Member Profile: Karen Bickford
Your Name: Karen Bickford
Name of your business: The Cleaning Advantage Inc
When did you open your business? 2004
What services do you offer? Residential cleaning
Why did you start the business? I wanted the freedom of being my own boss. At the time my daughter was 4 and I needed to be around to take her to pre-school, dance classes etc. My current full time position working as a hair replacment technician didn't allow me much time or freedom to do the things I wanted to do. I had looked into buying some type of franchise as a turn key business. One of the franchise opportunites that was presented to me was a residential cleaning franchise. I shuddered at the thought as I had a maid cleaning my house and wanted nothing to do with cleaning. After looking into several other types of business I came back to the cleaning franchise as it was all during the day no nights or weekends and after all how hard could running a cleaning business really be.LOL.. So I was able to meet with and interview franchisees of the major cleaning companies across the US. I did glean a lot of information from these meetings/interviews. My husband suggested that perhaps before spending a quarter of a million dollars on a cleaning franchise that I attempt to do it on my own and if it doesn't work you can buy a franchise. Boy am I glad I didn't spend that money, I would of definitely jumped off a bridge by now. At any rate I did it all from scratch starting with Gary Goranson's House Cleaning Biz 101 and it turned out OK however, every day is a challenge with new problems and obstacles. I am a determined type and know that failure is not an option so I keep getting back up on my horse every day. It really is a fun business and 7 years later I can't imagine doing anything else.
How many people are in your company? 18
What has been the biggest surprise, good or bad, since you started? I would have to say that the big surprise was going in to this business I thought it was going to be a no brainer. Even though every franchise owner that I spoke with told me that my biggest challenge was going to be my employees. I shrugged it off because I knew in my mind or I thought I knew, if you paid your employees well and treated them well everything will be fine. Surprise..... Everyone is paid well and treated well but employees are still my biggest challenge or shall I say surprise.
What is the toughest part of running your business? The employees.
What is the best part of running your business? I love what I do and can't imagine doing anything else. If you told me 10 years ago that I would be running a big maid service with 18 employees I would of asked you if you were naked when you woke up on the space ship! I love the fact that there are no two days that are alike. Every day is an adventure and my personality does thrive on stress and the un known. I love the freedom of coming and going as I pleaese. Taking vacations without approval! Making all those women with filthy houses happy and knowing that I am making a positive contribution to the economy keeping people employed.
Is there anything that you would have done differently? In the beginning I did hire non English speaking staff. That is pretty much the norm in these parts even the maid I currently had before opening didn't speak English. That went on for the first two years until I almost had a nervous breakdown. You have to be able to communicate with your staff and the homeowner also likes to be able to communicate with the people in their home. Now everyone speaks English and it has been that way for the past 5 years.
What is the most important thing you will be adding, doing, changing in the next year for your business? Ramping up the marketing. I spend very little on advertising for the revenue we do so I have decided to spend more, and see what happens.
Where do you see your business in 2 years, 5 years, and 10 years? In 10 years hopfully my daughter will be running it and I will be in Florida. In 2 and 5 years similar to where we are today but with bigger numbers and larger staff.
What advice could you give others and please don't hold back! This business is not for the faint of heart. If you are looking into getting into this business because you feel it will be easy or someone told you it would be easy, like a franchisor do your homework. You must be a tenacious un flappable personality if you are going to be successful. If you are not determined and you get your feelings hurt easy this is not the business for you!
How do you use MyHouseCleaningBiz.com to help you with your business? I just joined so I haven't done a whole lot on the site. I enjoy reading the discussions and also think I will be using the newsletters.
School - high school, college, technical school: High School, cosmetology school, real estate school
What are some of your prior jobs or businesses? I did hair replacement for 15 years at the Hair Club For Men.
Is there a specific person or event in your life that made you decide to go into business for yourself? Yes my daughter. I didn't want to have to have a nanny bringing her to school and all those other things that young children do. I also wanted to be able to spend more time home on the weekends and at night.
Web Site: http://www.thecleaningadvantage.com
Email Address: [email protected]
