The 3 Biggest Mistakes I Made Starting My Cleaning Business

Hey hey, and happy Wednesday!

I’ve recently been talking with people in the cleaning industry—both newcomers and seasoned veterans—and it’s fascinating how similar our challenges are, regardless of where we’re located. Why? Because most of our problems overlap.

I’ve connected with over 250 cleaning business owners across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Our chats revealed that if I’d had someone teaching me the “do’s” and “don’ts” early on, I would have saved countless dollars—and an unbelievable amount of stress.

No matter where you are—just starting out or already doing $100k+ per month—you’ll probably find something here you can relate to (or learn from).

Mistake #1: Caring Too Much About the Close

Don’t get me wrong—every client is extremely valuable. I’ve had clients since the first month I started, and three years later, they’ve resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in recurring business or post-construction work (pro tip: partner with builders!).

But early on, I would break my back trying to close certain clients, sometimes reducing my margins to nothing. Often, these were the ones who complained, treated my cleaning crews poorly, or canceled after the first service.

Why did this happen? Because I was so focused on the “close” that I undersold the true value of my service. Remember: you’re not just selling a “standard clean” or “deep clean.” You’re selling an experience—from the moment they book to the final follow-up. You’re licensed, bonded, and insured, and available 24/7. That has real value.

If a prospective customer doesn’t appreciate that, let them go. Never lower your standards for a cheap client; it rarely pays off in the long run.

Mistake #2: “Letting” Business Come to Me

If you want to build a successful business, you have to be hungry. It’s not enough to just turn on Local Service Ads (LSAs) and hope the leads roll in. Yes, you might get a few calls, but there are two major drawbacks to relying solely on LSAs:

1. Skyrocketing Lead Costs
   In some weeks, I paid an average of $75 per lead (not per closed deal—just the lead). That’s unsustainable in our industry.

2. Lack of Control
   It doesn’t matter if you’re the world’s greatest salesperson if no calls are coming in. By depending on a single platform, you’re putting your success in someone else’s hands.

You need to do outreach—and I’ll dive deeper into this in future newsletters. Dropping off flyers at apartment complexes, cold-calling local businesses, building relationships with real estate brokers, and staying active on social media will help your brand more than you can imagine.

Mistake #3: Not Building a Solid Foundation

If I could put a number on how much money I lost by failing to follow up, nurture leads, or systemize my processes, it would easily be in the six figures. It makes me queasy just thinking about it.

Scaling a cleaning business is like building a house: it doesn’t matter how gorgeous the final home is if its foundation is weak. Using BookingKoala, ZenMaid, Launch27, or other scheduling software is helpful, but it’s not enough on its own.

You need proper systems for client outreach, follow-up, and retargeting. There are plenty of CRMs you can use—or you can even build your own. Personally, I’ve had a ton of success with Clean Genie, which integrates seamlessly with my booking software and is tailored specifically for cleaning companies.

Final Thoughts

The hardest part of business is often just getting started—opening the LLC, launching the website, and taking the leap to promote yourself. That’s where many people freeze.

Once you’ve launched, keep experimenting with new strategies. Test, iterate, and optimize. Avoid getting stuck in “analysis paralysis,” where you keep gathering tips but never act on them.

If this newsletter can inspire you to do anything, let it be this: take one action and see what happens. You don’t need a 50-page plan—just start!

Starting with one, anything is possible.

Over to You

What was the biggest mistake you made when starting your business?
Reply to this email or drop a comment and let me know—I’d love to hear your story!