Hi Dawn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I moved from up north down to Florida for a better job opportunity and of course the weather in 2013. At that time, my son and only child was seven years old. Unfortunately, my job in the auto industry required I worked very inconsistent hours which included most weekends. Because I was always working, my son’s emotional health and growth wavered along with his progress in school. Not to mention the tolling transition of moving across the country.
Three years later, I could no longer take the hours and stress which was demanded of me working in an environment which didn’t support the efforts of a single mother. I started brainstorming what I could do to spend more Quality time with my son and also bring back a work life balance for myself. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit which started when I was around 10. I would sell candy my father bought in bulk to kids in my class at school, marking up the price of giving back my father what he paid while I kept the profit! I was nicknamed “The Candy Girl”! Ha! I also stepped my foot into business ownership by attempting to start a small coffee shop in the University of Detroit district in the 90’s after falling in love with the movie ‘Love Jones’, long before Starbucks was heard of naming it ‘The Java Hut’! Not having any formal business training, my efforts were short-lived ending in failure and very expensive learning experiences! My desire to be successful as an entrepreneur was heightened because I wanted a better life for myself and my son.
Originally I thought of starting a grocery delivery service, again, before InstaCart and other delivery services were hitting the streets! I selected the name ‘iGRO’ an app-based grocery delivery service! But, again.. not having formal business education, before it could even launch, I was losing more money than I had coming in! Next up, house cleaning! Because I wanted a flexible schedule and was intrigued by the growing “On Demand Customer Service” companies, I joined the launch in Tampa of the New York based House Keeping App ‘Handy Book’ who later changed their name to just ‘Handy’. Although many years back, I worked in interior design which required frequent visits to client’s homes, I NEVER cleaned anyone’s house before!! There wasn’t any training and once I signed on, I was immediately given jobs to select from! There would be a brief description of the home, the estimated duration and how much it paid. I could accept, or not! I basically learned as I went! As an independent contractor, I was able to play around with cleaning products I purchased on my own. Starting with basic conventional and often very toxic cleaning products. Within months, I started becoming physically ill absorbing the products through my skin as well as inhaling them! Something HAD to change!! Although the concept of working for ‘Handy’ made sense as far as flexibility was concerned, when it came time to pay for my financial obligations, time spent versus time paid wasn’t adding up! They paid $25 an hour but as an independent contractor, I was responsible for my gas mileage, products I used, and my uniform!
After adding it all up, I was making around $15 dollars an hour oftentimes cleaning some pretty dirty homes! After about six months of working with them, they started having internal company break downs. Based in many cities including the home base New York, customer service reviews were becoming negative left and right! Which even included the death of a pet who ran out of a home that was being serviced! Customers were complaining about the App not working, the quality of work from the contractors, and unfortunately, items being stolen from people’s homes! From the contractor’s perspective, there were increasing complaints of the quality or lack thereof in jobs provided, faulty errors in the app, and lastly, pay decreases! Starting at $25 an hour overtime gradually decreased to around $12 an hour. I certainly couldn’t sustain myself and my child’s care at $12 an hour! Which led me to starting my own independence in cleaning! Although ‘Handy’ is now striving and I’m sure has worked out the infancy kinks of a start up I knew when it was time to jump ship! Interesting enough, clients I was accepting repeatedly requested me time and time again! I was even offered to be paid directly by clients eliminating Handy as a go between. However, their policy prevented it. Instead, I started building my client base organically! I started becoming more connected with my community in Tampa.
As a transient, there were many challenges getting established. Amazingly though post-Covid Tampa was a great place to be an entrepreneur! The free resources were inspiring and very helpful. I started taking courses to owning a business, I attended small business meetings, I joined Chambers of commerce, local Women’s Business Owners groups and immersed myself within the small business community! I learned pretty quickly I needed a niche that would set my cleaning service apart from the rest! Not having health insurance and feeling the negative effects my body was having using toxic cleaning products, I started looking at alternative natural cleaning products. Gaining more and more clients, I was building my niche! Plant Based cleaning! Not only did the quality of my client base improve, I could charge more for higher quality service! Outside of being tipped exceptionally well through ‘Handy’s’ customers, I didn’t have much control over my income! I vowed after the last time I cried in a nasty shower cleaning that I would find my market of people who not only appreciated my services but also respected their living spaces!! Within a year, I was being constantly referred to clients friends and associates! Little did I realize I was building my brand! I entered my first pitch competition hosted by the “Working Women of Tampa Bay” winning $1,000! The ball kept rolling from there!
In 2017, I legally formed my business naming it ‘Aroma Earth Cleaning’! Specializing in nontoxic plant-based cleaning! As demand grew, I hired my first person, then my second, then my third all the way up to ten highly qualified cleaning professionals and over 300 clients! Then Covid hit! In January of this year after signing my largest commercial contract, I was on my way to making my first million dollars over the course of the year! And although by April the phones were ringing off the hook as the CDC announcement classified residential and commercial cleaners essential, I started thinking about the health of my team, myself and our clients. I made the executive decision to pull us out of the field. We lost our highest contract and income gradually dwindled. Here we are as this year is closing it’s way out, back in business! It’s a growing process but luckily the demand hasn’t decreased much. Many realize now more than ever the importance of clean living. We are recovering! I am launching a podcast in December titled ‘Let’s Talk Dirty’ which will focus on the BEST and smartest ways to start a cleaning business to be profitable as well as how to gain time freedom! I’m thrilled at the project! A part of being in the service industry is helping others!
As Aroma Earth Cleaning continues to strive forward, this is just another way I can give back to the community. My son is also thriving! I was fortunate to take him on a three-country trip across Europe last year and a 14 state cross country road trip this July during a pandemic! We camped outside, marveled at the night sky, captured breathtaking photos of the Grand Canyon and climbed mountains in Colorado. My son is an A student now, taking Cambridge courses In his freshman year of high school on his way to becoming an entrepreneur himself! I know that if I didn’t take the leap of starting my own business, I would have continued to struggle and possibly so would he. I am grateful and thankful to all who have helped me in the success of my business. I delight in continued future success!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The cleaning industry is anything but smooth! Ha! In the beginning stages, I took the jobs I could get! I have so many shocking stories I’m writing a book about them!! Everyone’s level of cleaning is different. I’ve never been exposed to such living conditions as many tolerate in their homes before I started professionally cleaning. I would have emotional break downs in homes. I would want to burn my clothes and scrub my body down before going into my home. The only thing many times which kept me going was wanting better for my son so he could have a clearer path in life than I was afforded. When hurricane Irma hit, I was at my lowest. I struggled immensely. I applied for a crowdfunded loan which I won!! I used to money to recover and grow! The dedication from clients and my team allowed me to see and envision something so much larger than myself. I am truly appreciative of the struggle.
We’ve been impressed with Aroma Earth Cleaning, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Aroma Earth Cleaning was founded and based on the ability to perceive the relationship between oneself and one’s environment. Over the last 20 years, there has been a steady progression and awareness of how we care for ourselves and our planet. This holistic approach to life has us concerned about what we eat to how we relax and unwind. Every action we take impacts the world. Green Cleaning is all about reducing risk and making a choice. Even the smallest step makes a big difference. One can only go so far before you feel the effects from negative or toxic substances that can cause harm to plants, animals, humans and ecosystems. Years of exposure to thousands of chemicals has led to changes in the human body that show up as increased cancer rates, childhood development issues, asthma and upper respiratory ailments and more.
The effect on our planet has been felt through the depletion of natural resources, pollution of our air, water and soil, increases in CO2 emissions, the threat of global warming, disposal problems of waste and trash and irreversible changes to our environment. Aroma Earth Cleaning only uses the best in eco-friendly cleaning products and techniques. We provide superior cleaning and service at competitive prices while using products that have the least possible negative impact on the local environment. The staff is educated on Green Cleaning philosophy and environmental practices. They also go through a rigorous training program focusing on detailed cleaning methods and guidelines. Each team member is chosen for their passion to make a difference and are detailed orientated people who love to clean. They view cleaning as a skill that brings immediate results and helps to enhance the lives of each client.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I listen to the podcast “How’d they build that” by Guy Raz, “Side Hustle” and “How to grow my cleaning business” I LOVE listening to entrepreneur podcast so much so that I’m launching my own in December. “Let’s Talk Dirty” With half a decade of experience in the cleaning industry, I will take listeners through the ups and downs of running a cleaning business. How to start a business, how to hire a phenomenal team and how to grow! With special guests, we will talk about the good the bad and the dirty!
Contact Info:
- Email: Aromaearthcleaning@gmail.com
- Website: https://aromaearthcleaning.com
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1m4FP45bV9pg3Hi4Y7jMXT?si=qx1ML2RmQdyQ5lL9MuM6FA
- Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-dirty/id1541104086
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