How I quit my 9-5 to start a cleaning business

You don’t want to take a huge risk, but you also want the freedom of running your own business. I get it. That was my plan too, and I made it happen.

Here’s how I did it.

Watch the video here >>

Step 1: Handling the Business While Stuck in an Office

Since I couldn’t answer calls during work, I made sure my website focused on getting people to fill out a lead form instead.

No phone numbers everywhere—just a simple “Request a Quote” form. That way, I could reply to potential clients via email or text during lunch or after work.

As the business grew, I hired a telephone messaging service to handle incoming calls.

Eventually, I upgraded to a virtual assistant who could quote prices and book jobs right away, making things way easier.

Step 2: Ditching Cash Payments

Managing cash was a nightmare, especially since I wasn’t available during the day. My cleaners would collect the money, I’d have to meet up with them, sort out percentages, and then make a bank deposit—it was a mess.

So, I made a rule early on: card payments only. I set up Stripe (which was integrated with my scheduling software) so clients were automatically charged after their cleaning. No more dealing with cash, and no wasted time.

Step 3: Hiring Cleaners Who Already Knew What They Were Doing

I didn’t have time to train people from scratch, so I only hired experienced 1099 contractors. My requirements? At least six months of house or hotel cleaning experience.

First, I’d do a phone interview to check reliability and communication skills. If they passed, I’d schedule a paid test clean at my apartment on a weekend. This let me see their work in action before bringing them on board. Simple, but effective.

Step 4: Getting Clients Fast with Paid Ads

I didn’t have time for networking or knocking on doors, so I went straight for paid marketing. Google Ads, Bark, and Thumbtack were game-changers. With the right setup, clients came to me, and I could quote them remotely—no need for in-home estimates.

Focusing on house cleaning (instead of commercial cleaning) made things even easier since I didn’t have to visit offices or do walk-throughs. Just ads, leads, bookings – done.

Wrapping It Up

I didn’t quit my job until my cleaning business made the same income I was getting from my 9-5. It wasn’t instant, but by using a telephone messaging company to begin with, then switching over to a VA, I made the transition as smooth as possible.

I hope that’s been helpful. See you next week.

Watch the video in full here >>

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