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Building My New Cleaning Network I

10/31/2019

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The Solo Cleaning School draws on the lessons I learned in my first solo cleaning company, which I shared in my "Introduction to the Solo Cleaning School" episode. I hope you had a chance to listen and understand my heart for starting this podcast. If you want the short version, here it is. We started Carfagno Cleaning in 2005 in Upstate New York and sold it in 2018 to move back to Philly. During this 14-year run, I gained national recognition as the solo cleaning expert, having optimized a company to $55,000 annual profit on 2 days per week of cleaning by myself. I invite you to join me as I rebuild a new solo cleaning company in the Philly Area. Over the next two episodes, I will share my new business from the June 2018 sale to Sept 2019. I hope to inspire you by proving that what worked for me in one area, works in another. Therefore, I will be updating you on a regular basis with the my progress & lessons learned from the trenches as I build my new cleaning network and solo cleaning company.

Part 1 of "Building My New Cleaning Network" covers our first full year in the Philly Area. I was tired of cleaning and did not pursue much. However, I did enough to build a $2,000/month part-time solo cleaning income. You'll hear how I used the Kevin LaCombe strategy for small offices and how this discipline gained 3 small office clients. I'll also share how my entire marketing mindset was challenged and changed after befriending my 3rd new client, Dennis Gehman of Gehman Design Remodeling. This marketing shift took shape, thanks to a mentor and friend in my industry, Steve Hanson of the Janitorial Store. Lastly, I would like to recognize the contribution of my mastermind buddy, Gustavo Fernandez, who taught me how to separate my business in a busy world.
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Hi, My Name is Kevin LaCombe

10/28/2019

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Kevin LaCombe shared a simple marketing strategy, "Hi, My Name Is...". It worked big time for Kevin & Cherie in their first month in business. They added two small commercial clients on the same day to add $35,000 in annual revenue and earning close to $90/hour doing it! All they did was share their business with the people they already knew. I call this the A & B lists in our Solo Cleaning School premium membership. As Kevin says. "It's not an easy business, but it's simple."
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Cons of Solo Cleaning

10/25/2019

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We explore the cons of solo cleaning in this episode so you know it's not all rainbows and unicorns. If you truly evaluate this business with the pros and cons in proper perspective, you can make an informed decision whether this is the right business for you and your family.

Cons of Solo Cleaning

  • Physically Demanding & Exhausting - In the beginning, it's hard to clean a house. 3-4 hours of cleaning straight if you're not used to it is hard at first. Cleaning does become routine and you get used to it. 
  • Can Lead to Injury - You MUST have proper body mechanics or you WILL tear tendons, ligaments, meniscus, etc.
  • Frustrating - Things break, things go wrong, you lose clients, can get bad reviews, can take WAY longer than you thought!
  • Lonely - It's an isolated job and imperative to keep your mind off the negative. Grow your mind while you clean to turn a con into a pro.
  • Selfless - Don't do it for the money. You need to have the right heart to serve others unconditionally, build trust, give more value than you get paid in dollars, and create positive ripples. You must have a heart of service and be selfless. Go the Extra Mile (GEMS). The selfish in this business don't last. 
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Pros of Solo Cleaning

10/19/2019

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Solo Cleaning has amazing potential for any mom looking for a business. In this episode, we examine the pros that make solo cleaning stand out. 
  1. Money - A new solo cleaner can set up a part business earning $400-$500/week part time. As they progress through my ISO Model Signature Solution, they can increase their part time income to $1,000/week, increase to full time and earn double that, or transition to hiring employees. The part time money potential is amazing if you do it right. 
  2. Flexibility - You can schedule jobs when it works for you. You're the boss. If you want days, clean houses. Nights or weekends, clean small offices.
  3. Low Startup - For under $1,000, you can get your DBA, make your business liability deposit, and invest in your basic equipment & supplies. 
  4. Tax Advantages - Your cleaning expenses are tax deductible. You can even write off your mileage and home office. If this is a side business to the family or you're only source of income, the tax advantages alone can make it worth
  5. Learning - Once you get the hang of cleaning and your system, you can listen while you clean. It's up to you what you put in. I recommend audiobooks on business, finance, and personal growth and podcasts on the same.
  6. Service to Others - You get all of these advantages as you serve moms that NEED your help. It feels great to help people.
  7. Easy to Learn - You can do something you already do (cleaning your house) for money.
  8. Burns Calories -  did you know that a 3-hour house or office cleaning burn 600 calories? Think about it if you clean three houses a day that's 1,800 calories you are burning per day. I used to eat 4000 calories a day, pigged out and never gained weight. As a optimized and had more time in my office I started gaining weight.
  9. It's Therapy - Many find the act of cleaning something dirty very calming and therapuetic.
  10. You are Needed - There are tons of Alicia & Emily's wanting to hire you! - It's always needed, listen to Moms Helping Moms Helping Moms and listen to Alicia & Emily's story.
Check out my Free Resources Page to see if solo cleaning is right for you.
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My Goal is to Create Peace for My Family with Andrea McCoy

10/16/2019

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In this episode, I spotlight my first solo cleaner. Andrea McCoy runs Peachy Clean in St. George, UT. She is a mom of 6! She explains why she started her solo cleaning business and the various mind shifts she has made over her 3 years in business with my help to increase her rates from $25 to $65 per hour! We also talk about the power of keeping your hand on the marketing water pump and setting a goal for peace.
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Moms Helping Moms Helping Moms

10/9/2019

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Group 1: Moms Know How to Clean

95% of current solo cleaners are women and 90% of them are moms. Moms are already the ones doing the solo cleaning. They will continue. Why? Moms are the perfect people to start a solo house cleaning business and the potential is so great!

Group 2: You Need a Mentor

If you're a mom at home, want to start a cleaning company, but you're fearful, you can learn and get mentored by current solo cleaning moms. Your mentors will reach down to help you as they reach side-to-side to help each other. Everyone can reach upward to Ken for instruction and accountability.

Group 3: Alicia & Emily


Alicia is a mom of 3, school teacher, husband in sales. kids in middle & high school, late 40's. No time and cleaning would take up their whole Sunday. Cleaning gave her time & peace of mind. Emily is a late 30's mom with three kids, husband working, she works from home for corporate america. Emily shared the three things that a cleaning service does to help moms.
  1. Improves her emotional state. Emily really connected with 'clutter equals overwhelm'. Emily sees dirt and disorder around the house and it creates overwhelmed and anxiety causing her to get less done. A clean house removes that and it has a huge value to a mom. Plus, it forces the mom to organize the house and pick things up before the cleaner gets there, thus creating a biweekly schedule to keep their house clutter-free on their own.
  2. It saves time. Alicia is a great examples of this too as she essentially outsourced cleaning at $14/hour relative to the time she invested. Ken gave them back time to do other things with her family. This is huge!
  3. Emily pointed out that they have guests come over at holidays and sometimes unexpected. Knowing they have a cleaning service takes one more overwhelm off their list. Someone's coming this weekend the cleaners coming before that and we don't have to clean after a long day of work and we just want to go to bed.

These 3 Mom Groups all help each other forming a beautiful symbiotic symmetry, or in other words, a Win-Win-Win!
Listen on Apple iTunes
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Introduction to the Solo Cleaning School

10/8/2019

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Ken introduces himself and the structure of the Solo Cleaning School. He shares his personal journey through solo cleaning and dives into the vision of moms helping moms helping moms through this amazing business vehicle called solo cleaning.
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    Author

    The Smart Cleaning School Podcast helps cleaning business owners from start-up to the struggling solo to the striving seven-figure get SMARTER in their businesses, reshape their mindset, increase productivity, clear the overwhelm, and get clarity through SMART goal-setting & personal accountability. Ken Carfagno is a lifetime learner and teacher. His mission is to help visionaries make the impact they were meant to make.

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  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Solos
    • Optimizer's Workshop
    • Solo Teams
  • Tribe
    • Goals Workshop
    • Support Staff
  • Resources
    • Free Resources
    • Real Estate Presentation