We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dawn Watson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dawn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

While there are a lot of things that I have learned about running a successful business along the way, I don’t think going the “quick or fast” route is the way to go. Listen, overnight success is not a reality. If it were, all businesses would undoubtedly achieve success. And, I believe it is the consistent effort and dedication that an individual invests over time that ultimately shapes who they are and determines their long-term success. So, I can’t say there is anything I would change about this journey. It’s the learning that has made me a better business owner than I was when I first started. And the learning never stops. I still research and learn new and better ways to serve our clients. It’s also vital for me to continue evolving and growing as a person and a leader.

Dawn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hello, hi, I’m Dawn, a single mom to my two sons. I started my cleaning business because I have a strange love for cleaning (vacuuming specifically lol), and I love helping others. This would allow me to do both while also providing me freedom to spend more time with my youngest son. My oldest is grown and now out of the house.

My company, Dawn’z Dirt B Gone, provides cleaning and organizing services, which I believe many individuals/families can benefit from. Whether one is moving and already overwhelmed, or is busy juggling work, school, and/or kids, we are able to provide peace of mind to our clients.

I am most proud of my company as a whole. We have an incredible team that works hard so our clients can relax and focus on other important things. In fact, my team is the backbone of Dawn’z Dirt B Gone. We go above and beyond for each of our clients. We are professional, reliable, and work together to ensure a seamless experience for our clients.

We have received an abundance of support from our local community, and because of this, we have been able to give back in ways I never thought possible.

In our industry, trust is paramount, and we have consistently earned the trust of our clients through our proven track record of honesty and success. While there are many uncertainties in life, choosing our services is a decision that can be made with confidence.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

The capital I needed and the capital I had are two totally different amounts. At the time I started Dawn’z Dirt B Gone, I had less than $100 to my name. I used what little money I had to buy cleaning supplies—and I mean the bare minimum that I could afford. I got some business cards and the hustle to find clients began. Once I had a couple of clients, I would use payment for services to purchase more supplies and slowly upgrade the ones I had. There were times that I barely had enough gas to get to a job, but I showed up and did what I was hired to do in order to get paid and put more gas in my vehicle.

I kept building my business from there, gaining more clients over time. But then, not long after I had gotten a steady flow of clients, COVID hit and suddenly the world sort of halted. While I was thankfully able to keep most of the clients I had gained, I did unfortunately lose some during this time.

There were many days when I wondered how I was going to keep pushing forward. At times, I barely had enough clientele to pay my bills. So, I knew I needed to reevaluate my approach, step up my game and push even harder. Through a lot of prayer and hard work, here we are, almost six years later, and the rest is HERstory (history). I look back in awe of how far I’ve come. I funded my business myself. I didn’t take out loans, get a PPP loan, or borrow money. I did it tired, exhausted, through many tears, and sometimes scared. My two biggest motivators were, and still are, my sons and my desire for a better life.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I believe what I shared above truly explains my resilience. However, I will add that I persevered through many long days, often crying myself to sleep. But, the idea is to stay focused through all the ups and downs. The road is never easy; even now, I face obstacles, but I am determined and never give up.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/dawnz_dirt_b_gone
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawnzdirtbgone

Image Credits

The Dawn’z Dirt B Gone team