Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast

By ZenMaidBusiness Entrepreneurship

Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast episodes

March 19 #123: How Julia Went From 0 to $100K Months in Under 2 Years
If 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.

📌 What You’ll Learn
— How Julia hit $100K months in under two years
— Why saying YES to commercial cleaning accelerated growth
— The attendance incentive system that reduces call-offs
— How commission-based pay works for cleaning teams
— How they drive (and reward) 5-star reviews
— What to do when a clean goes sideways (and costs $10K)
— How to overcome price objections using “scope swaps”
— How to fill schedule gaps by upselling deep-clean bundles
— Why recurring bookings should be sold immediately
— The leadership skills that unlock scale

Resources Mentioned
— Million Dollar Home Cleaning Coaching Group: https://homecleaningcoaching.com/homecleaningcourses?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnL6wLgGp7zGeSnikVk30hftg9RLFYRfpDlgMPIWaKhTgf5omG4n2mmS9m6Q0_aem_SUDQ2EjtoUd7oefLvKz_ww
— Stephanie's Administrative Bundle: https://serene-clean.com/downloads/administrative-documents-bundle/
— ZenMaid Software: https://get.zenmaid.com

👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

📖 Read the full transcript: https://zenmaid.com/magazine/how-julia-went-from-0-to-100k-months-in-under-2-years/
1 hr 3 min
March 17 #122: Katie Bradley's “Simple Kit” Strategy for Faster, Safer, More Profitable Cleans
Katie 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.

📌 What You’ll Learn
— Why viral cleaning hacks can damage floors, counters, and finishes (and how to professionally say “no” to risky requests)
— Katie’s simplified cleaning kit essentials
— Why oils and “shine” products can cause buildup (and how to educate clients without making it weird_
— Boundaries that prevent resentment: clutter fees, scope clarity, and contracts that back you up
— The real reason raising prices feels scary and how to stop “getting in clients’ pockets”
— Content creation while cleaning
— Why reliability is a competitive advantage

👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

📖 Read the full transcript: https://zenmaid.com/magazine/katie-bradleys-simple-kit-strategy-for-faster-safer-more-profitable-cleans/
1 hr 3 min
March 12 #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 rates are and how to audit yours using real data
— How to calculate labor hours for first-time cleans, maintenance cleans, and vacant homes
— Why cleaners need to know their approved time explicitly
— How to set up a midpoint check-in process that gives you time to adjust before it's too late
— The difference in risk between hourly vs. flat rate when jobs run long
— How pay structure (hourly vs. performance-based) drives cleaner behavior
— Why a fast feedback loop matters more than a formal sit-down
— When to send a cleaner back through training vs. when it's a discipline issue
— Legal considerations around docking pay for W2 employees who go over approved time

Resources Mentioned:
— Serene Clean Document Bundles: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services
— Estimated Times Free Template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q75a_fQMs0fcwGGMr5tCQL6ZwtnGJqO9bc2slfx9Qfo/edit?tab=t.0

👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

📖 Read the full transcript: https://zenmaid.com/magazine/why-your-cleaners-keep-going-over-time/
47 min
March 10 #120: How Kai DeMoss Went From a Gig App Cleaner to Real Clients in San Francisco
In 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 momentum through relationship-based networking.
📌 What You’ll Learn
— What Homeaglow looks like from the cleaner side (and why clients get so frustrated)
— How pricing works on platforms and where the “ceiling” shows up
— Simple personal touches that help solo cleaners stand out fast
— Why taking platform clients off-app usually isn’t worth it (even if you could)
— How Kai found early adopter clients by leaning into a niche community
— A practical way to reframe price increases (and get time freedom back)
— How networking groups like chambers of commerce can turn into long-term lead engines
— The “three types of people” Kai believes every business owner needs

👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

📖 Read the full transcript: https://zenmaid.com/magazine/how-kai-demoss-went-from-a-gig-app-cleaner-to-real-clients-in-san-francisco/
59 min
March 05 #119: How Emily Built a $330K Cleaning Business After Starting Over From Zero
In 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
— What to prioritize in due diligence, and why “customers + employees” is the whole game
— How Marko approached price increases without causing churn
— The operational risk of technical debt in long-running cleaning companies
— Culture integration tips when you become the new owner
— Why incentives work for things like attendance bonuses, cancellation fees, and behavior changes
— Hiring and integrating a great VA
— How tight service areas and supply policies can simplify operations in a big city

Resources Mentioned
— Book: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

🎙️ Listen to the Podcast
📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-emily-built-a-330k-cleaning-business-after-starting-over-from-zero/
1 hr 7 min
March 03 #118: Scaling Fast While Staffing Smart, with Jennifer Dorn
Is 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
— How to think strategically about scaling when revenue is still small
— Why commercial accounts can create faster, more stable growth
— How to structure individual cleaners vs. teams (and when to use each)
— The biggest pricing and payroll mistakes new owners make
— How flat-rate and “approved hours” pay models change cleaner behavior
— Why production rates and walkthroughs are non-negotiable
— How to use testimonials and Google reviews as your best marketing asset
— What to consider before taking on Airbnb and event-based work
— How to protect quality while incentivizing speed and efficiency
👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

🎙️ Listen to the Podcast
📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/consult-style-session-on-scaling-fast-while-staffing-smart-with-jennifer-dorn/
2 hr 28 min
February 26 #117: How Serene Clean Built a Rockstar New-Cleaner Orientation Program
A 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 reduces overwhelm and improves retention
— How to structure orientation, even if you start bare-bones
— What Serene Clean covers in their 6-hour walkthrough
— How to onboard “culture” and expectations without info-dumping
— The software setup flow: ZenMaid, Slack, Gusto, Train, and more
— How orientation eliminates gray areas and creates scalable accountability
— The safety section checklist (including situational awareness + SOS tools)
— How to teach “how to be an employee here” before field training starts
Resources Mentioned
ZenMaid onboarding article: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/checklists-to-onboard-new-cleaning-employees/
Trainual Software: https://trainual.com/

👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

🎙️ Listen to the Podcast:
📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/how-serene-clean-built-a-rockstar-new-cleaner-orientation-program/
1 hr 5 min
February 24 #116: How Marko Lazarevic Bought and Modernized a 36-Year-Old Cleaning Company
A cleaning business acquisition that goes from 0 to 25 cleaners overnight? That’s exactly what happened in Chicago to Marko Lazarevic! In this episode, Stephanie talks with Marko, a former finance professional who acquired Manic Maids (a residential-heavy cleaning company operating since 1990), to talk about what surprised him after taking over and how he’s been modernizing an “old-school” operation. After growing the business by 20% (already!) since taking over, he breaks down what he looked for during due diligence, and how he's giving internal systems a huge facelift without wrecking culture, retention, reputation, or client trust.

📌 What You’ll Learn
— What to prioritize in due diligence, and why “customers + employees” is the whole game
— How Marko approached price increases without causing churn
— The operational risk of technical debt in long-running cleaning companies
— Culture integration tips when you become the new owner
— Why incentives work for things like attendance bonuses, cancellation fees, and behavior changes
— Hiring and integrating a great VA
— How tight service areas and supply policies can simplify operations in a big city

Resources Mentioned
— Manic Maids: https://manicmaids.com/

👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: Serene-cleanConsulting Services - Serene Clean
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: Newsletter Sign Up

🎙️ Listen to the Podcast:
📖 Read the full transcript: (link)
54 min
February 19 #115: Follow Up Like a Mad Person and Stop Letting Leads Die
2026 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.

📌 What You’ll Learn
— How Serene Clean added ~$2,400 in MRR in January (and why it wasn’t from a higher close rate)
— The follow-up cadence that turns “dead leads” into booked recurring clients
— Why silence isn’t a “no” and when a lead becomes truly dead
— How one small offer can generate massive ROI without cheapening your brand
— The leading indicators Stephanie tracks daily/weekly to drive predictable growth
— Real production rate benchmarks for deep cleans, first-time cleans, and maintenance cleans

Resources Mentioned:
— ClickUp: https://clickup.com/
— ZenMaid: https://get.zenmaid.com/
— Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com/
— Quo/OpenPhone (+ ZenMaid referral link): https://www.openphone.com/perks/zenmaid?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=partnerstack&utm_content=community_experts&utm_campaign=c92107ec7cc9&pscd=get.openphone.com&ps_partner_key=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5&fbclid=IwY2xjawMr03ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBleUtsVnZtUjlJa2h5ZWpwAR7Gp8p4NVVF-Y8WODTTXb-NJi57ltYrsQs-pyFmuaRR4gMrj6TGYWpL1zlA_Q_aem_Ey2JG_AkBSk_SI8w5kDOBA&ps_xid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gsxid=iGpmmTBqEJNW4d&gspk=YzkyMTA3ZWM3Y2M5
— Drew Larson's Filthy Rich Cleaners episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NIBCsJQWkc

👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

🎙️ Listen to the Podcast:
🎧 Spotify: (link)
🎧 Apple Podcasts: (link)
📖 Read the full transcript: (link)
49 min
February 17 #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 cleaners to clean homes correctly in just days
— The overlooked details cleaners miss most — and how to prevent it
— How periodic tasks improve client retention and reduce deep cleans
— What it really took to manage 754 recurring clients successfully
— How structured training systems lead to faster cleans and happier teams

👉 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
✉️ Subscribe to ZenMaid's Weekly Newsletter: https://zenmaid.lpages.co/newsletter-sign-up/

🎙️ Listen to the Podcast:
📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/sharon-tinbergs-cleaners-training-system/
26 min

About Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Filthy Rich Cleaners is the free cleaning business coach you never knew you needed. Hosted by Stephanie Pipkin, founder of Serene Clean, every episode delivers real, tactical advice you'd normally…