We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sophia Shannon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sophia below.
Sophia , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
I started my own cleaning business because I was struggling financially. After so many people kept telling me how good and knowledgeable I was at cleaning I had a brilliant idea to start my own cleaning business. The thought of being my own boss and providing a much-needed service to busy individuals and families excited me. But turning that idea into reality was not easy. After having the idea, I began researching everything I could about starting a cleaning business. I read articles, watched videos, and even reached out to other small business owners for advice. I quickly realized there was a lot more to it than just cleaning people’s homes. I dove deep into the logistics of starting a business. I researched business licenses and permits, insurance requirements, pricing strategies, and marketing techniques. I created a business plan outlining my goals, target market, and financial projections. I also looked into purchasing cleaning supplies, equipment, and creating a reliable schedule for clients. As I continued to educate myself, I discovered the importance of branding and creating a professional image for my business. I designed a logo, created a website, and set up social media accounts to promote my services. I also networked with other local businesses and joined community events to spread the word about my new venture. After hard work and dedication, I finally launched my cleaning business. I secured my first few clients through word-of-mouth referrals and social media marketing. I focused on providing exceptional service and building strong relationships with my customers. As my reputation grew, so did my client base. Looking back, the process of going from idea to execution was challenging but incredibly rewarding. It required a lot of research, planning, and hard work, but seeing my business thrive and make a positive impact on people’s lives made it all worth it. I learned that with determination and perseverance, any idea can become a successful reality.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Sophia Shannon and I’m the owner of Time To Clean Janitorial based in St. Louis, Mo. I’ve been in business for 8 year. My cleaning service provides move in/out residential cleanings, commercial cleanings, and floor care.
By offering move in/out cleanings and commercial cleanings in my cleaning business, I solve several key problems for my clients one being time constraints. Moving in or out of a home or office is a time-consuming process that requires a lot of energy and effort. By providing move in/out cleanings, i am helping my clients save time and focus on other important tasks related to their move. Another would be deep cleaning needs. Moving in or out of a space often requires a thorough deep cleaning to ensure the property is in optimal condition. Your services address the need for deep cleaning, including cleaning hard-to-reach areas, removing built-up dirt and grime, and sanitizing surfaces to create a fresh and clean environment. We also help by relieving stress. Moving can be a stressful experience, and the added pressure of cleaning the property can be overwhelming for many individuals. By offering move in/out cleanings, I am alleviating some of the stress and providing peace of mind to your clients knowing that their space will be cleaned and ready for the next occupants. We help businesses maintain a professional image. For businesses, maintaining a clean and well-maintained office space is essential for creating a positive impression on clients, customers, and employees. By providing commercial cleanings, we are helping businesses maintain a professional image and ensure their space is clean, organized, and welcoming. And last we provide clean and safety. A clean environment is crucial for maintaining health and safety standards, especially in commercial settings where multiple individuals may be present. Our cleaning services help prevent the spread of germs, bacteria, and allergens, creating a healthier and safer space for our clients and their occupants. Overall, by offering move in/out cleanings and commercial cleanings, we are addressing the specific needs and challenges faced by individuals and businesses during transitions and in maintaining a clean and healthy environment. Our services provide value, convenience, and peace of mind to the clients, making our company a valuable asset in the cleaning industry. What truly sets us apart is our dedication to providing a superior cleaning experience for our clients. We take pride in our work, value our clients’ trust, and continuously strive to exceed expectations in every aspect of our service. Our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction is what differentiates us as a leading cleaning service in the industry.
I am most proud of the reputation we have built for our cleaning service based on our commitment to excellence, attention to detail, and exceptional customer service. There are several things that I want potential clients, and followers to know about us and our brand and that is that we take great pride in delivering high-quality cleaning services that exceed our clients’ expectations. Our team of experienced and trained cleaners upholds the highest standards of professionalism and attention to detail in every job we undertake. We understand that every client has unique needs and preferences when it comes to cleaning services. We take a personalized approach to ensure that we tailor our services to meet the specific requirements of each client, delivering a customized and satisfactory cleaning experience. Clients can trust us to be reliable, consistent, and punctual in all aspects of our service. We show up on time, complete the job efficiently, and deliver consistent results with every cleaning assignment. Our clients can rely on us to maintain a high level of excellence in all our work. We believe in transparent and competitive pricing for our services. Clients can expect clear and upfront pricing information with no hidden fees or surprises. We provide honest and fair pricing for the quality of service we deliver, ensuring that our clients receive value for their investment. Our commitment to exceptional customer service is at the core of our brand values. We prioritize open communication, responsiveness, and professionalism in all interactions with our clients. We listen to their feedback, address any concerns promptly, and always strive to ensure their complete satisfaction with our services. I want potential clients, and followers to know that we are dedicated to providing a superior cleaning experience that is characterized by quality, professionalism, personalized service, reliability, transparency, and exceptional customer service. Our brand is built on a foundation of integrity, trust, and a genuine commitment to exceeding expectations in every aspect of our work.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
As the owner of a cleaning business, I encountered a situation where I had to pivot and adapt to unexpected circumstances. This particular instance involved a sudden shift in the market demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, our cleaning business primarily focused on residential cleaning services for individual clients and families. However, with the onset of the pandemic and the heightened awareness of cleanliness and sanitization, there was a significant increase in demand for commercial cleaning services, particularly for offices, schools, and other public spaces. Realizing the changing landscape and the shifting needs of our clients, I knew that we needed to pivot our business strategy to capitalize on the growing demand for commercial cleaning services. I quickly assessed our resources, capabilities, and expertise to determine how we could effectively transition into offering commercial cleaning services while still maintaining our residential client base.
I took several key steps to pivot our cleaning business. I conducted thorough market research to understand the specific needs and requirements of commercial clients in terms of cleaning and sanitization. This helped me tailor our services to meet the demands of the commercial sector effectively. I invested in additional training for our cleaning staff to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle commercial cleaning tasks. I also upgraded our equipment and cleaning products to meet the higher standards required for commercial spaces. I revamped our marketing strategies to target commercial clients and promote our new commercial cleaning services. This included updating our website, creating targeted marketing campaigns, and reaching out to businesses in our area to showcase our expertise in commercial cleaning. I introduced flexible service offerings to accommodate the varying needs of commercial clients, such as customized cleaning schedules, specialized services for different industries, and additional sanitization protocols to address the concerns related to the pandemic. By pivoting our cleaning business to focus on commercial cleaning services, we were able to successfully adapt to the changing market dynamics and capitalize on the increased demand for sanitization and cleanliness. This strategic pivot not only helped us expand our client base but also solidified our reputation as a versatile and responsive cleaning service provider in the community. It was a challenging yet rewarding experience that ultimately strengthened our business and positioned us for continued growth in the future.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One lesson that I had to unlearn in the context of running a cleaning service was the belief that I had to do everything myself in order to ensure quality and efficiency. Initially, I thought that as the business owner, I needed to be directly involved in every aspect of the cleaning process to maintain control and uphold high standards. However, I soon realized that this mindset was limiting my ability to scale the business and was ultimately hindering its growth.
The backstory to this realization was a period of rapid expansion in my cleaning business, where the demand for our services began to surpass my capacity to handle all the cleaning tasks personally. As a result, I found myself overwhelmed and struggling to keep up with the increasing workload. I was working long hours, sacrificing personal time, and feeling burnt out trying to manage every cleaning job myself.
It was during this challenging time that I had a moment of clarity and recognized the need to delegate and empower my team. I needed to trust my employees to handle cleaning tasks efficiently and to uphold the same standards of quality that I had set for the business. I realized that by empowering my team and giving them the autonomy to take ownership of their work, I could free up my time to focus on growing the business, acquiring new clients, and improving our service offerings. I began to delegate responsibilities, provide training and support to my team, and establish clear processes and systems to ensure consistency in our cleaning services. By stepping back from the day-to-day cleaning tasks and focusing on strategic planning and business development, I was able to scale the business, increase efficiency, and improve overall performance. This experience taught me the valuable lesson that as a business owner, it is important to trust your team, delegate effectively, and leverage the skills and expertise of others to drive growth and success. Letting go of the belief that I needed to do everything myself allowed me to shift my focus to long-term growth and sustainability, leading to a more successful and thriving cleaning business.
Contact Info:
- Website: timetoclean.org shopttcproducts.com
- Instagram: @_time_to_clean
- Facebook: Timeto_clean
- Youtube: Sophia Shannon
