing and policies that protect your time and your team — Why hiring friends can go very wrong — and how to recover when it does   Resources Mentioned: — Shannon Miller (Coach & Mentor): https://kleanfreaksuniversity.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-coaching-and-chaos-transformed-a-cleaning-business-with-jamie-runco/

BOO! 👻 Did we scare you? Maybe not, but hopefully these hot takes will 🌶️ In this special Halloween edition of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie is serving up her spiciest opinions about the cleaning industry. She talks about controversial opinions around business policies, walkthroughs, pricing transparency, team cleans, the habits that make or break a company, and more! This episode isn’t for the faint of heart (or for people who still think cleaning is “unskilled labor”).   👻 What You’ll Learn: — Why charging by the square foot almost always backfires — The real reason Serene Clean refuses homes with smoke damage — Why you should stop hiding client info from your cleaners — How to handle commercial accounts without being taken advantage of — Why “automated scheduling” is a myth — Why no prices on your website is a power move — The bold reason Stephanie stopped answering her phones — Why she doesn’t hire family members or want experienced cleaners — How to handle drama-free teams and build loyalty — The case for being real, funny, and a little unhinged with your staff — Why cleaning checklists, software, and paying yourself from day one are non-negotiable   Resources Mentioned: — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com — OpenPhone (business phone system) + 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 — Gusto (Payroll Software): https://gusto.com — QuickBooks Online: https://quickbooks.intuit.com — Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com — Zapier: https://zapier.com — Filthy Rich Cleaners Ep. 33 (with Brenna Sledge) on vacation rentals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z2eZQv4-no — Profit First (Book by Mike Michalowicz)   👉 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/our-spiciest-takes-about-the-cleaning-industry/

In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie sits down with marketing expert Sean Parry, aka “the king of automation,” to talk about what actually brings clients to your cleaning business. Sean talks about methods to dominate your local market through Google reviews, SEO, and Local Service Ads (LSAs), and why most owners are wasting time chasing leads that were never going to convert 😢   📌 What You’ll Learn: — Why Google will always be the most powerful lead source for cleaning businesses — The difference between quality leads and cheap window shoppers — How to set up your Google Business Profile the right way — When (and why) to add SEO, Google Ads, and LSAs — How to follow up fast and close more leads — even while you’re still in the field — Why shiny object syndrome (TikTok ads, anyone?) kills your growth — How tracking your numbers can completely change your business trajectory — Sean’s simple framework for growing to $10k–$20k/month with just Google   Resources Mentioned: — Project83 (Sean’s Marketing Agency): https://www.project83.co/ — Sean Parry's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@sean_parry — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com — 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: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/google-local-services-ads-for-cleaning-businesses-2026-guide-with-real-screenshots/

Not every successful cleaning company starts with Facebook ads or a huge budget. In Lucy Spencer's case, it started with $10 and a stack of handwritten letters 💌   In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Lucy, who owns River Girl Cleaning in Boston, Massachusetts. Lucy shares how she built her business from the ground up, starting with nothing but grit, family, community, and the belief that “there’s enough for everyone.” Together, they discuss the art of keeping clients for decades, why human connection always wins, and how going back to basics can cut through the digital noise and bring in real, loyal customers.   📌 What You’ll Learn: — How Lucy started River Girl Cleaning with $10 and a letter-writing campaign — Why working with family (not for them) can be a business superpower — The timeless marketing trick that still brings Lucy new clients today — What to do when fear of confrontation holds you back as a leader — How to fire clients (or employees) with tact and confidence — Why “there’s a client for everyone” is a business strategy   Resources Mentioned: — River Girl Cleaning: https://www.rivergirlcleaning.com — ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com — ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free): 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: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-handwritten-letters-built-a-thriving-cleaning-business-with-lucy-spencer/