Would 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.

 What You’ll Learn:

Resources Mentioned:

Try ZenMaid free for 14 days! → Get.ZenMaid.com

 Book a Consulting call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/

Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/real-talk-on-marketing-experimentation-and-growing-smart/

What 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 in annual revenue. She talks about software she uses (from simple spreadsheets to automated dashboards in ClickUp) and breaks down what’s non-negotiable, what’s “nice to have,” and what tracking is 100% necessary to help you make smarter decisions.

Learning 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.

Can 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 off!

Five years into her business, Kimberley joins the podcast to talk about the emotional side of cleaning business ownership, including how she balances compassion with leadership and how this business is all about the pursuit of helping others. They talk about Kimberley's experiences of leading with heart while also making the tough calls that come with managing employees and clients.

 What You’ll Learn:

Resources Mentioned:

Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: Get.ZenMaid.com

 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-s...

 Read the full transcript: [LINK]

Do 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 long haul?

In this solo episode, Stephanie talks about the real challenges (and, more importantly, risks) of starting and growing a cleaning business without cleaning yourself and relying on ICs. She shares the three operational areas where IC-run companies often struggle most — training, quality control, and communication — and offers practical, logical, and legal (!) tips to keep your business running smoothly.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

— The biggest legal and operational challenges of running your cleaning business with independent contractors

— Why ICs can be great (speed and availability) but risky (insurance, liabilities, etc.)

— How to ensure training and quality control when you can’t “train” ICs yourself

— Ways to build in fill-in coverage for last-minute cancellations

— How to stay reliable so clients see the value in your company's pricing

— Communication systems that work when you can’t be on-call 24/7

Resources Mentioned:

— Maid Summit (Free Training Event): https://www.maidsummit.com

— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/

— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind

💡 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: Get.ZenMaid.com

📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/

🎙 Listen to the Podcast:

🎧 Spotify: [Link]

🎧 Apple Podcasts: [Link]

📖 Read the full transcript: [Link]

Honest 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 hide a mistake.

What You’ll Learn:

Resources Mentioned:

Try ZenMaid free for 14 days! http://Get.ZenMaid.com

 Book a Consulting call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/

 Read the full transcript: [Link]