#4: Wild Client Stories and How to Survive the Hard Days with Cheryl Hajjar

From starting with "just a mop and a caddy" as a single mom to running multiple successful service businesses, Cheryl shares her incredible journey building Made Bright in Boston. In this candid conversation, she spills the real talk about client theft accusations, difficult customers taking down Christmas trees during cleanings, and how she and her husband turned a $25,000 power washing investment into a thriving second business.

 

Whether you're dreaming of starting a cleaning business or already in the trenches, Cheryl's honest stories about employee drama, client expectations, and work-life balance will make you feel less alone - and give you practical tips for growing your own empire.

 

Key Moments:

0:00 - Cheryl's journey from single mom to business owner

8:45 - Managing expectations with first-time cleaning clients

15:30 - Horror stories: theft accusations and problem customers

28:15 - Adding power washing services and scaling up

35:40 - Finding balance as an entrepreneur

42:20 - Tips for husband-wife business partnerships

48:15 - Building a supportive company culture for working moms

55:30 - The future of the cleaning industry

 

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Sisters Who Scale Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sisterswhoscale/
• Drop the Mop and Scale Program: https://www.sisterswhoscale.com/store
• E-Myth Revisited (Michael Gerber): https://bit.ly/4g3DBvU
• Extreme Ownership (Jocko Willink): https://bit.ly/4g7ouBB
• ZenMaid Software: https://get.zenmaid.com/

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Try ZenMaid free for 14 days: https://get.zenmaid.com/

 

Rather read than listen? Check out the full episode write-up on our blog at https://www.zenmaid.com/magazine/filthy-rich-cleaners-podcast-episode-4/