#176: How Dave Camenga Built a Thriving Janitorial Business with 30+ Cleaners

Dave Camenga started cleaning houses in fifth grade (yes, really). 11 years later, he owns a thriving commercial janitorial company in Baltimore with 30 cleaners and hundreds of monthly cleans. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Dave, owner of Dave's Cleaning Consultants in Baltimore, Maryland, who shares how he skipped college to go all-in on cleaning. His nightly janitorial teams of 4–6 people clean eight offices a night, and he shares why old-school direct mailers still land him massive commercial contracts. Dave also talks about the hardest parts of the business, including letting go of a five-year employee, firing disrespectful clients, and protecting a zero-drama company culture.

 

📌 What You'll Learn

— How Dave structures teams of four to six cleaners to service eight offices a night

— Why "hire slow, fire fast" and always-open interviews protect your best people from burnout

— The direct mail system that landed a $150,000-per-month commercial contract

— When to fire a client — even one worth $7,000 a month

— Why being coachable matters more than 30 years of cleaning experience

— How to command respect as a young owner by never asking staff to do what you wouldn't

 

Resources Mentioned

— The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1591842158?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

— Q&A with Dave and Carolyn Arellano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dzZLaEjX1k

— Dave's Cleaning Consultants on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davescleaningconsultants/

— Dave's consulting services: https://www.davescleaningconsultants.com/

 

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