Tuesday May 20, 2025
#39: From $15 Intern to $84M CEO: Executive Coaching Lessons for Cleaning Business Owners
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:
Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog.
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