Filthy Rich Cleaners: The Cleaning Business Podcast

Any small business owner (regardless of the industry they're in) will attest that this job is one of the hardest but most rewarding out there. You pour your heart and soul into your business and learn so much about yourself along the way.
 
In this fiery solo episode, Stephanie talks about the three traits that have allowed her to build Serene Clean into the 7-figure business it is today: grit, vision, and leadership. She shares the story of (cluelessly 😅) walking into her first commercial walkthrough at 23, leading a million-dollar government contract, navigating betrayals and setbacks, and figuring things out as she went. Stephanie discusses the mindset and habits that helped her push forward when she thought that quitting would have been easier.
 
This episode is 50% motivational speech and 50% practical breakdown of the traits any cleaning business owner can develop in their journey.
 
📌 What You’ll Learn:
— Why grit and resilience matter more than knowing everything from the beginning
— The “ready, fire, aim” approach to action, and why it works for entrepreneurs and small business owners
— How having a vision and maintaining and standard of excellence create a company's culture
— How the values you instill in your business will attract like-minded employees
— Leadership habits that make employees feel respected, connected, valued, and proud
— How to frame failures as experiments instead of setbacks
— Why raising your prices and buying back your time is so important for growth
 
Resources Mentioned:
— Maid Summit (Free Training Event): https://www.maidsummit.com
— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/
— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind
 
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days! https://get.zenmaid.com
 
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
 
📖 Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/the-3-traits-that-built-my-cleaning-business/

Would you rather send out a 20% off coupon twice in one day, or go viral for a typo that says “we’ll clean your crack”? 
In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Ryan Williams, ZenMaid's Head of Marketing, to share real marketing mishaps (including $30k ad spend mistakes and sending emails with the wrong dates twice) and talk through how cleaners can stop overthinking marketing. They cover marketing via email vs. text messaging, whether discounts cheapen your brand, how to spot shady marketing agencies, and why focusing on what already works is smarter than chasing every shiny object.
 What You’ll Learn:— Why progress beats perfection when running ads, and why “trashy" Canva ads often win— How to offer discounts without making your brand look cheap— The truth about email vs. SMS marketing, and why both still work in 2025— Red flags (and green flags) when hiring a marketing agency— Why attribution is overrated and what you should track instead— How to avoid shiny object syndrome and scale what already works— Why your website and personal story are still your strongest marketing tools
Resources Mentioned:— Maid Summit (Free Training Event): https://www.maidsummit.com— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days! → Get.ZenMaid.com
 Book a Consulting call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/real-talk-on-marketing-experimentation-and-growing-smart/

What KPIs actually matter when you're running a cleaning business? There are a million different numbers you can track, so it's important that you spend your precious time on the ones that actually matter. Are you really short on leads, or do you just need to close better? Are clients dropping off because of price, quality, or something totally outside your control? Without tracking, you’ll never know.
In this solo episode, Stephanie shares how she tracks sales, marketing, and client KPIs at Serene Clean, as well as the exact numbers that keep her business growing past $1M in annual revenue. She talks about software she uses (from simple spreadsheets to automated dashboards in ClickUp) and breaks down what’s non-negotiable, what’s “nice to have,” and what tracking is 100% necessary to help you make smarter decisions. What You’ll Learn:— The 3 baseline KPIs every cleaning business must track (no excuses!)— Why “more leads” isn’t always the answer and what to measure instead— How to find out which marketing sources really bring in paying clients— The easiest way to calculate things like close rates, churn, client retention, and more— What tracking recurring clients gained vs. lost will tell you about your business's health— How Serene Clean tags, tracks, and analyzes clients for long-term growth (and why it's worked)Resources Mentioned:— Maid Summit (Free Training Event): https://www.maidsummit.com— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermindTry ZenMaid free for 14 days! Get.ZenMaid.com Book a Consulting call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ Read the full transcript: [Link]

In this very special (and chaotic) episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, we bring you poolside in Barcelona, Spain at our annual ZenMaid company retreat! 🇪🇸
 
Filthy Rich Cleaners host Stephanie Pipkin sits down with Amar Ghose, Founder and CEO of ZenMaid, and Maria Dorian, Founder of TaskAway VA and Co-Founder of Quality Driven Software, to play a fun game of Would You Rather, talk about their crazy cleaning business experiences, and more. From meth head cleaners to clients who like to micromanage you to hiring reliable, trustworthy staff, this episode covers it all! 🫣
 
📌 What We Talk About:
— If it's better to have consistent, drama-prone employees vs. drama-free, unreliable ones, and what trade-offs matter most
— Whether we'd prefer to lose a great cleaner with no notice than keep a mediocre one long-term
— The unexpected challenges of clients who micromanage our cleaners
— Why some high-performing employees might be red flags in disguise 🚩
— What to do when your team relies on personality over quality
— How to think about former employees starting their own cleaning companies (and when not to worry about it)
— Lessons from running a business without systems (and how to avoid learning them the hard way)
— What to prioritize when you’re short-staffed, burnt out, or stuck in chaos
— And so much more!
 
Resources Mentioned:
— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/
— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind
 
💡 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: Get.ZenMaid.com
 
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie:
https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
 
📖 Read the full transcript: [Link]

Learning how to manage inventory is one of the hardest parts of opening a cleaning business. It's difficult to forecast how much of each item you'll need, when you should anticipate running out, where to store your items, whether the client should supply certain things, and more — it can feel like a logistical nightmare. We've been there, and that's why this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners focuses on effectively managing inventory and supplies. In this solo episode, Stephanie shares how Serene Clean handles inventory and supply management, and what has and hasn't worked for her team in the past. She gives advice to cleaning business owners at every stage, like those who are just starting out, and walks through her systems for restocking, laundry, expectations around supplies, and more!What You’ll Learn:— Why you should use a simple inventory checklist to avoid running out of cleaning supplies— The unexpected challenges of managing supplies when you're operating without an office— How Stephanie keeps multiple Serene Clean locations stocked using Google Sheets (and her team's help)— The importance of providing your cleaning techs with everything they need to succeed, while keeping budget in mind— Tips for managing the laundry headache and why having washer/dryer hookups could change your life— The one item you should always ask clients to supplyResources Mentioned:— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermindTry ZenMaid free for 14 days! Get.ZenMaid.com Read the full transcript: [Link]

Can you wear your heart on your sleeve and run a business at the same time? The answer is no, but that doesn't mean you can't still lead with compassion and care for your employees and clients 
In this episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners, Stephanie chats with Kimberley Crockett, the owner of Clean Keepers in Athens, Georgia. Kimberley shares how she started her cleaning business at the beginning of COVID — Spring 2020 — when the restaurant she bartended at full-time shut down. She had previously cleaned as a small side hustle and needed a new plan, and, amazingly, it took off!
Five years into her business, Kimberley joins the podcast to talk about the emotional side of cleaning business ownership, including how she balances compassion with leadership and how this business is all about the pursuit of helping others. They talk about Kimberley's experiences of leading with heart while also making the tough calls that come with managing employees and clients.
 What You’ll Learn:— How to lead with empathy while setting clear boundaries as a business owner— The role of compassion in client retention and employee satisfaction— Why being emotionally connected with your team leads to better service and a stronger company culture, but also when to draw a line between friend and boss— Why having the courage to help others, even when it’s not required, creates a memorable, positive impact
Resources Mentioned:— Maid Summit (Free Training Event): https://www.maidsummit.com— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free): /zenmaidmastermind
 
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: Get.ZenMaid.com
 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-s...
 
 Read the full transcript: [LINK]

Do you know any cleaning business owners who skip the mop completely and don't actually clean anything themselves? Many times, people start out as cleaners and work their way up, or open their own business entirely, but there are some people who start out with the intention of never personally doing any cleaning. This is when they turn to independent contractors (ICs) instead of full-time employees. On paper, it sounds great — flexible staffing, no payroll taxes, and no scrubbing toilets yourself. But what’s the reality of running your business this way, and can you actually do this for the long haul?
 
In this solo episode, Stephanie talks about the real challenges (and, more importantly, risks) of starting and growing a cleaning business without cleaning yourself and relying on ICs. She shares the three operational areas where IC-run companies often struggle most — training, quality control, and communication — and offers practical, logical, and legal (!) tips to keep your business running smoothly.
 
📌 What You’ll Learn:
— The biggest legal and operational challenges of running your cleaning business with independent contractors
— Why ICs can be great (speed and availability) but risky (insurance, liabilities, etc.)
— How to ensure training and quality control when you can’t “train” ICs yourself
— Ways to build in fill-in coverage for last-minute cancellations
— How to stay reliable so clients see the value in your company's pricing
— Communication systems that work when you can’t be on-call 24/7
 
Resources Mentioned:
— Maid Summit (Free Training Event): https://www.maidsummit.com
— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/
— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind
 
💡 Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: Get.ZenMaid.com
 
📞 Book a Consulting Call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
🎙 Listen to the Podcast:
🎧 Spotify: [Link]
🎧 Apple Podcasts: [Link]
📖 Read the full transcript: [Link]

Honest feedback can be hard to give — and it's often even harder to receive. In this Filthy Rich Cleaners episode, Stephanie is joined by leadership expert and author Mike Robbins to talk about how to lead with empathy and create an honest, emotionally safe work environment, especially in an industry with high turnover like cleaning. He and Stephanie discuss the right way to go about level-setting with your team and share instances of mistakes and learnings. They also share tips to encourage an open dialogue and promote a culture of honesty within the business, even when it's easier to hide a mistake.
What You’ll Learn:— The 3-step emotional process your team goes through when you give them feedback— How to set boundaries, especially when work life and personal life are crossing over too hard, without breaking trust or compassion— Why sharing your own mistakes can actually build culture and retain your employees— The difference between recognition and appreciation (and why you need both)— How to avoid toxic positivity while also staying optimistic— Tips for giving difficult feedback
Resources Mentioned:— Mike Robbins’ website: https://mike-robbins.com— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/— Maid Summit (Free Training Event): https://www.maidsummit.com— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free): facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days! http://Get.ZenMaid.com
 Book a Consulting call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
 Read the full transcript: [Link]

Even cleaning businesses with raving reviews and A–Z checklists still face nightmare scenarios. Think after-hours emails, upset clients, confused employees, and "Oh no, what the hell do we do now?" conversations. In this episode, our host Stephanie shares a recent (and horrific) scenario after a cleaning at an existing client's new property. Emotions were high with the client's upcoming family visit and personal challenges, and Stephanie's team had to make it right. Hear how her team navigated the chaos without burning bridges or backing down, as well as how they used it as a learning lesson moving forward.What You’ll Learn :
When you should and shouldn't reply to after-hours customer emails (and what to do instead)
The best way to deliver client complaints to your team
Why your “cleaning checklist” could be creating dissatisfied customers
What to do when clients need reparations ASAP
How to document problems, de-escalate, and still come out with lessons learned
How Serene Clean enforces quality standards for employees
Resources Mentioned:— Maid Summit (Free Training Event): https://www.maidsummit.com— ZenMaid Scheduling Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/— ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermindTry ZenMaid free for 14 days! Get.ZenMaid.comBook a Consulting call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/ Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/when-misaligned-expectations-lead-to-angry-client-emails/

Think you need a business degree to excel in the cleaning industry? Hannah Sutton proves otherwise. After 16 years in healthcare, she found her calling at Serene Clean - and now trains the next generation of cleaning professionals. Discover how proper training systems, quality control, and company culture can transform your cleaning business from chaos to excellence.What You'll Learn:
Why healthcare professionals are naturally drawn to cleaning businesses
The specific green and red flags to watch for when training new cleaners
How to build training systems that ensure consistency across your team
Quality assurance strategies that prevent complaints before they happen
Why company culture matters more than competitive wages for retention
How to handle difficult situations and maintain safety in the field
The importance of empathy and professionalism when cleaning challenging homes
Systems for managing commercial accounts and maintaining client relationships
Resources Mentioned:
ZenMaid scheduling software and SOS feature: https://get.zenmaid.com/
Cleaning for a Reason charity organization
ZenMaid Mastermind Facebook Group (free to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/zenmaidmastermind
Try ZenMaid free for 14 days! Get.ZenMaid.comBook a Consulting call with Stephanie: https://serene-clean.com/consulting-services/
Read the full transcript: https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/why-this-healthcare-worker-ditched-her-real-job-for-cleaning-and-never-looked-back/