Member Profile: Laura Barnard
Your Name: Laura Barnard
Name of your business: Grakei Home Services
When did you open your business? July 2006
What services do you offer? Maid Services and Professional Carpet Cleaning.
Why did you start the business? The original intent of starting my business was to simply help my husband to pay the bills. I wanted to work part time cleaning homes and have time to raise my kids (now 7, 6 and 4 years old), not really with a business in mind. It soon turned into much more than that when I discovered my entrepreneurial side, now my real passion. I am now focused on personnel development , promotion, and marketing (with an emphasis in on-line marketing).
How many people are in your company? 12 (10 Maids & 2 Carpet cleaning techs)
What has been the biggest surprise, good or bad, since you started? The biggest surprise was that my business was able to flourish during the recession! :-)
What is the toughest part of running your business? Pleasing "High End" customers. Those who are looking for CHAMPAGNE SERVICE ON A BEER BUDGET. I discovered they were the most difficult customer base to deal with and I have to change my marketing target approach because of that. Now, 85% of my customers are busy mothers just like me. Their cleaning priorities are different and really get to experience the "before and after" results...what can I say...I just love those ladies and will do anything that I can to better serve them!
I will also have to add that personnel development was an issue at the beginning but I very tolerant when it comes to employee performance/quality, no one is perfect and the moment you are able to comprehend that soon you'll realize how easy is to grow you business. Of course, targeting the right customers also helps! &9786;
What is the best part of running your business? To be challenged by the competition, have the freedom to create, innovate and make my own decisions is definitely a powerfully stimulating experience of owning a business.
Is there anything that you would have done differently? Doing things differently is how the innovation system works and this is a common practice in my business.
What is the most important thing you will be adding, doing, changing in the next year for your business? After a year of negotiation my husband is quiting his full time job to join my business, about time!
Grakei Home Services will be opening its third Branch in Paoli-WI in 2012. Apart from the main office in Madison, we currently have one more branch in Waunakee, WI.
Where do you see your business in 2 years, 5 years, and 10 years? OMG! I would love Grakei to expand across Wisconsin and position itself as the Company any exhausted Mommy would call to. Providing a spotlessly cleaning in a home that has been taken over by kids is our specialty and so is bringing back a smile on Mommy's face.
What advice could you give others and please don't hold back! Put your employees first and your customers' second y aprende algo de Español.
How do you use MyHouseCleaningBiz.com to help you with your business? I love your tips and forums, they are a great source of information.
School - high school, college, technical school: High School:
Industrial Arts 1993-1998 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
College: English Teaching Career 1999-2001
What are some of your prior jobs or businesses? English/Spanish Elementary Teacher. Inventory Control Clerk
Is there a specific person or event in your life that made you decide to go into business for yourself? As I mentioned above, I simply wanted to get some extra income to help my husband pay the mortgage.
Website: http://www.grakeimaids.com
Email Address: [email protected]
Your Social Network links (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc): For privacy reasons Grakei Home Services does not have a Facebook page. However, I did create a profile in Linked In.
