The Cleaning Journey

Misael Avalos
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

The Cleaning Journey Podcast is the go-to show for cleaning business owners and service entrepreneurs who want to grow, scale, and build freedom. Hosted by Misa Avalos, who built his cleaning company from scratch into a 7-figure business, this podcast shares real stories and proven strategies to help you succeed. Each episode features cleaning industry experts, business owners, and leaders who open up about their biggest wins, struggles, and lessons learned. You'll hear practical advice on: ✅ Hiring and training teams that last ✅ Building systems and processes that scale ✅ Leadership and company culture that retains A-players ✅ Getting more leads, sales, and recurring clients ✅ Understanding your numbers and profits Whether you're just starting your cleaning business or ready to scale past $20K+ months, this podcast gives you the mindset, tools, and inspiration to work on your business, not just in it. Subscribe today and start your journey to a profitable, stress-free cleaning business you can be proud of.

  1. 2d ago

    The Social Media Strategy Behind a $600K Cleaning Business

    What if one local influencer could bring your cleaning business 20 new inquiries overnight? That's exactly what happened to Courtney Nunes, founder of Green Leaf Cleaning, when her very first client shared her experience on social media. In Part 2 of The Cleaning Journey, Courtney joins Misa to break down the marketing strategies that helped her grow Green Leaf Cleaning into a business with 18 employees, approximately 100 recurring clients, and operations in Maryland and Florida. Rather than relying heavily on paid advertising, Courtney built her business through organic social media, relationships, and collaborations with local influencers. She shares how she finds influencers, structures collaborations, tracks referrals, and decides which marketing strategies are worth continuing.   We also discuss: • How a single Facebook recommendation generated 20 cleaning inquiries • Finding local influencers who actually reach your ideal customers • Offering complimentary cleanings in exchange for honest reviews and social media exposure • Why follower count doesn't always translate into paying customers • Tracking referrals and measuring marketing results • Her experience spending $3,000 on Google Ads • Using virtual assistants and automation to reclaim time • Leading employees with compassion while maintaining accountability • Building a company culture that supports both the business and its people   Misa also shares his approach to marketing: commit to a strategy for 90 days, track the results, and make decisions based on real numbers. If you're looking for creative ways to market your cleaning company, generate recurring clients, and become a stronger leader, this conversation is full of practical ideas. Missed Part 1? Watch Courtney's journey from her first cleaning job to building a growing team.   CONNECT WITH COURTNEY: Website: https://www.greenleaforganics.org/ Instagram: @green_leaf_cleaning_md_fl   Subscribe to The Cleaning Journey for more conversations about growing and leading a successful cleaning business.   #TheCleaningJourney #CleaningBusinessMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing #CleaningBusiness #Entrepreneurship If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place. Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kSJKn_kbH4JP8i53hpNEP6tQJqeXArlqqvtt1LJgUPQ/edit

  2. Oct 14

    She Started Cleaning to Support Her Family. Then Business Took Off.

    What started as a way to support her family turned into a rapidly growing cleaning business with 18 employees, approximately 100 recurring clients, and a second location. In Part 1 of The Cleaning Journey, Misa sits down with Courtney Nunes, founder of Green Leaf Cleaning, to discuss how she went from being a stay-at-home mom looking for flexible work to building a successful cleaning company in less than two years. Courtney shares the reality behind that growth, including her very first 12-hour cleaning job, a difficult experience hiring her first cleaners, and the mistakes that pushed her to develop better systems, training, and processes. In this episode, we cover:   • How Courtney started Green Leaf Cleaning with no local network or clients • The challenges of hiring and managing cleaners for the first time • Why she transitioned from independent contractors to W-2 employees • Building training systems, SOPs, and quality standards • Learning to set boundaries with clients and protect profitability • Why every mistake can become an opportunity to improve your business Courtney's story is a reminder that you don't need to have everything figured out before you start. You just need to be willing to learn, adapt, and keep moving forward. In Part 2, we dive into the marketing strategies that helped Green Leaf Cleaning grow, including local influencer collaborations, social media, and building a business that doesn't depend entirely on the owner.   CONNECT WITH COURTNEY: Website: [https://www.greenleaforganics.org/](https://www.greenleaforganics.org/) Instagram: [green_leaf_cleaning_maryland](https://www.instagram.com/green_leaf_cleaning_maryland/#) Subscribe to The Cleaning Journey for real conversations with cleaning business owners about entrepreneurship, leadership, systems, and growth. #TheCleaningJourney #CleaningBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #CleaningBusinessOwner If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place. Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kSJKn_kbH4JP8i53hpNEP6tQJqeXArlqqvtt1LJgUPQ/edit

  3. Oct 7

    She Started With Nothing. Now Her Cleaning Company Does $100K+/Month

    Kimberly Zorrilla came to the United States from Venezuela with a background as an attorney, little money, and no English. She started cleaning out of necessity. Today, nearly 10 years later, she has built a cleaning company generating more than $100,000 per month with a team of roughly 30 people—and she's now focused on building the systems, leadership, and infrastructure that can take the company into its next chapter. In this episode of The Cleaning Journey, Misael sits down with Kimberly to talk about what it actually took to build the business from the ground up. They discuss:   • Working 90+ hour weeks in the early years  • Making her first hire just six months into the business  • Creating a culture where cleaning is treated as a real career  • Hiring, training, accountability, and protecting your standards  • The mistakes Kimberly made with finances early on  • Why business owners need to understand what they delegate  • Faith, family, rest, and learning when to stop hustling  • Building systems that can support the next level of growth  • Preparing a company to eventually operate without the owner  • Why the systems that get you to $500K won't necessarily get you to $1M  • Kimberly's advice for anyone starting from zero Kimberly's story is a reminder that building something meaningful takes time. There is no perfect start. There is no shortcut around learning, making mistakes, developing as a leader, and continuing to evolve as the business grows. If you're building a cleaning company—or starting over and wondering whether you can actually do it—this conversation is for you.   Learn More About Kimberly & Kiros Cleaning Experts Follow Kimberly's journey and learn more about Kiros Cleaning Experts: 🌐 kiroscleaningexperts.com 📸 Instagram: @kiroscleaningexperts 📘 Facebook: Kiros Cleaning Experts Subscribe to The Cleaning Journey for more conversations with cleaning business owners, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who are building businesses that last. If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place.   Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kSJKn_kbH4JP8i53hpNEP6tQJqeXArlqqvtt1LJgUPQ/edit

  4. Sep 30

    Want to Last in the Cleaning Business? Listen to This.

    What can 46 years in the cleaning industry teach you about building a business that actually lasts? In this episode of The Cleaning Journey, Misa sits down with Kevin Kluth, who started doing janitorial work at just 18 years old in 1980. What began with a few office-cleaning accounts eventually grew into carpet cleaning, specialized rug washing, a team of employees, and more than four decades of lessons about business, leadership, training, and growth. Kevin shares why one of his biggest lessons was learning to stop doing everything himself, how he trained employees to serve clients without him, and why cleaning business owners should build a company that could eventually operate — or even be sold — without depending entirely on the owner. They also get into:   • How Kevin landed his first cleaning accounts through referrals  • Why he transitioned from janitorial work into carpet cleaning  • Why he chose rug washing over restoration work  • The slow-season promotion he's used for more than a decade  • Why hiring a bookkeeper or accountant is worth the money  • How to train technicians you can actually trust  • Why owners who stay on every job need to charge accordingly  • The importance of professional training and certification  • Why social media isn't a replacement for real education  • Building systems that allow the business to run without you  • Creating a company someone would actually want to buy  • Why there are nearly unlimited niches inside the cleaning industry  • What Kevin would tell an owner who's only one or two years into the journey  After more than four decades in the industry, Kevin's message is simple: keep learning, surround yourself with people who are better than you at what they do, build systems, and don't spend your entire career trapped inside the technician role. If you're building a cleaning business and wondering what it takes to stay in the game for the long haul, this episode is for you. Subscribe to The Cleaning Journey for more conversations with cleaning business owners and industry leaders sharing the real lessons behind building, growing, and leading a cleaning company.   #CleaningBusiness #Entrepreneurship #CarpetCleaning #BusinessGrowth #TheCleaningJourney If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place. Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kSJKn_kbH4JP8i53hpNEP6tQJqeXArlqqvtt1LJgUPQ/edit

  5. Sep 23

    Stop Selling Cleaning. Start Selling the Value. | Eddie Dauti

    What if your clients stopped seeing cleaning as another expense—and started seeing it as an investment in their business?   In this episode of The Cleaning Journey, Misael sits down with Eddie Dauti, founder and owner of Accurate ProClean, a commercial cleaning and facility maintenance company celebrating 20 years in business.   Before entering the cleaning industry, Eddie worked as an executive chef, where his attention to cleanliness, organization, and detail ultimately opened the door to an entirely new career.   It started when a longtime restaurant customer asked Eddie to clean an office. Eddie initially declined—he had no experience in the cleaning industry—but eventually took the opportunity. One office led to another, referrals started coming in, and Eddie found himself cleaning after long shifts in the kitchen.   In June 2006, he officially founded Accurate ProClean.   Today, Accurate ProClean provides janitorial services, floor care, carpet cleaning, post-construction cleanup, and specialty cleaning for commercial facilities throughout New Jersey, including schools, office buildings, healthcare facilities, and other businesses.   Eddie and Misael dive into what those 20 years have taught him about selling value instead of price, educating customers, maintaining high standards, and building relationships that last.   In this episode: • Why cleaning should be positioned as an investment—not an expense • Eddie's journey from executive chef to cleaning business owner • How to educate clients instead of competing on price • Why going cheap eventually leads to cutting corners • Using demonstrations and before-and-after photos to prove value • How strategic upselling can grow commercial accounts • Why the right product, equipment, and knowledge matter • Knowing when it's better to walk away from a job • How confidence grows through experience and education • The importance of building partnerships instead of being "just another contractor"   Twenty years later, Eddie's philosophy remains simple: do quality work, build strong relationships, and let the results speak for themselves.   Or, as Eddie puts it:   "We don't cut corners. We clean them."   Connect with Accurate ProClean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accurateproclean Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/accurateproclean   Subscribe to The Cleaning Journey for more conversations with cleaning business owners and industry leaders about building stronger, more profitable businesses.   #TheCleaningJourney #CleaningBusiness #CommercialCleaning #FacilityMaintenance #Entrepreneurship   If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place.   Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kSJKn_kbH4JP8i53hpNEP6tQJqeXArlqqvtt1LJgUPQ/edit

  6. Sep 15

    Sales Is King: How Cleaning Companies Actually Grow

    In Part 2 of our conversation with Greg Sack of Pinch, we shift the focus directly to what it takes to grow and scale a commercial cleaning business. Misa and Greg dig into a question many cleaning business owners eventually face: If you're already great at cleaning, why not just go sell commercial accounts yourself? Greg explains where Pinch can fit into that equation—but the conversation quickly becomes much bigger than Pinch. They talk about the leads cleaning business owners fail to follow up with, why sales can't stop once you're busy, and what separates companies that simply clean from companies that are actually built to grow. In this episode: • Why cleaning companies leave sales opportunities on the table • How consistent follow-up creates commercial opportunities • Why commercial cleaning companies lose good accounts • Why communication is critical to client retention • What Greg looks for before trusting a company with a major account • How subcontracting can become a growth strategy • Why Greg believes "sales is king" • The difference between a business owner and a business operator • Why nobody needs to do the job exactly as well as you • Building processes that allow your team to succeed without you • How to finally get yourself out of the field and focus on growth Greg's message to owners who feel stuck doing everything themselves is simple: if you want a scalable business, eventually the business has to become about the process—not about you. 🎙️ This is Part 2 of Greg Sack's conversation on The Cleaning Journey Podcast. Connect with Greg Sack & Pinch: 🌐 https://www.pinch.cleaning/ 📸 https://www.instagram.com/pinch.cleaning/ 📘 https://www.facebook.com/pinchjob   Subscribe to The Cleaning Journey for more conversations about building, scaling, and leading a successful cleaning business. #TheCleaningJourney #CleaningBusiness #CommercialCleaning #CleaningBusinessOwner #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place. Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kSJKn_kbH4JP8i53hpNEP6tQJqeXArlqqvtt1LJgUPQ/edit

  7. Sep 2

    The Hidden Challenges of Commercial Cleaning | Greg Sack

    Commercial cleaning can be a huge opportunity—but behind the contracts are challenges most cleaning business owners don't see coming. In Part 1 of our conversation with Greg Sack of Pinch, Greg shares how he went from building and selling an international logistics company to FedEx to helping build a technology platform connecting cleaning companies with commercial opportunities across the country. Greg breaks down what Pinch learned after moving from residential cleaning into multifamily, student housing, single-family rental, build-to-rent, and commercial cleaning—and why the transition into commercial work isn't always as simple as winning the contract.   We talk about:   • Why Pinch pivoted from residential to commercial cleaning • The challenges of vendor credentialing and insurance • Why "Net 30" doesn't always mean getting paid in 30 days • What happens when staffing and scheduling fall apart • The importance of before-and-after documentation • How technology can protect cleaning companies from costly disputes • Why communication problems can cost you an account • The role customer success plays in keeping commercial clients • What cleaning companies need to understand before taking on larger opportunities   Greg also shares real stories from multifamily and student housing projects that show just how quickly a profitable cleaning opportunity can turn into an operational headache without the right systems in place.   If you're trying to grow into commercial cleaning—or already managing commercial accounts—this episode offers a look at what happens behind the scenes when you start operating at scale.   Subscribe to The Cleaning Journey for conversations about building, scaling, and leading a successful cleaning business.   #CommercialCleaning #CleaningBusiness #CleaningBusinessOwner #JanitorialBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth   If you're serious about building systems that remove you as the bottleneck, you need the right tools. We recommend Jobber to manage scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and client communication all in one place.   Start your 2-week free trial and get 20% off for 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   For YouTube and Spotify: 🎥Subscribe: @misaavalos For more cleaning tips videos! 📲 Instagram: @cleaningjourney 📲 Instagram: @misa.avalos Jobber: https://go.getjobber.com/misael   🎙️Spotify: The Cleaning Journey Podcast On Spotify 📞1-on-1 Call (45-FREE Minutes to talk about your business, CRAZYY, I know): 👇 https://scheduler.zoom.us/misael-avalos/free-discovery-call   Want to be in the podcast? Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. Your journey matters! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kSJKn_kbH4JP8i53hpNEP6tQJqeXArlqqvtt1LJgUPQ/edit

  8. Aug 26

    Why Better Training Means Less Turnover & Better Quality

    How do you train cleaning employees in a way that creates consistent results without expecting perfection? In Part 2 of RJ Patel's return to The Cleaning Journey Podcast, RJ and Misael Avalos move beyond individual cleaning techniques and dig into the systems behind building a well-trained cleaning team. RJ shares how his own training process has developed over the years, why training should evolve with employee feedback, and how cleaning business owners can create standards that protect quality without setting their teams up to fail. One of the biggest ideas in this episode is RJ's 92% standard and 8% forgiveness philosophy. Rather than expecting every employee to perform exactly like the owner, cleaning companies need clearly defined standards, realistic expectations, and processes that allow employees to succeed consistently. They also discuss employee turnover, efficiency versus quality, equipment and processes, protecting your company's reputation, and why every cleaner you send into a customer's home represents your brand. And for the cleaning business owner preparing to hire their very first employee, RJ's advice is simple: Train them. If you want to scale your cleaning company, improve quality control, build a stronger team, and create a repeatable employee training system, Part 2 is packed with practical lessons you can apply to your business. 🎙️ This is Part 2 of our conversation with RJ Patel. Be sure to listen to Part 1 for the full discussion on cleaning for health, proper cleaning processes, cross-contamination, and why better employee training starts with teaching the "why." #CleaningBusiness #CleaningBusinessOwner #CleaningTraining #EmployeeTraining #CleaningCompany #CleaningBusinessGrowth #CleaningIndustry #BusinessSystems #TheCleaningJourney

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Cleaning Journey Podcast is the go-to show for cleaning business owners and service entrepreneurs who want to grow, scale, and build freedom. Hosted by Misa Avalos, who built his cleaning company from scratch into a 7-figure business, this podcast shares real stories and proven strategies to help you succeed. Each episode features cleaning industry experts, business owners, and leaders who open up about their biggest wins, struggles, and lessons learned. You'll hear practical advice on: ✅ Hiring and training teams that last ✅ Building systems and processes that scale ✅ Leadership and company culture that retains A-players ✅ Getting more leads, sales, and recurring clients ✅ Understanding your numbers and profits Whether you're just starting your cleaning business or ready to scale past $20K+ months, this podcast gives you the mindset, tools, and inspiration to work on your business, not just in it. Subscribe today and start your journey to a profitable, stress-free cleaning business you can be proud of.

Information

  • Creator
    Misael Avalos
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    The Cleaning Journey

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