Every month you don't raise your rates, you gave your client a discount they never asked for. This episode is about the conversation you have been avoiding - and exactly what to say when you finally have it.

Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan CBSE, and Edwin Eaton walk through the full framework for delivering a rate increase professionally - from the words you use in the written notice, to handling pushback in real time, to what to do when a client says no. This is the conversation side of raising rates. If you want the strategic and math side, go back and listen to Episode 5 first.

Sharon opens with the word that sets clients' hair on fire - and the better one to use instead. Edwin shares the tire shop story where a client pushed back hard, Edwin threw the question back at them, and they signed without another word. Mark breaks down the single most powerful response when a client says no - a one-word question that immediately flips who is on the spot.

Also covered: why you should never apologize for a rate increase, the 60-90 day notice rule and why 30 days is too short for large accounts, how to use silence after explaining your position, the scope adjustment as a last resort when price is truly the issue, and how to flip the script with extra services when holding price is the only option.

Edwin closes with the line that sums up the whole episode: "Complexity makes you sound smart. Simplicity is what makes you money."

WATCH EPISODE 5 FIRST - When and Why to Raise Your Cleaning

SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every Thursday:

https://www.youtube.com/@PolishingProfits

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - The Conversation Everyone Is Avoiding

CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: @PolishingProfits

Instagram: @Polishingprofits_podcast

Facebook: Polishing Profits Podcast

TikTok: @polishing.profits

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Mark Anderson - 50 years in the cleaning industry. Built an eight-figure facilities company and a seven-figure franchise organization across the US and Canada. Now at TPGI NOW (tpginow.com).

Sharon Cowan CBSE - 35 years in the industry. President and CEO, Cleaning Business Consulting Group (cleaningbusinessconsultinggroup.com). BSCAI two-time award winner, published author, forensic expert in the janitorial industry.

Edwin Eaton - 20 years in the industry. Owner of iPro Building Services, 3x Inc. 5000 honoree, founder of Cinch Janitorial Software (cleancinch.com) and Blueprint Janitorial Coaching (blueprintjanitorial.com).

#cleaningbusiness #janitorialbusiness #raisingrates #priceincreaseconversation #commercialcleaning #cleaningcontractor #howtoraiseyourrates #cleaningbusinesstips #clientnegotiation #polishingprofits

How to know when it is actually time to raise your rates, how to calculate the right number, and which accounts to address first.

Mark shares his 5% rule why anything over 5% needs documented evidence to back it up, and why you should always ask for more than you need because every negotiation expects the customer to feel like they won. Sharon breaks down how to prioritize by biggest dollars first. Edwin explains how he ranks every account by gross margin, gets rid of the low-margin drag, and why he lost accounts he should never have kept including his famous line about clients who want Taj Mahal service at hot dog convenience store prices.

The episode closes on the question every owner is really afraid to ask: what happens if I raise rates and lose the client? Edwin's answer: "If an account is barely making money or worse losing money and they leave because you priced it correctly - did you really lose?"

SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every Thursday:

https://www.youtube.com/@PolishingProfits

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Fright. Terror. Fear. Anxiety. (The Rate Increase Problem)

CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: @PolishingProfits

Instagram: @Polishingprofits_podcast

Facebook: Polishing Profits Podcast

TikTok: @polishing.profits

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Mark Anderson - 50 years in the cleaning industry. Built an eight-figure facilities company and a seven-figure franchise organization across the US and Canada. Now at TPGI NOW (tpginow.com).

Sharon Cowan CBSE - 35 years in the industry. President and CEO, Cleaning Business Consulting Group (cleaningbusinessconsultinggroup.com). BSCAI two-time award winner, published author, forensic expert in the janitorial industry.

Edwin Eaton - 20 years in the industry. Owner of iPro Building Services, 3x Inc. 5000 honoree, founder of Cinch Janitorial Software (cleancinch.com) and Blueprint Janitorial Coaching (blueprintjanitorial.com).

#cleaningbusiness #janitorialbusiness #raisingrates #cleaningbusinesspricing #commercialcleaning #cleaningcontractor #howtoraiseyourrates #cleaningbusinesstips #pricingstrategy #polishingprofits

very time a client pays late and you keep showing up anyway, you are giving them a free loan. Here is where the problem actually starts - and what to do about it.

We explain you the four places cash disappears in a cleaning business, starting at the estimate, not the invoice. Most owners are looking in the wrong place.

Sharon drops a number most owners have never heard: a month is not four weeks in the cleaning business. It is 4.33 weeks. If you are not bidding that way, you are losing money one week every quarter without knowing why. Edwin walks through a real construction cleaning job where the GC was getting paid and not passing it along - and exactly how he tracked it down. Mark shares the collection statistic that should scare every owner: after 90 days past due, you have a 50% chance of collecting 50 cents on the dollar.

This episode covers: whether your cash problem is a pricing issue or a timing issue, what to lock down before a new account opens, how to invoice so payment is never delayed by your own mistakes, and how to manage receivables every single week without letting money slip through the cracks.

GRAB THE FREE CASH FLOW AUDIT CHECKLIST: The Link will prompt in the video, make sure you watch it all to download!

WATCH THE FULL CASH FLOW SERIES:

EP2 - Why Your Cleaning Business Looks Profitable But Feels Broke: https://youtu.be/z9HcXEMW0Vw

EP3 - How to Fix Your Cleaning Company's Cash Flow Problem: https://youtu.be/pbpDW9aVOvQ

SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every Thursday:

https://www.youtube.com/@PolishingProfits

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - It's a Come to Jesus Meeting With Yourself

CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: @PolishingProfits

Instagram: @Polishingprofits_podcast

Facebook: Polishing Profits Podcast

TikTok: @polishing.profits

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Mark Anderson - 52 years in the cleaning industry. Built an eight-figure facilities company and a seven-figure franchise organization across the US and Canada. Now at TPGI NOW (tpginow.com).

Sharon Cowan CBSE - 35 years in the industry. President and CEO, Cleaning Business Consulting Group (cleaningbusinessconsultinggroup.com). BSCAI two-time award winner, published author, forensic expert in the janitorial industry.

Edwin Eaton - 20 years in the industry. Owner of iPro Building Services, 3x Inc. 5000 honoree, founder of Cinch Janitorial Software (cleancinch.com) and Blueprint Janitorial Coaching (blueprintjanitorial.com).

#cleaningbusiness #janitorialbusiness #cashflow #cleaningbusinesstips #cleaningcontractor #commercialcleaning #receivables #invoicing #cleaningbusinessfinance #polishingprofits

If I stopped making sales today, how many payrolls could I make before I ran out of cash? That one question changed how Edwin Eaton runs his entire multi-state cleaning operation and it might change how you run yours.

This is Part 2 of our cash flow series. Part 1 (link below) explained why cleaning businesses look profitable but feel broke. This episode is about what you actually do about it.

Sharon Cowan, Mark Anderson, and Edwin Eaton walk through five specific fixes: invoicing timing (Sharon shares how billing on Day 1 instead of Day 30 transformed her cash position), payroll structure (Mark's bi-monthly pay period system that keeps cash ahead of payroll), knowing when your clients pay (Mark: "We used to hunt down the mail truck"), digital payment setup to get paid faster, and building 60-90 days of cash reserves so surprises stay manageable.

Plus Edwin shares the two metrics he watches every month to know his real cash position in real time - one financial, one from his sales pipeline. And Mark closes with the most honest answer you'll hear about whether the stress ever goes away (short version: it changes, it doesn't disappear - but reserves make it manageable).

WATCH PART 1 - Why Your Cleaning Business Looks Profitable But Feels Broke: https://youtu.be/z9HcXEMW0Vw

SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every Thursday:

https://www.youtube.com/@PolishingProfits

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - If I Stopped Selling Today, How Many Payrolls Could I Make?

CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: @PolishingProfits

Instagram: @Polishingprofits_podcast

Facebook: Polishing Profits Podcast

TikTok: @polishing.profits

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Mark Anderson - 50 years in the cleaning industry. Built an eight-figure facilities company and a seven-figure franchise organization across the US and Canada. Now at TPGI NOW (tpginow.com).

Sharon Cowan CBSE - 35 years in the industry. President and CEO, Cleaning Business Consulting Group (cleaningbusinessconsultinggroup.com). BSCAI two-time award winner, published author, forensic expert in the janitorial industry.

Edwin Eaton - 20 years in the industry. Owner of iPro Building Services, 3x Inc. 5000 honoree, founder of Cinch Janitorial Software (cleancinch.com) and Blueprint Janitorial Coaching (blueprintjanitorial.com).

#cleaningbusiness #janitorialbusiness #cashflow #cleaningbusinesstips #cleaningcontractor #commercialcleaning #cashflowfix #invoicingtips #payrollmanagement #polishingprofits

Your revenue is growing. Your P&L looks fine.

So why is the bank account always running low? This episode of Polishing Profits breaks down the real reason cleaning businesses feel broke even when they look profitable.

Mark, Sharon, and Edwin have all lived this - and in this episode they tell you exactly what is happening. Edwin shares how landing data center accounts on net-90 terms nearly wiped out his cash despite his business growing fast. Mark talks about staring at a $15K payroll with $9K in the bank. Sharon breaks down the most common mistake she sees as a consultant: owners confusing revenue minus labor with actual profit.

The core truth this episode drives home: "✨profit is an opinion✨. Cash is a fact. And until you understand why those two numbers are different, the stress never goes away.

This is Part 1 of a 2-part series. Part 2 (coming next thursday) covers the 5 specific drains on your cash and exactly what to do about each one.

SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every Thursday:

https://www.youtube.com/@PolishingProfits

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - The Cash Flow Paradox

2:00 - Profit vs. Cash: What's the Difference?

CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: @PolishingProfits

Instagram: @Polishingprofits_podcast

Facebook: Polishing Profits Podcast

TikTok: @polishing.profits

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Mark Anderson - 50 years in the cleaning industry. Built an eight-figure facilities company, a seven-figure franchise organization, operated across the US and Canada, and successfully exited all of them. Now helping others do the same at TPGI NOW (tpginow.com).

Sharon Cowan CBSE - 35 years in the industry. Started with 6 employees, grew to 120+ and multi-million dollar revenue. President and CEO, Cleaning Business Consulting Group (cleaningbusinessconsultinggroup.com). BSCAI two-time award winner, published author, forensic expert in the janitorial industry.

Edwin Eaton - 20 years in the industry. Owner of iPro Building Services (multi-state, specializing in data centers and medical facilities). 3x Inc. 5000 honoree. Founder of Cinch Janitorial Software (cleancinch.com) and Blueprint Janitorial Coaching (blueprintjanitorial.com).

#cleaningbusiness #janitorialbusiness #cashflow #profitvsrevenue #cleaningbusinessowner #commercialcleaning #smallbusinessfinance #cleaningcompany #businesscashflow #polishingprofits

Is your cleaning business actually healthy, or are you just staying busy?

Most commercial cleaning and janitorial business owners confuse the two. In this episode, Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan CBSE, and Edwin Eaton walk you through a 5-area diagnostic framework you can run on your own business today to find out exactly where you stand, and what to fix first.

What we cover:
✅ Cash flow: are you getting paid on time, or just getting paid eventually?
✅ Profitability: your gross margin should be between 45-55% - do you know yours?
✅ People: your 90-day retention rate and what your call-out numbers really tell you
✅ Operations: are jobs getting done right without you being there?
✅ Sales pipeline: if your biggest account left tomorrow, what would replace it?

As Mark puts it: "You cannot build a better business if you do not know what is broken."

Whether you are doing $300K or $2M a year, these five areas are measurable, actionable, and critical to the long-term health of your company.

📌 Subscribe so you do not miss the deep-dive episodes on each of these five areas.

🔗 Connect with Sharon Cowan / CBCG: https://cleaningbusinessconsultinggroup.com
🔗 Connect with Edwin Eaton / Cinch Janitorial Software: https://cleancinch.com
🔗 Blueprint Janitorial Coaching: https://blueprintjanitorial.com
🔗 Connect with Mark Anderson / TPGI: https://tpginow.com

STAY CONNECTED:
YouTube: @PolishingProfits
Instagram: Polishingprofits_podcast
Facebook: Polishing Profits Podcast
TikTok: polishing.profits

Chapters:
0:00 Is your cleaning business healthy or just busy?
1:00 The 5-area diagnostic framework
2:30 Area 1: Cash flow check
5:00 Area 2: Profitability and gross margin
8:30 Area 3: People and retention
11:30 Area 4: Operations check
13:00 Area 5: Sales pipeline
16:00 Deeper dive: pulling your 90-day bank statements
20:00 Gross margin breakdown: what goes into COGS
25:00 People check: 90-day retention and call-out rates
27:00 Operations: inspections and client pulse checks
30:00 Pipeline: what is actually waiting for an answer?
35:00 Call to action and closing

ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Edwin Eaton is the owner of iPro Building Services, a multi-state janitorial company honored three times on the Inc. 5000 list. He is also the founder of Cinch Janitorial Software and host of the Built After Hours podcast.

Sharon Cowan, CBSE is the Chairman and President of Cleaning Business Consulting Group (CBCG), a results-oriented consulting firm with 30 years of janitorial industry experience. She is a published author, industry speaker, and Forensic Expert in the Janitorial Industry.

Mark Anderson has spent 50 years building, scaling, and successfully exiting cleaning and facilities service businesses, including an eight-figure company and a seven-figure franchise organization.

#cleaningbusiness #janitorialbusiness #commercialcleaning #cleaningcompany #businesshealth #cashflow #cleaningbusinesstips #polishingprofits #cleaningpodcast

Stop being just another service delivery person and learn how to become the "one call" your client ever needs to make. In this episode of Polishing Profits, we explore the shift toward personalizing customer interactions to boost your customer lifetime value and secure long-term success.

We look at moving beyond the standard scope of work by utilizing CRM data and direct feedback to stay ahead of your client's needs. Learn why you should never wait for a customer to ask for extra services and how building a "value-add" mindset creates an emotional bank account that protects your business when things go wrong.

✅ WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE:

• Moving from a contractor to a go-to person for all facility needs.

• How personalizing customer interactions changes the way your client feels about your service.

• Utilizing CRM data and customer portals to track history and anticipate future requests.

• The Manny Story: How unexpected, no-charge value-adds cement client loyalty.
  
  💎 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5jb9Ddd34ETNVZZpfnhjNi?si=52fce10619a34966
  💎 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/polishing-profits/id1694768585
  
  
  💎 COME HANG WITH US HERE:

  ➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polishingprofits_podcast/ ➡️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Polishing-Profits-Podcast-61554572008927/
  
  ABOUT POLISHING PROFITS

  POLISHING PROFITS is the premier resource for cleaning business owners looking to scale their operations through veteran industry expertise. Hosted by Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowanv CBSE, and Ed Selkow, the podcast provides actionable strategies to help you evolve from a basic service provider into a high-level facility partner.
  
  #PolishingProfits #MarkAnderson #SharonCowan #EdSelkow #CleaningBusiness #JanitorialService #CustomerExperience #CustomerRetention #CRM #SmallBusinessGrowth

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Revolutionizing the Cleaning Industry with Innovation and Expertise | Featuring Edwin Eaton
Dive deep into the commercial cleaning industry with Edwin Eaton, the owner of iPro Building Services and the mastermind behind Blueprint Janitorial Consulting and Cinch Janitorial Software. 

With over 20 years of experience, Edwin shares his journey from a college side-gig to building a thriving business recognized by the Inc 5000. Learn about his unique approach to company culture, how to retain employees, and the innovative tools he developed to streamline operations. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting in the industry, Edwin's insights and strategies are invaluable.

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Turning Failures into Fortunes | Polishing Profits Podcast

In this episode of Polishing Profits, we discuss the challenging yet rewarding topic of turning failures into fortunes.

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Welcome to Polishing Profits! Today, we explore how community engagement can boost your business growth. 

We share personal experiences and actionable tips on networking, charitable giving, and building your brand through local involvement. 

Enjoy the episode and let us know your thoughts!