Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast

What do you do when four cleaners quit or get fired in a single week — including one who worked with you for years?
In this raw and emotional solo episode, Stephanie opens up about one of the hardest weeks in Serene Clean’s history. From betrayal and burnout to tough conversations and short-staffed chaos, she breaks down what really happened, what she learned, and how she found the strength to lead anyway. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re cut out for this, this episode is for you.
Key Takeaways:
What to do when multiple team members quit in a short time
How to fire someone you love (and still sleep at night)
The emotional toll of leadership no one warns you about
Why staff documentation and signed policies can protect you from unemployment claims
How to regain control when things feel totally out of control
What makes people trust you as a leader — even when you’re falling apart
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days! 
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.

What drives someone to launch a cleaning business as a teenager — and grow it into a thriving, booked-out service while pregnant and raising a family?
In this episode, Stephanie interviews Zaila Filler, a young cleaning business owner from Indiana who started out scrubbing Airbnbs to escape a tough home life. They cover the wild reality of starting from scratch, training staff while dilated in the hospital, and why pricing and policies can make or break your early growth.
 
Expect honest talk, hilarious stories, and some hard-won lessons on staffing, systems, and scaling.
 
Key Takeaways:
Why your first few hires will probably quit (and why that’s normal)
The “aha” moment that doubled Zyla’s initial clean prices
How to handle flaky team members without losing your mind
Red flags to watch for in new hires (and clients!)
When to start charging more — and how to test your rates
Using Square + ZenMaid to simplify payments and invoicing
Mentioned in this Episode:
ZenMaid Digital Checklists
Serene Clean’s Onboarding Docs
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days!
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.

Stephanie takes you behind the scenes of Serene Clean’s growth — from charging $30/hour and paying $12/hour, all the way to $55/hour and six figures in monthly revenue.
 
You’ll hear exactly what the business was charging, paying, and earning at every stage — plus when benefits were added, how price increases impacted hiring, and what finally pushed Stephanie to offer health insurance. It’s an honest, detailed timeline packed with practical insights for every cleaning business owner.
 
Key Takeaways:
The exact rates Serene Clean charged at every growth stage
How Stephanie set employee wages based on a 40% labor cost model
What benefits were added (and when the business could afford them)
Why starting at $40/hour is crucial if you plan to scale
How pricing affects employee retention and client loyalty
Serene Clean’s journey to zero complaints across 1,400+ cleanings
 
Mentioned in this Episode:
ZenMaid Facebook Mastermind group
Group Interview System – see Episode 42
ZenMaid checklist & scheduling features
QuickBooks Online
💻 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days
 
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.
 

Stephanie sits down with Crystal Davidson — Serene Clean’s very first employee — to talk about what it was really like in the early days. From working out of Stephanie’s apartment to helping build a million-dollar company, Crystal has seen (and survived) it all.
 
They cover what made her leave a stable healthcare career for a part-time cleaning job, how her role evolved over time, and what it actually takes to build a loyal leadership team in an industry known for high turnover. It’s an honest, behind-the-scenes look at how trust, flexibility, and shared values can shape a workplace that people never want to leave.
Key Takeaways:
The early chaos at Serene Clean — and what kept her from quitting
What made Stephanie know Crystal was a “diamond” hire
How Crystal’s role evolved into Director of HR (without a roadmap)
The #1 mistake they used to make when hiring under pressure
What makes a truly flexible workplace — and why it matters
Mentioned in this Episode:
ZenMaid Facebook Mastermind
Group interviews (LINK TO Episode 42)
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.

In this solo episode, Stephanie shares one of the top three strategies that helped Serene Clean grow to 30+ employees across three locations: group interviews. After years of trial and error (and far too many no-shows), she walks you through exactly how—and why—to set up a group interview system that saves time, filters out bad fits, and keeps your cleaning business hiring-ready at all times.
 
Whether you’re a solo cleaner doing it all or managing a full team, this is the hiring framework Stephanie swears by—and you’ll get her full step-by-step breakdown.
 
Key Takeaways:
Why hiring only when you’re desperate will keep you stuck
How to use group interviews to filter candidates without wasting time
What to include in your job listings to attract the right applicants (without spending money on Indeed)
Why resumes don’t matter (yet) and how to vet applicants more effectively
How to track interviews and no-shows like a pro
A behind-the-scenes look at Serene Clean’s benefits and onboarding process
 
Mentioned in this Episode:
ZenMaid Facebook Mastermind group
[Free Job Applicants Tracker Template]
 
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days
 
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with ZenMaid's CEO, Amar Ghose, to talk about everything from his days running a maid service to building a software company that’s now 11 years strong.
 
They cover the early chaos, what Amar would do differently if he ran a cleaning business again, and how he stayed calm and led his team through a recent health scare. It's an honest, insightful, and sometimes hilarious look at the real behind-the-scenes of ZenMaid.
 
Key Takeaways:
How Amar scaled his maid service to 8 cleaners in 14 months (then shut it down)
The surprising hiring strategy that worked—until it didn’t
Why most cleaning business owners wait too long to adopt systems
What makes ZenMaid’s approach to content and customer success different
Amar’s leadership mindset through life-threatening uncertainty
The #1 trait that separates scalable cleaning companies from those that stay stuck
 
Mentioned in this Episode:
ZenMaid Facebook Mastermind group
The Maid Summit
The Slight Edge (book)
The Charisma Myth (book)
 
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.

Anastasia, owner of Essence of Clean, turned a part-time side gig into a six-figure cleaning business with her husband—despite moving states and starting over more than once. Now based in Washington and working just four days a week, they’ve built a business that gives them freedom, stability, and time with their family.
 
In this coaching session, Anastasia opens up about battling self-doubt, navigating others’ judgment, and preparing to hire her first employees after a previous bad experience. If you're on the fence about hiring or want to hear what it really takes to scale your cleaning business, you’ll want to tune in.
 
Key Takeaways:
How Anastasia and her husband built a business that earns more than his teaching career
The detailed prep work she’s done before hiring her first employees
Strategies for overcoming self-doubt and judgment about cleaning as a profession
Website and marketing adjustments to capture more leads and reduce price shopping
Why starting with individual cleaners may be smarter than jumping straight to teams
 
Mentioned in this Episode:
Google Business Profile
Nextdoor
 
💻 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days
 
Rather read than listen? Visit the full transcript [https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/live-coaching-call-shes-ready-to-grow-but-hiring-is-holding-her-back/]

Stephanie sits down with Ayman Al-Abdullah, former CEO of AppSumo and executive coach to 7–9 figure founders (including ZenMaid’s own Amar Ghose). They dive into what it takes to evolve from a founder to a true CEO — and how even cleaning business owners can start thinking like executives.
 
You’ll learn how to overcome growth plateaus, why Ayman believes every CEO should aim to be the “laziest” person in the business, and how to finally solve your hiring headaches (without throwing more money at the problem). Plus: what to do when you’re stuck at $1.4M and unsure which direction to scale.
 
Key Takeaways:
The difference between a founder and a CEO — and when you need to switch roles
How Ayman scaled AppSumo from $3M to $84M (starting with a $15/hour intern)
How to solve staffing bottlenecks without burning out
Why your cleaning techs — not your clients — are your real customers
How to avoid “CEO seagull syndrome” and finally stay focused
 
Mentioned in this Episode:
ZenMaid Software
ZenMaid Facebook Mastermind group
Ayman on Twitter (X)
 
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days
 
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.

Your brand isn’t built when you say the right things. It’s built in the messy moments when no one’s watching... and when the consequences catch up. In this episode, Stephanie unpacks a controversial cleaning industry trend (yep, naked cleaning) and uses it as a jumping-off point to talk about integrity, consistency, and long-term brand building.
 
Whether you're navigating pricing mistakes, hiring growing pains, or just trying to look more professional online — your reputation is made one choice at a time. You don’t need perfection. But you do need consistency.
 
Key Takeaways:
Why one off-brand choice can tank 364 great ones
How inconsistency shows up in ways you might not notice
The checklist of things clients remember — and talk about
Real talk on tattoos, topless cleaners, and tabling events
How to make your brand “spectacular” in your city
Mentioned in this Episode:
ZenMaid Software
ZenMaid Facebook Mastermind group
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.

"I went from a 5-6 day week solo business making $60K profit to the SAME profit working just 2 days a week." Former GE engineer Ken Carfagno shares the optimization strategies that transformed his cleaning business and allowed him to live the life he really wanted.
 
This episode is packed with practical wisdom on building a cleaning business that actually works for YOU instead of trapping you in a cycle of overwhelm. Learn why Ken abandoned his prestigious engineering career, how he built multiple successful cleaning businesses, and the exact framework he uses to help other cleaning business owners find freedom.
 
Key Takeaways:
The four business fundamentals every cleaning company owner needs to master
How Ken optimized his solo cleaning business to work just 2 days per week while maintaining profits
Why "knowing your numbers" is critical
The truth about commercial vs. residential cleaning: which is harder to get and easier to keep
How to price your services to attract high-value clients and increase perceived value
Mentioned in this Episode:
The Go-Giver (book by Bob Burg)
Smart Cleaning School podcast
E-Myth Revisited (book by Michael Gerber)
Josh Melton (Six Figure Cleaner)
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days!
 
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.