The Profitable Cleaner

Why Your Cleaning Business Needs SOPs—Even If You're Small | Polishing Profits Ep. 9


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Your hosts Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan CBSE, and Ed Selkow dive into operational efficiency and process improvement in this episode of Polishing Profits.

If you think standard operating procedures (SOPs) are only for big companies, think again. Whether you’re a solo operator or managing 100 people, clear, documented workflows are the backbone of quality, consistency, and growth.

From onboarding and training to inspections and customer follow-ups, SOPs are what keep your company out of the horror stories - and off the client chopping block.


🧠 What You’ll Learn:

  • ✅ Why “winging it” costs you time, money, and reputation
  • ✅ How to start building SOPs (without feeling overwhelmed)
  • ✅ The 3-legged stool of operations, finance, and HR—and how to keep it balanced
  • ✅ Why documented processes create predictable outcomes
  • ✅ The magic question never to ask your customers
  • ✅ How to create checklists, scorecards, and accountability loops


📌 This Episode Is For:

  •  ✔️ Cleaning company owners tired of constant chaos
  •  ✔️ Operators struggling to scale and delegate effectively
  •  ✔️ Managers ready to improve training and accountability
  •  ✔️ Anyone who wants to build a business that works without them


🕒 Episode Breakdown:
 00:00 – Why small companies need processes too
 02:35 – The domino effect of poor workflows
 04:23 – The 3-legged stool of sustainable growth
 06:09 – Defining quality and standard operating procedures
 08:04 – The right (and wrong) ways to talk to clients
 10:10 – Final thoughts and next steps


📌 Resources:
 ➡️ Catch up on previous episodes of Polishing Profits here:
 The Profitable Cleaner Network 


🔗 Where to Find Your Hosts

  • Sharon Cowan, CBSE – LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
  • Mark Anderson – LinkedIn
  • Ed Selkow – Facebook


About Polishing Profits

Polishing Profits is hosted by three of the most respected leaders in the janitorial industry—Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan, and Ed Selkow. With over 140 years of combined experience, they’ve built and scaled cleaning companies, coached hundreds of owners, and helped countless teams grow stronger.


Every episode delivers real stories, actionable strategies, and tools to build a cleaning business that thrives.

 Produced by The Profitable Cleaner Network


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