0 to Hero. Commercial Cleaning style
Read time: 3 minutes and 28 seconds
Haley Gallagher and her husband have always been the side hustle type. You know who they are, the doordashers, the side hustlers, the ones who get out and get stuff done.
They are just like you, the reader of this newletter who would rather go out and grind for 12 hours a day for yourself than 8 hours a day for someone else.
In late 2021 Haley and her husband found a great opportunity that has absolutely exploded. It’s been a rocketship. Not a crypto rocket that pumps and dumps, but a real life sustainable business that churns out cash flow.
Since starting, they have generated over $100,000 in revenue over the past 9 months.
Haley’s husband worked security at a bar as an extra part time job. He noticed the cleaner’s contract was up and asked the management if he could take it over.
Takeaway #1
We can already learn something from this.
Go to work and keep your eyes open. -David Haight
He wasn’t sitting around, fooling with dropshipping or print on demand. He went to work with his eyes open for opportunities.
That’s what you come to this newsletter for, the guru on top of a mountain takeaways.
Haley and her husband priced the contract as best they could, and went to work. It was perfect, they could perform the work 6 nights a week after the bar was closed. It was a legit side hustle that they could do with their normal jobs.
By the time they got paid for their 1st month of work, they had the cleaning process down, they documented everything religiously, and they were able to use their 1st month of earnings to hire their first cleaner.
Takeaway #2
“The system isn’t something you bring to the business. It’s something you derive from the process of building the business.”-Michael Gerber
By working in the business first, you work out all the kinks and make it possible to plan your first hire.
I know it sucks, no one wants to clean a restaurant. But you can’t get by without knowing your business like the back of your hand.
The restaurant had most of the supplies they needed. All the disinfectants and mop stations, but they were missing a vacuum that Haley needed to supply. With $500 for a vacuum and a few other basic cleaning supplies they were off and running.
One employee took care of the cleaning, which freed up Haley expanded her plan to grow the company.
First, Haley and her husband posted on Facebook to see if there were any friends who could connect them to commercial cleaning opportunities. This brought them one solid lead.
Next, they signed up for Angie’s List. They found leads that would cost $40-50, but they were commercial contracts actively looking for cleaners. Considering their one client was already paying over $100 a night, that’s a great trade.
It’s a no brainer, pay for 10 leads and if you land even just 1, you’ll pay off that Customer Acquisition Cost in just one week. Talk about a slam dunk.
Takeaway #3
When it comes to marketing, go after some low hanging fruit.
Don’t over complicate things. Find where your target audience hangs out and go after them.
The process then repeated itself. Haley and her husband kept looking for new business, kept hiring good employees, and grew the business. They were on pace for $120,000 in revenue in one year. If we follow basic service business valuations, they created a business worth almost $200,000 in just 9 months.
Keys to Success
Hire good employees and pay them well.
Quote jobs correctly to allow for no. 1.
Collect reviews right away
Leverage technology to help your business be efficient and organized.