ZenMaid - Podcast Details

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Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #154: Simone Angell on How to Go From Solo Cleaner to Running a TeamIf you're burnt out doing every clean yourself but terrified to hire, you're not alone! In this episode, Stephanie welcomes back Simone Angell of The House Mum to talk about a question posted in the ZenMaid Mastermind: how do you transition from doing all the cleaning yourself to building and leading a team? Simone, who just hit 30 employees running a luxury household-management company in Australia, and Stephanie unpack pricing, hiring, financial transitions, client notes, and the hard conversations. 📌 What You'll Learn — Why a growing waiting list should trigger a price increase (and how that funds...

2026-07-071h 02

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #153: How to Handle Damage in Clients' Homes (And Who Pays For It)It's not a matter of IF you'll break something in a client's home, but a matter of when 😬 It happens to every cleaning business owner, and in this solo episode, Stephanie talks about things she and her team have broken, damaged, and replaced over seven years at Serene Clean — from a faucet that snapped in her hand to a priceless glass statue that couldn't be replaced. She breaks down who's responsible when staff damages items, why you should never hide it, and how reducing risk in your kit and scope of work protects your business in the long term.

2026-07-0235 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #152: Your Gut Is Always Right About Bad Hires, with Lee Anne ChevalierHiring is hard, but firing is harder — especially when it's the first time you have to do it. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Lee Anne Chevalier, owner of SerenLumi in Ithaca, New York, just hours after she performed her first-ever employee termination! Lee Anne walks through her decades in cleaning, rebuilding her business from rock bottom after moving states, and the timely story of a manipulative hire who tried to pressure her into committing unemployment fraud. 📌 What You'll Learn — Why "speed of trust" matters and how to extend it like a credit card, not...

2026-06-301h 05

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #151: Why 57% of My Interview Confirmations Never Showed UpStephanie used to spend nothing on job listings for years. That's all changed now, and in this solo episode, Stephanie walks through Serene Clean's real numbers behind a month of aggressive hiring. She shares the May 2026 hiring funnel — from applications started to retained hires — and how much she spent on Indeed to get there. 📌 What You'll Learn — Why free job listing hacks on Indeed no longer work — Why Stephanie runs all interviews (group and secondary) on Zoom — What a 57% interview no-show rate really tells you about applicants — The full May hiring funnel: 395 appli...

2026-06-2533 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #149: How We Raised Prices AND Got Our Highest Close Rate in YearsOwners are often terrified to raise prices, and Stephanie Pipkin completely understands why. In fact, her team, including Serene Clean's Customer Relations Manager, Katie, just did it across the board, but they came out with their highest close rate in years. In this special in-person episode, Stephanie sits down with Katie to break down the whirlwind of May: a price increase on 72 existing clients, a full switch from hourly to flat-rate pricing, built-in travel fees, and autopay. They talk about Serene Cleans' numbers and why they believe framing a price matters far more than the number itself.

2026-06-181h 08

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #148: ZenMaid's Vision for the Maid Service Industry, with CEO Amar GhoseZenMaid wants to be more than your scheduling software. In this episode, Stephanie sits down again with Amar Ghose, CEO of ZenMaid, to talk about how ZenMaid is thinking about the maid service industry and the problems it's setting out to solve. They talk about using AI as a thinking partner instead of a decision-maker, the new tools coming out of ZenMaid (MaidPop, the customer portal, and a training/onboarding app), an exercise that helps owners design genuine customer delight, and more! 📌 What You'll Learn — Why giving AI more context beats short, Google-style questi...

2026-06-161h 11

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #145: 3 Ways Cleaning Business Owners Are Doing Too MuchIf you're prepping every cleaner's kit, tolerating time theft, or trying to force the wrong person into an office role, this one's for you 🥴 In this episode, Stephanie breaks down three examples from the past week of cleaning business owners doing too much, including why your cleaners should be responsible for their own kits and supplies, why time theft is a non-negotiable firing offense, and why pushing the wrong employee into an administrative role is costing you. 📌 What You'll Learn — Why owners should never be the ones prepping cleaner kits (and how to transition that resp...

2026-06-0440 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #144: How Krista's Family-Run Cleaning Business Grew 30% a YearKrista Radau didn't set out to build a cleaning empire; she just needed to help pay the bills! Six years later, she's running Extreme Clean Solutions in Oklahoma City with her husband, son, niece, and now her mom, and growing 30% a year without spending any money on ads 🤯 In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Krista to talk about starting a cleaning business in November 2019 (right before COVID), turning her husband's window cleaning company into a profitable upsell, why she walked away from a five-year Air Force Base contract, and how her TikTok handle "Queen of Clean OKC" is pul...

2026-06-021h 02

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #143: How to Get Hundreds of Google Reviews for Your Cleaning BusinessReviews are the lifeblood of a residential cleaning business, and the companies racking up hundreds of them have a system in place, including Serene Clean. In this episode, Stephanie breaks down exactly how Serene Clean has collected 471 (!!!) Google reviews, 64 Facebook reviews, and dozens of video testimonials over seven years. She walks through the leave-behind cards, QR codes, email signatures, and the brand-new "Record and Reward" incentive program that pays cleaning techs to bring in video reviews. 📌 What You'll Learn — Why reviews are the single most important piece of social proof for a local cleaning busine...

2026-05-2833 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #141: How We Got Free Local News Coverage for Our Cleaning BusinessFree PR? Sign us up! It's not as far-fetched as it sounds, and Stephanie's team pulled it off last month with one well-crafted email. In this solo episode, Stephanie breaks down the exact media pitch her executive assistant, Veronica, used to land Serene Clean in two local news outlets in April. She talks about why charitable giving has been baked into Serene Clean's brand since its inception in 2019, how the Cleaning for a Reason partnership works, the PR pitch that worked to get Serene Clean in the local news, and more. 📌 What You'll Learn — How to...

2026-05-2134 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #140: How Reagan Bell Turned Getting Fired Into a Thriving Cleaning CompanyReagan Bell was fired from a toxic cleaning job at 18. Four years later, she's running her own organic cleaning company in Orlando, and about to take it fully remote. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Reagan, the 22-year-old founder of Bell's Organic Maids, to talk about how she turned getting fired from a chaotic contractor job into launching her own business from scratch. They cover the systems she set up from day one, why she chose W2 employees over independent contractors, how she's promoting her first hire into a field manager role, and the plan she's following to...

2026-05-191h 16

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #139: Why I Switched From Hourly To Flat Rate After 7 YearsAfter seven years of being known as "the hourly girl," Stephanie made the change she swore she'd never make 🤯 In this solo episode, Stephanie walks through exactly how and why she transitioned the residential side of Serene Clean from hourly to flat rate pricing — on both maintenance cleans AND initial cleans — while keeping her cleaners on hourly pay. She breaks down the profit reasoning, the operational rollout in phases, the conversation with Molly Moran that sparked the official change, and the estimate email tweaks that are closing recurring clients before the first cleaning is even done. 📌 What...

2026-05-141h 05

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #138: Why Ryan Williams Started a Cleaning Business From Working at ZenMaidRyan Williams spent two years at ZenMaid helping cleaning business owners better run their companies...then he bought into one. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Ryan, co-owner of The Villages Maid Service Hot Springs location and VP of Revenue at ZenMaid, to talk about what changed when he went from giving advice to living it. They talk about classic hiring chaos, the feast-or-famine pendulum, the contractor vs. W2 debate, and why brand still beats AI in 2026. They also have a few very unserious blooper moments, but that's what you get when you listen to a podcast with...

2026-05-1258 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #137: I Asked Alex Hormozi to Fix My Cleaning Business...and it worked! Well, kind of. In this solo episode, Stephanie talks about her experience at the Acquisition.com scaling workshop, which she took her entire management team to. Hosted by Alex Hormozi's team, she got to ask him a question directly about how to fix an ongoing issue at Serene Clean and walked away with the clearest game plan she's ever had for breaking through her revenue plateau. 📌 What You'll Learn — Why Stephanie brought all three of her managers to the workshop — How to categorize your clients as whales, dolphins, and minnows — Th...

2026-05-0745 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #134: How Natalie’s $15 Clean Built a 15-Year BusinessWhat happens when a corporate sales executive burns out so badly that her brother jokes she might end up on World News Tonight? She moves to Boulder and starts cleaning houses! In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Natalie Mikishko, owner of Majestic Domestics and Clean Conscience Cleaning Service in Boulder, Colorado. Natalie walked away from a career that spanned HR training, grocery purchasing, cabinet sales, and commercial construction, and then built two cleaning companies from scratch — including a $15-a-clean lost leader campaign. She shares the full story of acquiring Clean Conscience in 2022, what she wis...

2026-04-281h 06

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #132: A $25K Revenue Drop Made Us More Profitable?! What My Q1 Review Taught Me About My BusinessRevenue is down $25,000, yet profit is up 53%. How does that happen? And what does it actually mean for the business? In this solo episode, Stephanie walks through her full Q1 2026 financial and business review for Serene Clean (the same report she presented to her management team that week). She covers the data analysis she did to uncover her insights, why revenue is down but profit is up, and the three hidden costs that a lost commercial account was bleeding from the business for months, and so much more. 📌 What You'll Learn — How Serene Clean brought in less revenue in Q1...

2026-04-2156 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #131: "We've Cleaned It All" — 18 Years of Vacation Rental SecretsShe left nursing, started cleaning for friends as therapy, and accidentally built an 18-year cleaning empire in one of the wildest cities in America. LaShanda Brown has seen (and cleaned) everything 👀 In this episode, Stephanie sits down with LaShanda, owner of Sweeping Hands Cleaning Service in New Orleans, Louisiana, to talk about how she transitioned from a decade-long nursing career into cleaning, grew her business entirely on word of mouth, and built a 60% vacation-rental-focused operation complete with her own property management company. They talk about the wildest horror stories LaShanda has experienced, as well as advice on thi...

2026-04-1658 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #130: The Real Mental Side of Running a Cleaning Business, with Kala PomeroyEvery cleaning business owner Kala Pomeroy has ever spoken with, from brand-new solo operators to teams of 50, has one thing in common: the fear that they're doing it wrong. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Kala, a 10-year cleaning business owner in Southeast Texas and full-time ZenMaid Customer Success Specialist. Kala shares her own journey from solo cleaner to remote business operator, including how she landed her ZenMaid job after a homeless man broke into her hotel room the night before her interview. Stephanie and Kala talk through the mental patterns holding cleaning business o...

2026-04-1457 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #129: 7 Lessons in 7 Years of Running a Cleaning BusinessHappy 7 years in business to Serene Clean! 🥳 In this episode, Stephanie talks about 7 lessons she's learned — one for each year — owning and operating Serene Clean. From 2019 to now, Serene Clean is a $1.5 million company that she runs remotely from Savannah, Georgia, and Stephanie covers these 7 important lessons she picked up over the years: Always be hiring Raise your prices before you're ready Difficult clients cost much more than the business they bring in Your values are the decision maker, even when you're not in the room The vacation test — you can let go and delegate more than you t...

2026-04-091h 08

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #128: How Jonathan Berger Runs a NYC Cleaning Empire Remotely From Southeast AsiaJonathan Berger was living in his car and driving for Uber when the idea for Cleanzilla began. Now he runs 400+ recurring clients across New York City and just came back from six months in Southeast Asia. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Jonathan, co-founder and co-owner of Cleanzilla in New York City, to learn more about his origin story. From dropping out of high school, living in his car, and meeting his wife Anna, Jonathan has since built a multi-six-figure residential cleaning business across Manhattan and Queens. He breaks down the NYC logistics of running a...

2026-04-0759 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #127: Creating Genuine Content for Your Business (Live from CleanCon)Personable content that shows you (and your brand's) personality might be what your marketing strategy is missing! In this episode — recorded live from CleanCon in Indianapolis — Stephanie sits down with Nicole Somerstein, ZenMaid's Content Marketing Manager, to talk about why personable content can elevate your brand and build trust with cleaning clients. Nicole brings a marketer's eye to an industry she's come to love, and together, they break down why authenticity wins — while also sprinkling in some life advice ✨ And yes, Nicole is the one who wrote this podcast description. 📌 What You'll Learn — Why your most imperfect, unp...

2026-04-0229 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #126: Sean Parry on Google Maps SEO for CleanersWelcome back to Filthy Rich Cleaners! In this episode, Stephanie sits down for round two with Sean Parry, one of the leading automation, marketing, and SEO experts in the cleaning industry. Sean returns to break down the “black box” of local SEO and share practical, actionable strategies for cleaning business owners who want to generate more leads from Google. He dives into why ranking in the Google Maps top three is critical, and explains the website structure, Google Business Profile optimization, and consistency strategies that help cleaners rank higher and convert better. 📌 What You’ll Learn...

2026-03-311h 11

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #124: Samantha Price on Post-Construction Cleaning 101Post-construction cleaning is one of the most in-demand, highest-paying niches in the cleaning industry, but there are few guidelines on how to do it right. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Samantha Price, founder of Cleansite Solutions in South Florida, to break down everything cleaning business owners need to know about post-construction work. Samantha shares how she launched her business with zero construction cleaning experience and eventually landed commercial accounts through cold calling and showing up at job sites. She talks through the three phases of construction cleaning, her flat-rate pricing approach, the equipment that actually matters...

2026-03-2459 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #123: How Julia Went From 0 to $100K Months in Under 2 YearsIf you think your market is too small, think again! In this episode, Stephanie talks with Julia Callahan, founder of Jubilee Cleaning Co., who went from knocking on doors to building a $100K/month cleaning company in under two years — all while serving a suburban/rural area outside Pittsburgh. Julia shares what it really took to leave a six-figure medical sales career, handle ego and criticism, switch from 1099 to W2 early, and build a sustainable growth engine. She and Stephanie also share key leadership moments that business owners need to face to prioritize standards over comfort. 📌...

2026-03-191h 02

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #122: Katie Bradley's “Simple Kit” Strategy for Faster, Safer, More Profitable CleansKatie Bradley is all over cleaning social media — but she’s not here for the viral “bucket of water on the floor” bullsh*t. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Katie, Owner of Maid Busters in Cincinnati, Ohio (aka “Come Clean with Katie” online), to talk about what social media gets wrong, what real pros do instead, and how to run a cleaning business that protects clients’ homes and the cleaner’s body. This episode dives deep into safer product choices, simpler kits, stainless steel that actually looks good, and the boundaries that keep cleaners from burning out. 📌...

2026-03-171h 02

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #121: Why Your Cleaners Keep Going Over Time (And How to Fix It)Are your cleaners going overtime or skipping check-ins? Before you blame the cleaner, you need to check yourself first 😉 In this solo episode, Stephanie breaks down one of the most common and costly problems in cleaning businesses: cleaners going over their approved time with no communication. Inspired by a real question from the ZenMaid Mastermind and a recent consulting call, Stephanie walks through every layer of the problem and gives practical, implementable fixes for each one. 📌 What You’ll Learn — Why the problem often starts with your estimating, not your cleaner's speed — What production ra...

2026-03-1246 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #120: How Kai DeMoss Went From a Gig App Cleaner to Real Clients in San FranciscoIn this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie sits down with Kai DeMoss, owner of Kai Cleans in San Francisco, to talk about how they went from a gig cleaner to a cleaning business owner. Kai talks about their experience on platforms like Homeaglow and the good, bad, and ugly that came with it — from the signup process and “AI support,” to pricing caps, client expectations, and why the platform attracts cost-conscious customers. Kai also shares what it really took to transition off platforms, lean into a niche community for early adopter clients, raise prices without spiraling, and start building real m...

2026-03-1058 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #119: How Emily Built a $330K Cleaning Business After Starting Over From ZeroIn this episode, Stephanie sits down with Emily Cox of Just Peachy Cleaning Professionals to talk about what it really looks like to build (and rebuild) a cleaning business. Emily shares how she went from a struggling new mom bartending late nights to launching a cleaning business on a whim, then scaling to a full team… only to make a partnership decision that nearly burned it all down. She walks through what went wrong, how she started over from scratch, and the systems that helped her grow back to $330K in annual revenue. 📌 What You’ll Learn — W...

2026-03-051h 06

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #118: Scaling Fast While Staffing Smart, with Jennifer DornIs this our longest episode yet?! Join Stephanie for a consulting-style living room conversation with Jennifer Dorn, Owner of Augusta Housekeeping, about what it takes to scale a cleaning business without blowing up your margins, team, or sanity. Jennifer talks through her journey being in the early growth stage, navigating staffing challenges, pricing mistakes, payroll pressure, and the fear that comes with scaling “too fast” or “not fast enough.” Stephanie talks through where to focus, what systems matter most, and how to think strategically about commercial accounts, production rates, and cleaner structure. 📌 What You’ll Learn — H...

2026-03-032h 27

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #117: How Serene Clean Built a Rockstar New-Cleaner Orientation ProgramA 6-hour orientation SOUNDS excessive...until you see what it actually fixes! In this solo episode, Stephanie breaks down Serene Clean’s full orientation structure, including why they built it, what’s inside it, and how it transformed onboarding from chaotic to scalable and clear. She explains how orientation functions like a sales + education experience for the “internal customer,” and how building it forced the company to eliminate gray areas. Stephanie also shares which tools they use, how they introduce software, pay, benefits, safety, code of conduct, “at-the-clean” expectations, and more! What You’ll Learn — Why orientation reduc...

2026-02-261h 04

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #115: Follow Up Like a Mad Person and Stop Letting Leads Die2026 is the year that Stephanie buckles down for Serene Clean, and after a month, she's here to share a business update! January was a great month, but it wasn't because of luck. Stephanie breaks down the exact behavior changes that helped Serene Clean blow past its monthly recurring revenue goal, even without an impressive close rate (yet). She shares the real wins from January and the behind-the-scenes systems that made them happen, including aggressive lead follow-up, a new “ongoing contact” status in ClickUp, adding phone calls back into the process, and introducing a simple one-hour-free offer after 30 days.

2026-02-1948 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #114: Sharon Tinberg’s No-BS System for Training Cleaners Fast In this episode, Stephanie sits down with industry veteran Sharon Tinberg to break down one of the most frustrating parts of running a cleaning business: training that doesn’t stick. With decades of experience and nearly $2 million in annual revenue under her belt, Sharon shares exactly what most owners get wrong, as well as how to fix it with simple, repeatable systems. Resources Mentioned — ZenMaid: https://get.zenmaid.com/ — Clean Smart Academy: https://www.cleansmartacademy.com/ 📌 What You’ll Learn — Why shadowing trainers creates inconsistency and higher turnover — The difference between process and procedure (and why it matters) — How Sharon trained...

2026-02-1725 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #113: How to Always Be Hiring + Why You Need to Charge Travel FeesIn this solo episode, Stephanie tackles a listener question that came in through the ZenMaid newsletter! This is one that hits so many cleaning business owners — how do you grow when it feels like you’re always stuck choosing between turning down work… or hiring too early and scrambling to fill a schedule? Stephanie breaks down the real meaning of “always be hiring,” why the fix isn’t actually hiring nonstop (but rather building a pipeline), and how to create a more structured system for hiring cadence, regional staffing, and travel-heavy scheduling. 📌 What You’ll Learn — What “always be hiring” actually means (no, it’...

2026-02-1250 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #109: On Pricing Fear and Profit MarginsOverpriced, underpriced, or just right? In this episode, Stephanie is brutally honest about the pricing story she’s been telling herself and the fear that kept Serene Clean stuck at $55 per man-hour for way too long. She talks about what finally pushed her to treat pricing like an experiment and why it's not actually an emotional decision, even though it often feels like one. Stephanie also shares numbers that matter and the margins you should be looking for when evaluating your pricing strategy. 📌 What You’ll Learn — Why “the ceiling in my market” is usually a fear-based story, not a fact — H...

2026-01-2945 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #107: Leadership Mistakes That Cost Serene Clean $120KIn this solo episode, Stephanie pulls back the curtain on what really happened inside Serene Clean in 2025 and takes ownership of the leadership choices that contributed to a revenue drop. She shares an honest accountability review of the year, including how exciting new opportunities (podcasting, consulting, partnerships, speaking) unintentionally fragmented her focus, how she mistook comfort for safety, and why obsessing over lagging indicators kept her stuck in reaction mode. Stephanie also breaks down the numbers and talks about the mindset shift that’s fueling her 2026 comeback! 📌 What You’ll Learn — The hidden cost of “shiny opportunity”...

2026-01-2251 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #105: The “Free Cleaning” Strategy That Grows Your BusinessFree cleanings sound insane... until you use them strategically 👀 In this episode, Stephanie breaks down one of Serene Clean’s “secret weapons”: Giving away free cleanings with guardrails, and how it’s driven real results across the business. She walks through four specific buckets where free cleanings create leverage: 1) Learning your production rates 2) Generating reviews and visibility 3) Building culture through giving 4) Reducing risk (especially when bidding commercial jobs) 📌 What You’ll Learn — How Stephanie used 10 free cleanings before opening Serene Clean (and why it mattered) — Why first-time cleans take longer than you think — and how to track room-by-room timi...

2026-01-1643 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #105: The “Free Cleaning” Strategy That Grows Your BusinessFree cleanings sound insane... until you use them strategically 👀 In this episode, Stephanie breaks down one of Serene Clean’s “secret weapons”: giving away free cleanings with guardrails, and how it’s driven real results across the business. She walks through four specific buckets where free cleanings create leverage: 1) Learning your production rates 2) Generating reviews and visibility 3) Building culture through giving 4) Reducing risk (especially when bidding commercial jobs) 📌 What You’ll Learn — How Stephanie used 10 free cleanings before opening Serene Clean (and why it mattered) — Why first-time cleans take longer than you think — and how to track room-by-room timin...

2026-01-1543 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #104: Scaling a Cleaning Business as a Husband-and-Wife TeamWhat happens when a homeschool mom starts cleaning “on the side”… and her corporate-leader husband realizes the numbers actually make sense? 👀 You get Grand Junction Cleaning Services! In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Anna and Stephen Rodriguez to unpack how a single referral turned into a rapidly scaling cleaning company — complete with W2 employees, multiple revenue streams, five-star reviews, and a clear division of roles that actually works. They talk all things fear, anxiety, hiring mistakes, documentation lessons, customer recovery, fast growth pressure, and what it takes to move from being a great cleaner to running a successful b...

2026-01-131h 32

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #103: The Data and Numbers Behind Serene Clean's 2025In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie talks about her business by the numbers in 2025 and how, unfortunately, Serene Clean shrunk by $120,000 in revenue. It wasn’t random. There were system problems, including staffing instability, fragmented availability, and a time-off policy that unknowingly crushed onboarding capacity. She walks through the exact reports she pulled (ZenMaid, QuickBooks, ClickUp, Gusto), how she used ChatGPT to analyze patterns, and the key metric she wasn’t tracking at all — Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR). Then she breaks down the 2026 plan to turn the ship around. 📌 What You’ll Learn — Why revenue decline...

2026-01-081h 11

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #102: Sidi Thiam on Sales Skills and Pricing ConfidenceStarting a cleaning business sounds simple — until pricing mistakes, unreliable cleaners, scope creep, and money stress hit you all at once 🥴 In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Sidi, a 25-year-old cleaning business owner out of Philadelphia, to unpack what it really looks like to start and grow a cleaning company from scratch. He shares the wins, mistakes, and mindset shifts that shaped his first two years in business, and dives into things like pricing confidence, sales scripts, flat-rate estimating, recruiting cleaners, running 1099 teams, why charging less “just to get the job” almost always backfires, and more! 📌 What You’ll L...

2026-01-061h 04

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #99: The “Be Your Customer” Marketing Strategy (and Why It Works), with Katie PearseWhat 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 checkl...

2025-12-161h 12

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #98: Stop Letting Fear Run Your Cleaning BusinessFear 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 appear...

2025-12-1151 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #97: Why Your Systems Determine Your Success (Not Your Experience)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 f...

2025-12-091h 10

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #96: Yes, Your Team Needs Weekly Meetings (and Here's Why)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...

2025-12-0441 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #95: You Need to Think Like a CEO, Not a CleanerDespite 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 habit...

2025-12-021h 07

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #93: Couch-Surfing to CEO: Building a Million-Dollar Cleaning Company, with Misael AvalosMost 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 Yo...

2025-11-251h 06

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #92: How to Set Your Pricing, Staff Pay, and PackagesCleaning 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...

2025-11-2048 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #91: The Biggest Mistakes Cleaning Owners Make and How to Stop Them, with Cheryl HajjarEven 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...

2025-11-181h 11

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #90: How to Spot & Fix Bottlenecks in Your BusinessEven 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 yo...

2025-11-1327 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #89: How Paige Built a 15-Person Cleaning Team (Plus Her Secrets to Retention)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 ...

2025-11-111h 09

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #88: How to Delegate Without Losing Control of Your Cleaning BusinessEvery 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...

2025-11-0651 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #87: How Coaching (and Chaos) Transformed a Cleaning Business, with Jamie RuncoJamie 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: —...

2025-11-0438 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #86: Our Spiciest Takes About the Cleaning IndustryBOO! 👻 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...

2025-10-301h 17

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #85: How to Get Quality Cleaning Leads, with Sean ParryIn 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 — Whe...

2025-10-2859 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #84: How Handwritten Letters Built a Thriving Cleaning Business, with Lucy SpencerNot 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, l...

2025-10-231h 04

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #83: Creating a Culture of Accountability in Your BusinessIf money talks, raises scream! Raises cannot be based on “vibes” and gut feelings, or else you'll watch cleaner performance plateau. However, when you give your team full control of their own raises and make clarity and accountability the standard, you'll see quality skyrocket. In this solo episode, Stephanie shares how Serene Clean completely transformed their culture by putting the responsibility for raises in the hands of their cleaners. She also opens up about how “clarity is kindness” in leadership, including rewriting policies, setting quality standards, automating Slack responses, and overall empowering her team to find their own answ...

2025-10-2136 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #82: How to Make Your Cleaning Business Stand Out Online We get it — it's hard to stand out online, especially when cheap competition is flooding your market. In this Filthy Rich Cleaners episode, Stephanie breaks down how to make your cleaning business shine on social media without burning yourself out or wasting time on platforms that don’t actually convert. Facebook, TikTok, Google My Business, and more! You’ll learn exactly where to focus your energy, how to avoid “generic” posts that make it look like you're leading amateur hour, and why consistency beats creativity every single time. 📌 What You’ll Learn: — Why Facebook is still the #1 platf...

2025-10-1651 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #81: Staying Calm When Your Business Is in CrisisEven the best-run cleaning businesses have those weeks when it seems like the bad news does. not. stop. As Murphy's Law says, "anything that can go wrong will go wrong." In this FRC episode, Stephanie gets brutally honest about one of her toughest recent weeks: losing her biggest government contract overnight due to the federal government shutdown, multiple employee resignations, and new hires not working out. Instead of spiraling (even though it would be easy to 😅), she shares how she kept her team calm and made level-headed decisions under pressure. Hopefully, this episode will remind you that you’re not...

2025-10-1446 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #80: When a Longtime Client Gets Weird (Handling an Awkward Cancellation)The AUDACITY! 🙄 In this solo episode, Stephanie shares a first-ever situation from her cleaning company, Serene Clean: a long-time commercial client (a bank) tried to tie their cleaning contract to their business banking relationship. It started as a standard cancellation, but then turned weird — crossing into unprofessional and borderline unethical territory. Stephanie talks through this experience as a lesson in standing firm, and then also goes into the realities of raising rates and letting go without guilt. If you've ever had a weird client experience like this, let us know! We'd love to hear it in the commen...

2025-10-0933 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #79: Bidding 170,000 Sq Ft and Beating Imposter Syndrome, with Amanda StovallWhat happens when a “small-but-mighty” residential company is asked to quote a 170,000 sq ft, five-day-per-week church campus… and the client found you through Google reviews? In this episode, Stephanie welcomes back Amanda Stovall of Stovall’s Cleaning Service to unpack the exact mindset shifts, pricing choices, and operational guardrails she used to turn panic into a credible proposal and a realistic start plan. From flat-rate vs hourly to weekly invoicing, client “training,” and building a part-time bench, this is a play-by-play of stepping into commercial without losing your sanity. What You’ll Learn: How Google reviews and a living GBP prof...

2025-10-071h 32

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #78: How to Stand Out Against Cheap CompetitorsEver been ghosted? 👻 Us, too. Usually, leads ghost because of price, and nothing is more frustrating than when a potential client decides to go with the $80 “cheap” cleaner instead of you. In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie breaks down why it’s not the client’s fault that they ended up choosing the cheaper option — it’s actually a problem with how you’re communicating your value. Using her juicy Honeycrisp apple analogy, Stephanie talks about how clients make decisions, why “better cleaning” isn’t enough, the steps you can take to stand out before they ever hire you, and strat...

2025-10-0237 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #77: Lessons from Scaling a Veteran-Owned Cleaning Brand to $55K/Month, with Ibrahin & Jessica RoblesWhat does it take to grow from a solo $3K per month to roughly $55K per month while juggling five kids, sky-high turnover, and quality control? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with husband-and-wife duo Ibrahin Robles and Jessica Robles, the team behind a fast-growing, veteran-owned cleaning brand. They unpack how a recruiting background, a community-first identity, and tight training systems fueled rapid growth. Stephanie and the Robleses dive into the realities of hiring in an industry with brutal turnover, the step-by-step of building a pipeline, and the timing of key hires like a VA, office manager...

2025-09-301h 21

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #76: Don’t Do These Things Yet! Timing is EverythingIt’s not always about what you do for your business, but when you do it. Timing mistakes can hurt your cleaning business more than you realize, and these decisions can drain cash faster than you can stop it. In this FRC episode, Stephanie breaks down the biggest timing mistakes she and other owners have made, and what to do before you make those types of costly decisions. If you’ve ever been tempted to “go big” too soon, this conversation will hopefully save you money and sanity 🙏 📌 What You’ll Learn: — Why renting an office too early can drain...

2025-09-2553 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #75: Lessons from Building a 140-Employee Cleaning Company, with Sharon L. CowanWhat does it take to scale from 6 employees to 140 — and eventually sell your business at its peak? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with industry veteran Sharon L. Cowan, President & CEO of Cleaning Business Consulting Group, who built one of the largest cleaning companies in her region, spanning both residential and commercial. Stephanie and Sharon talk about Sharon's background and how she created a 140+ employee cleaning company. They talk about hard lessons learned over the years, peaks and highs, the risks of growing too fast without systems, and top advice for cleaning business owners. 📌 What You’ll Learn...

2025-09-231h 15

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #74: The 7 Signs Your Cleaner Is About to QuitAll companies have turnover — especially service-based ones like maid services and cleaning businesses. There are a million reasons someone can give as to why they're quitting, but most exits aren’t truly out of the blue. In this episode, Stephanie breaks down 7 common patterns or behaviors she and her managers see before a cleaner resigns, including backlash, frequent personal emergencies, coworker drama, lack of engagement in communication, and more. You'll hear real examples from Serene Clean, how Stephanie and her managers respond in the moment, and what adjustments (like hours, tasks, tools, expectations, etc.) can save a grea...

2025-09-1827 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #73: From Burnout to Balance — Lessons from 16 Years of Cleaning Business OwnershipWhen Molly Moran started her eco-friendly cleaning company in 2009, she thought the only way to be successful was to hustle herself into the ground. 16 (!!!) years later, she’s grown a thriving business, built a strong culture for both employees and clients, and learned a lot of lessons, including that saying “yes” to everything comes at a cost (this was a tough one to learn 😬). In this FRC episode, Stephanie and Molly chat about the realities of scaling a cleaning company, from hiring mistakes, integrity issues, building systems, managing managers, and creating a culture that lasts even when you step away...

2025-09-1652 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #72: Roasting Myself and Exposing My Biggest Business Owner MistakesYou don't need to step into a church to confess In this honest self-roast episode, Stephanie exposes her worst habits, flaws, and blind spots that have slowed down Serene Clean’s success, per the opinions of herself and her own staff! She shares stories about when these traits have steered her wrong, like letting an employee live in her apartment with her, and talks about the messy side of being a business owner. This episode is 50% confession and 50% cautionary tale, and hopefully serves as a way for you to identify your own improvement areas. What You’ll Learn:

2025-09-1141 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #71: Deep-Dive into Scaling with Independent ContractorsIndependent contractors are one of the hottest — and most confusing — topics in the cleaning industry. Are they legal? What are the risks? And why do so many owners run into trouble when they think they’re doing everything right? We've talked about this before in Episode 62, and today, we're doing a deep dive. In this episode, Stephanie brings Chris Schwab, remote cleaning business owner and founder of Local Business MBA, back on the podcast to talk more about the reality of running a cleaning business with independent contractors. Chris has operated a fully remote cleaning company for 10+ years...

2025-09-091h 16

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #70: When and Why You’re Most Likely to Lose CustomersEven the best cleaning companies lose clients — it's part of the business, whether we like it or not. But when clients choose to drop often follows a predictable pattern. Things like your client's favorite cleaner quitting or you needing to increase the prices of your services can all contribute to what we call client "danger zones," and there are critical moments in your business where client relationships are the most fragile. In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie breaks down the top danger zones where cleaning clients are most likely to leave, as well as how yo...

2025-09-0451 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #69: Fired Over Makeup to $10K Months — Amanda Stovall’s JourneyAmanda Stovall was fired from a restaurant job for refusing to wear makeup, and used that experience as a spark for her entrepreneurship. Today, Amanda runs Stovall’s Cleaning Services in Missouri and hit her first $10K month! She's built strong systems and laid the foundation for long-term growth. In this episode, Stephanie and Amanda dive into Amanda’s journey from being a dispatcher and server to a cleaning business owner, including the tough lessons she’s learned about hiring, pricing, and trusting herself. They talk about team walkouts, the sales psychology that changed Amanda's close rates, and mo...

2025-09-021h 04

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #68: The 3 Traits That Built My Cleaning BusinessAny small business owner (regardless of the industry they're in) will attest that this job is one of the hardest but most rewarding out there. You pour your heart and soul into your business and learn so much about yourself along the way. In this fiery solo episode, Stephanie talks about the three traits that have allowed her to build Serene Clean into the 7-figure business it is today: grit, vision, and leadership. She shares the story of (cluelessly 😅) walking into her first commercial walkthrough at 23, leading a million-dollar government contract, navigating betrayals and setbacks, and figuring things out...

2025-08-2838 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #67: Real Talk on Marketing, Experimentation, and Growing SmartWould you rather send out a 20% off coupon twice in one day, or go viral for a typo that says “we’ll clean your crack”? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Ryan Williams, ZenMaid's Head of Marketing, to share real marketing mishaps (including $30k ad spend mistakes and sending emails with the wrong dates twice) and talk through how cleaners can stop overthinking marketing. They cover marketing via email vs. text messaging, whether discounts cheapen your brand, how to spot shady marketing agencies, and why focusing on what already works is smarter than chasing every shiny object...

2025-08-2653 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #66: The KPIs You Need to Track Your Cleaning BusinessWhat KPIs actually matter when you're running a cleaning business? There are a million different numbers you can track, so it's important that you spend your precious time on the ones that actually matter. Are you really short on leads, or do you just need to close better? Are clients dropping off because of price, quality, or something totally outside your control? Without tracking, you’ll never know. In this solo episode, Stephanie shares how she tracks sales, marketing, and client KPIs at Serene Clean, as well as the exact numbers that keep her business growing past $1M...

2025-08-2146 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #65: Would You Rather (Cleaning Business Owner Edition), with Stephanie, Amar, and MariaIn this very special (and chaotic) episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, we bring you poolside in Barcelona, Spain at our annual ZenMaid company retreat! 🇪🇸 Filthy Rich Cleaners host Stephanie Pipkin sits down with Amar Ghose, Founder and CEO of ZenMaid, and Maria Dorian, Founder of TaskAway VA and Co-Founder of Quality Driven Software, to play a fun game of Would You Rather, talk about their crazy cleaning business experiences, and more. From meth head cleaners to clients who like to micromanage you to hiring reliable, trustworthy staff, this episode covers it all! 🫣 📌 What We Talk About: — If it's better t...

2025-08-191h 06

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #64: Managing Inventory and Supplies in Your Cleaning BusinessLearning how to manage inventory is one of the hardest parts of opening a cleaning business. It's difficult to forecast how much of each item you'll need, when you should anticipate running out, where to store your items, whether the client should supply certain things, and more — it can feel like a logistical nightmare. We've been there, and that's why this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners focuses on effectively managing inventory and supplies. In this solo episode, Stephanie shares how Serene Clean handles inventory and supply management, and what has and hasn't worked for her team in th...

2025-08-1445 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #63: Taking a Heartfelt Approach to Cleaning, with Kimberley CrockettCan you wear your heart on your sleeve and run a business at the same time? The answer is no, but that doesn't mean you can't still lead with compassion and care for your employees and clients In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie chats with Kimberley Crockett, the owner of Clean Keepers in Athens, Georgia. Kimberley shares how she started her cleaning business at the beginning of COVID — Spring 2020 — when the restaurant she bartended at full-time shut down. She had previously cleaned as a small side hustle and needed a new plan, and, amazingly, it took o...

2025-08-121h 03

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #62: The Truth About Running Your Cleaning Biz with Independent ContractorsDo you know any cleaning business owners who skip the mop completely and don't actually clean anything themselves? Many times, people start out as cleaners and work their way up, or open their own business entirely, but there are some people who start out with the intention of never personally doing any cleaning. This is when they turn to independent contractors (ICs) instead of full-time employees. On paper, it sounds great — flexible staffing, no payroll taxes, and no scrubbing toilets yourself. But what’s the reality of running your business this way, and can you actually do this for the...

2025-08-0735 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #61: “Clarity is Kindness” — The Right Way to Give FeedbackHonest feedback can be hard to give — and it's often even harder to receive. In this Filthy Rich Cleaners episode, Stephanie is joined by leadership expert and author Mike Robbins to talk about how to lead with empathy and create an honest, emotionally safe work environment, especially in an industry with high turnover like cleaning. He and Stephanie discuss the right way to go about level-setting with your team and share instances of mistakes and learnings. They also share tips to encourage an open dialogue and promote a culture of honesty within the business, even when it's easier to hi...

2025-08-051h 01

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #60: When Misaligned Expectations Lead to Angry Client EmailsEven cleaning businesses with raving reviews and A–Z checklists still face nightmare scenarios. Think after-hours emails, upset clients, confused employees, and "Oh no, what the hell do we do now?" conversations. In this episode, our host Stephanie shares a recent (and horrific) scenario after a cleaning at an existing client's new property. Emotions were high with the client's upcoming family visit and personal challenges, and Stephanie's team had to make it right. Hear how her team navigated the chaos without burning bridges or backing down, as well as how they used it as a learning lesson moving fo...

2025-07-3139 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #59: Why This Healthcare Worker Ditched Her "Real Job" for Cleaning (And Never Looked Back)Think you need a business degree to excel in the cleaning industry? Hannah Sutton proves otherwise. After 16 years in healthcare, she found her calling at Serene Clean - and now trains the next generation of cleaning professionals. Discover how proper training systems, quality control, and company culture can transform your cleaning business from chaos to excellence. What You'll Learn: Why healthcare professionals are naturally drawn to cleaning businesses The specific green and red flags to watch for when training new cleaners How to build training systems that ensure consistency across your team Quality assurance strategies that prevent complaints...

2025-07-291h 26

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #58: The Numbers That Actually Matter for Your Cleaning BusinessThink tracking KPIs is overwhelming? Stephanie breaks down exactly which metrics will transform your cleaning business from guesswork to data-driven success. From basic profit tracking to advanced client lifetime value calculations, discover the specific numbers that separate thriving cleaning companies from those flying blind. What You'll Learn: Why weekly P&L tracking is your business security blanket The magic 40-45% payroll percentage that keeps you profitable How to spot supply theft and misuse through simple tracking Client lifetime value calculations that reveal retention problems Revenue breakdown strategies that pinpoint exactly where money is lost The cleaner utilization rate...

2025-07-2453 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #57: From Immigration Consultant to Cleaning Empire BuilderWhat happens when an immigration consultant discovers the cleaning industry is the perfect pathway to the American Dream? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Julie Lesage, who specializes in helping international investors start cleaning businesses through E2 visas. From her own pandemic pivot to cleaning full-time to building an affiliate network across the US, Julie shares the unique challenges and opportunities of launching cleaning companies for newcomers to America. What You'll Learn: Why cleaning businesses are ideal for E2 investor visas How to manage W-2 employees remotely before owners arrive in the US The cultural differences that...

2025-07-2257 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #51: How One Cleaning Tech Employee Becomes IrreplaceableEver wonder what it takes to go from cleaning tech to essential operations leader in your cleaning business? In this candid episode, Stephanie sits down with April West Serene Clean’s payroll administrator, accounts manager, and longtime right hand. They share honest stories about extreme cleans (the Cat House! the Chicken House!), the reality of managing call-outs, building sustainable company culture, and learning to set boundaries with clients. April reflects on joining Serene Clean as a part-time technician with triplets at home and growing into her critical role today, all while keeping a sense of humor about the in...

2025-07-011h 10

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #48: 8 Website Mistakes That Are Costing You Leads (And How to Fix Them Fast)Your website should be doing two things: getting you more leads and helping pre-sell your services to those leads. But if you're making one of these 8 mistakes, it might be doing neither. In this tactical solo episode, Stephanie walks through the biggest website errors she sees on consulting calls — and the exact fixes you can make to turn your site into a lead-generating machine. Key Takeaways: The biggest call-to-action mistake most cleaning websites make How to write an About section that builds trust and pre-sells clients The number one way to use reviews (and the type that...

2025-06-1924 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #41: What Running a Maid Service Taught ZenMaid’s CEO About LeadershipIn this episode, Stephanie sits down with ZenMaid's CEO, Amar Ghose, to talk about everything from his days running a maid service to building a software company that’s now 11 years strong. They cover the early chaos, what Amar would do differently if he ran a cleaning business again, and how he stayed calm and led his team through a recent health scare. It's an honest, insightful, and sometimes hilarious look at the real behind-the-scenes of ZenMaid. Key Takeaways: How Amar scaled his maid service to 8 cleaners in 14 months (then shut it down) The surprising hiring stra...

2025-05-271h 32

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #39: From $15 Intern to $84M CEO: Executive Coaching Lessons for Cleaning Business OwnersStephanie sits down with Ayman Al-Abdullah, former CEO of AppSumo and executive coach to 7–9 figure founders (including ZenMaid’s own Amar Ghose). They dive into what it takes to evolve from a founder to a true CEO — and how even cleaning business owners can start thinking like executives. You’ll learn how to overcome growth plateaus, why Ayman believes every CEO should aim to be the “laziest” person in the business, and how to finally solve your hiring headaches (without throwing more money at the problem). Plus: what to do when you’re stuck at $1.4M and unsure which direction...

2025-05-2047 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #26: The Client Retention Strategy Your Competitors Don't Want You to KnowEver wonder why some cleaning businesses keep clients for years while others struggle with constant turnover? In this episode, Stephanie breaks down Serene Clean's "celebration systems" - their secret weapon for keeping clients happy, staff loyal, and social media buzzing. She walks you through exactly how they use ZenMaid to track client anniversaries, send personalized video messages, and deliver branded gifts that clients rave about. You'll learn why those "too extra" appreciation moments (like custom employee songs!) are building a workplace culture that keeps cleaners from jumping ship - even when competitors offer more money. Key Takeaways: The exact client an...

2025-04-0327 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #22: The Cleaning Industry's Dirty Little Secret: Why Your Cleaner's Safety Can't WaitStephanie shares two recent personal encounters that left her feeling unsafe, and connects these experiences to the vulnerable positions cleaning staff face daily—an issue too often ignored in our industry. From isolated workers in clients' homes to uncomfortable encounters with customers, learn why having a clear safety protocol isn't just a nice-to-have—it's essential. Stephanie breaks down the exact steps Serene Clean takes to protect staff and how to respond when a cleaner signals they're in danger. Key Takeaways: How to establish safety protocols that actually protect your team Why situational awareness training is critical for all cleaners Step-by-step respon...

2025-03-2030 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #20: What to Do When Your Revenue Is Down (Hint: Don't Panic)Stephanie rips back the curtain on a financial nightmare that kept her up at night during her cleaning business's slowest month. When her revenue numbers weren't matching expectations, digging into the real reason WHY the numbers were down helped her team solve the problem. In this episode, she shares what to look for when your revenue is down. (It's probably not the reason you thought it would be.) Key Takeaways: How to identify when fear is clouding your business judgment Why tracking call-outs and attendance is crucial for understanding revenue fluctuations The danger of jumping to solutions before fully understanding th...

2025-03-1342 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #19: How to Ride the Emotional Rollercoaster of Cleaning Business Ownership with Carolyn ArellanoIn 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 h...

2025-03-111h 10

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #18: Answering Your Burning Questions (Childcare, Drug Testing, Call-Outs & More!)Stephanie answers your most pressing concerns pulled straight from listener comments, social media, and the ZenMaid Mastermind. From her take on drug testing staff to creative childcare solutions for your team, get practical ideas for handling call-outs in a solo cleaner model, managing hourly rates when estimates go wrong, and building a business that's approaching $1.5 million in annual revenue after nearly 6 years. Key Takeaways: How Serene Clean provides childcare support The right way to handle pricing when cleanings take longer than expected Why Stephanie doesn't drug test cleaning technicians (and why you might choose differently) Creative strategies for handling call-outs wi...

2025-03-0633 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #15: Tired of Cleaners Quitting? This Owner Kept Her Staff for 9 YearsWant to know how to build a cleaning team that stays for 6-9 years? Meet Maria Dorian, who grew her Austin cleaning company to 36 staff and 320+ clients before selling it. Now running a successful VA company from Spain, she shares her proven approach to hiring, training, and building an unshakeable company culture. From her rigorous 191-question training test (requiring 93% to pass) to mastering the art of the working interview, discover battle-tested strategies for building a high-performing cleaning team that sticks around - with three staff members even following her to new ventures. Key Takeaways: The PAID UC core values system for...

2025-02-251h 09

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #8: EXPENSIVE Mistakes New Cleaning Business Owners Make (And How to Avoid Them)Initial cleans taking twice as long as expected? No signed agreements in place? Client expectations spiraling out of control?? In this episode, we dive into three critical mistakes that can derail your cleaning business and the exact systems you need to prevent them. Learn how to calculate clean times, what checklists protect your profit margins, and the essential policies every cleaning business needs. Whether you're just starting out or looking to tighten up your operations, you'll get practical solutions to problems every cleaning business faces. Key Moments: [00:00] - Intro [02:15] - Understanding initial cleans and production rates [08:46] - Standard scope of wo...

2025-01-3022 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #5: Why a Cleaning Business is NOT Passive Income (And That's Okay!)Tired of seeing cleaning businesses marketed as an "easy passive income stream"? In this episode, Stephanie busts the myth that you can build a successful cleaning company without getting your hands dirty. With real talk from someone who built a $1.4M company from scratch, learn why knowing how to clean yourself is crucial, why quality control matters more than fancy marketing, and why rushing to hire managers too early can sink your profits. Key Moments: 0:00 - The passive income myth 5:30 - Why owners should know how to clean 12:45 - The problem with rushing to hire managers 18:20 - Quality control and tr...

2025-01-2020 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #2: Building a Luxury Home Assistant Business with Simone AngellMeet Simone Angell, who turned her dream of helping busy moms into a booming luxury housekeeping company. As a single mom of five, she started House Mom Home Services in January 2020 - right when COVID hit. Instead of letting that stop her, she used it to her advantage and built something amazing. Today, her team doesn't just clean houses - they run entire households, from folding laundry to meal prep to organizing. In this juicy conversation, Simone spills all her secrets - like why she fires clients who don't fit (even wealthy ones), how she handles people who try to s...

2025-01-201h 10

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #3: The Secret Sauce to Growing from $10K to $40K Monthly RevenueWant to know how Stephanie grew her cleaning business from $10,000 to $37,000 monthly revenue in less than a year - during COVID? In this episode, she spills all her growth secrets, including the exact strategies that helped Serene Clean make these massive jumps in revenue. She breaks down the three key ingredients that skyrocketed her business: getting killer social proof (including a clever $5 trick to get more Google reviews), landing commercial accounts that are worth 20 residential clients, and a group interview hack that saves tons of time in hiring. Whether you're stuck at $10K or dreaming of hitting your first $20K m...

2025-01-2019 min

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast #4: Wild Client Stories and How to Survive the Hard Days with Cheryl HajjarFrom starting with "just a mop and a caddy" as a single mom to running multiple successful service businesses, Cheryl shares her incredible journey building Made Bright in Boston. In this candid conversation, she spills the real talk about client theft accusations, difficult customers taking down Christmas trees during cleanings, and how she and her husband turned a $25,000 power washing investment into a thriving second business. Whether you're dreaming of starting a cleaning business or already in the trenches, Cheryl's honest stories about employee drama, client expectations, and work-life balance will make you feel less alone - and give you p...

2025-01-201h 08

The ZenMaid Podcast Episode #49 - Live Q&A: Why hiring part-time cleaners makes sense with Stephanie PipkinIn this episode, Stephanie Pipkin, the owner and founder of Serene Clean, answers your maid service questions LIVE, with topics ranging from training new cleaners to employee hiring to the benefits of bidding commercial clients. How do I bid commercial accounts? (07:48) Where and how do I start offering health insurance? (16:37) When do I hire employees and when can I hire 1099? (29:29) What tasks do I designate office staff? (42:59) How do I use ZenMaid booking forms to automate my leads? (57:03) Mentioned in this episode: Rescue My Maid Service's cleaner training program: https://rescuemymaidservice.com/cleaning-tech-bootcamp-affidctbzm/ A helpful resource about hiring e...

2024-08-1559 min

The ZenMaid Podcast Episode #48 - How to Find an SEO Agency for Your Maid ServiceJoin Amar Ghose, CEO of ZenMaid, and Ryan Williams, Head of Demand Generation of ZenMaid, for an in-depth discussion on finding the right search engine optimization (SEO) agency for cleaning businesses. Ryan has worked with many marketing agencies and is glad to share more insights about his experience. Ryan recently published an article about this in the ZenMaid blog. You can read the full article here: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-to-hire-maid-service-seo/ In this episode, they talk about: 1. Why cleaning companies should invest in SEO 2. How to find the right SEO agency 3...

2024-04-1523 min

The ZenMaid Podcast Episode #47 - Success story: How Kate Sloan reinvented her life with the help of ZenMaidIn 2009, Kate was 40, fresh from a divorce, and in desperate need of a way to support herself and her sons. So, she turned to what she knew. “I knew how to clean and take care of people.” This is Kate Sloan's story of how she founded and grew her cleaning business, Chicka Chicka Broom, from a side hustle for extra cash to a million dollar maid service. Kate shares her story with ZenMaid. Highlights you don't want to miss: 0:22 - how her story started with a move back to her hom...

2022-03-1027 min