From Scrub to Shine: Enabling Success in Commercial Cleaning Unit Franchises

[3:08] Hello.

[3:08] Hello, Sam.

[3:10] How are you a half hour ago?

[3:24] That was great.

[3:25] Yeah, I saw you there.

[3:28] Nice.

[3:28] I love the you stay to the end.

[3:31] So appreciate it.

[3:33] Absolutely, that’s good.

[3:35] So you’re already doing Man, so much.

[3:37] Some good strategies.

[3:39] Yes.

[3:40] Wait, what?

[3:40] A few things.

[3:42] So that’s a good thing.

[3:44] Any questions?

[3:49] Feel free to ask for sure.

[3:51] Right?

[3:52] I don’t see you.

[3:54] There are you by chance, one of the camera or you want made these and all your hundred percent so it doesn’t matter to be.

[4:02] We It doesn’t matter to me, we weren’t sure.

[4:13] No, yeah, there is this a podcast episodes will put on YouTube and social media and as well in the only major podcast.

[4:24] Okay.

[4:25] Well, Post anything that you don’t like know even myself though.

[4:51] Sometimes I just say things that we need to understand, we got it so at the end of the day feel free to answer.

[4:58] What do you want?

[4:59] If not or you want to repeat just let’s say repeat we can fix everything in post-production and Bs to have a conversation.

[5:08] Most of the conversation in the questions that will be asking.

[5:12] It mainly about the franchise out of the business.

[5:16] What makes a French AC successful wear shoes or ones that fail in and talk about the industry in general about training and supports that.

[5:27] Do I live?

[5:29] So again, feel free to tell me, Sam, skip or, or whatever is the case, and let’s have some fun.

[5:40] The end goal is that we can also use this in your marketing.

[5:44] And yes, he will be silver gold to hear from Michelle, what I do.

[5:50] So my advice on how to make your business or your Ranch a success and then we can continue to and email marketing or even as an AdSense.

[6:00] Oh So, you guys are ready.

[6:05] Sure, as ready as you’re going to be.

[6:09] So, thank you again for the opportunity.

[6:13] A, so let’s start.

[6:14] Give me one second.

[6:18] Pleasing.

[6:19] So let’s get started.

[6:20] Then like this way, you know that we’re sorry.

[6:25] So welcome to the cleaning in motion show.

[6:28] On today’s episode, we have Michelle and Evelyn from Stratus billing solution of West Michigan.

[6:36] Welcome to the show.

[6:38] It’s an honor to have you here guys.

[6:39] How are you today?

[6:41] Jim, how are you?

[6:43] Can complain, complain.

[6:45] Very happy to for this opportunity.

[6:48] So Michelle to start the conversation, I would love to hear a little bit about you.

[6:54] Who is Michelle, who is Evelyn a little bit about your background?

[6:58] How did you end up in this crazy industry?

[7:03] Okay, so my name is Michelle Meadows, my husband Craig and I own stratas of West Michigan, prior to doing this.

[7:13] I was a stay at home.

[7:14] Mom for many years, raising a family.

[7:16] I also did Mortgage Banking, real estate on a sort of a little bit of a sales background.

[7:26] So from these, from these industry before jumping in Craig, know, just kind of entrepreneurial type things.

[7:37] My husband and I have owned a couple of businesses in the past, but nothing commercial cleaning Janitorial.

[7:45] How about you?

[7:48] Well, my name is Evelyn Cervantes.

[7:51] I’m originally from El Salvador.

[7:53] They came to the United States and 2019.

[7:57] And I’ve been working here since January last year.

[8:03] I didn’t have any commercial cleaning experience before this is session, and I had cells cells.

[8:20] so, Experience the address supposed to learn Spanish.

[9:02] Options.

[9:04] So why did you decide to jump in in the cleaning industry?

[9:08] So I think yes, we had a husband and I had researched a lot of different opportunities.

[9:15] We knew we wanted to start a business.

[9:17] We are a family-owned.

[9:18] Business are two sons work here as well, adult sons.

[0:00] Because a very good friend to us, a very good friend of my husband’s is a Stratus master in Indy and we kind of watched him build his business and in getting to know more about it.

[0:13] We thought, okay, we’re going to research those again.

[0:15] We had no experience in commercial cleaning and really didn’t understand the process of everything that that Stratus the stratus model does.

[0:26] But you know, we learn from him and then we started researching it and And met with Stratus corporate.

[0:32] And in all honesty, it was just a really well-written business model and we knew that not only could we build our family business, but we could really help other people the same.

[0:44] And that’s really what, enticed us, probably more than anything is the ability to help others.

[0:50] So you’re happy with your decision so far, they’re happy the first year, will be.

[0:59] No, that’s that’s true.

[1:02] West Michigan opened in October of 2020, so the very end of the year and in the middle covid.

[1:10] And so it was it was a challenge to get it going.

[1:13] But once we started making traction and really understanding the model and The Business That’s when we really took off and it’s been phenomenal.

[1:23] How long have you been with photos of this point I Traders?

[1:28] Yeah, just starting our third year and tell me a little bit or can you give a brief explanation for those people that are listening and they’re not familiar with the business model of a Stratus.

[1:43] You can tell a little bit about how Stratus works or how this type of and unlike other some other commercial cleaning National janitorial companies.

[1:57] So we’re going to be the middleman between the franchise owner and the and the accounts that the franchise owner service and really what we do here is we help individuals who really want to build a commercial cleaning or building Service Company.

[2:16] Get on the ground, do things that they wouldn’t know how to do for themselves.

[2:20] And we do that from start to finish anywhere from, you know, helping them set up their companies to training, understanding what the requirements are, and we spend a lot of time with them, you know, kind of teaching them how to manage their business.

[2:36] Even if they have one account, nor the only employee, you know, you have to have to start somewhere and we feel like that’s our best opportunity to groom them to be the best, you know, franchisees, unit franchise owners for us as well as.

[2:50] Startup and prosper.

[2:51] And in the process, Now, barfi though, I believe if you’re in this industry, you probably have heard about Strivers 100%, but I just want to make sure that everyone knows how to work, but let’s dive deeper little bit further more into this model, because I know that there is a lot of controversy controversy, as well in the eye.

[3:15] If you see YouTube videos, sometimes, you can find people saying very nasty things in my experience that we meet with me.

[3:24] Any owners all the times.

[3:25] Sometimes I see also people like a II, don’t them have you consider at this point in your career joining cleaning franchise that will need give you the support that you need?

[3:39] Instead of investing thousands of dollars in marketing that they still even if they get clients they would know how to handle them and if the reaction a lot of the times our pricing is know these people.

[3:51] They still money from you and then What I think is that these industries again, it sometimes misunderstood or this business more, I would say.

[4:10] I would say because you have that royalty fee, know, like any franchise you have to pay a fee.

[4:18] People don’t understand, I guess what they’re getting in return, but I would love for you to talk a little bit about that and explain a little bit to those.

[4:29] I don’t know if all them haters, the right word because it’s people that they haven’t spent the time researching enough about what you guys have to offer know that they immediately put bad label on the business model.

[4:45] So we love to for you to clarify that and talk more about.

[4:49] Absolutely.

[4:50] So yeah, there is a bad reputation when it comes to the the, the tier model because there are companies out there that really are Not about franchise development in developing their unit franchise owners, they’re just about building a commercial cleaning company for themselves.

[5:08] We are very transparent and stress be provide copies of all the contracts that are signed by the customer to ensure the franchise owner that what we tell them is the monthly Revenue that contract is what they’re being paid.

[5:22] That’s what shows up in their monthly statement.

[5:25] I think that’s extremely important I’ve at times.

[5:28] My books for franchise owners to see?

[5:30] So that there’s, there’s no secrets here.

[5:33] So, we’re very transparent with the franchise owners.

[5:37] Another thing I would say is that Stratus allows the unit franchise owners to obtain accounts outside Stratus.

[5:46] And I think this really supports the mindset that we actually are a business that’s out there.

[5:52] Helping people grow their business, not just our business, but the business as well.

[5:56] So we don’t let you know.

[5:57] We don’t limit that ability for them to see.

[5:58] Seek business outside of the strata of model as it relates to the fees that are paid.

[6:04] You know, I always explain to prospective franchise owners and you look at the percentage that Stratus holding back from your monthly Revenue.

[6:12] Those are kind of the bricks and mortar of your business that you don’t.

[6:15] Otherwise have to do for yourself.

[6:18] We have a full staff here.

[6:20] We’re constantly, I’m getting accounts or doing promotional social media to help every one of our franchise, owners grow their business.

[6:28] It’s a portion of that is for their insurance for themselves and their and their employees.

[6:33] So when you look at the percentage, as a whole, if I only had to pay that percentage in my monthly Revenue, I would feel pretty good about.

[6:43] But so yeah, there’s constant building business in doing a business in the nice part about it, is everything from start to finish is done for them other than going out and getting the job done.

[6:54] So hiring employees and payroll, but we do everything else.

[6:59] Behind the scenes for them.

[7:00] And that’s what’s been supported by the percentage of every month that the stratus takes off the top.

[7:08] So you can see it as somehow was like an incubator and I’ll basically no a business incubator where you buy your friend Jason and you don’t have to come with any experience the same way that you did when you buy your territory.

[7:26] Absolutely.

[7:27] You guys provide from a to c everything they need to succeed and I think the rice important part is that it’s not like they buy one thing you drain them.

[7:38] A week and they never hear back from, you know, so it’s an ongoing relationship and going training.

[7:43] They can you talk a little bit about that?

[7:47] Yeah.

[7:48] Well obviously there’s the initial training and then we’re with them as they continue to grow.

[7:55] You know, we meet with customer with the franchise owners on a quarterly basis.

[8:00] We do inspect their accounts on their behalf where we get started ratings from their customers, those are sent directly to the frame.

[8:08] Guys owners as well.

[8:09] The idea is that we’re here to support them so that they can keep those contracts as long as possible.

[8:20] Contract as long as possible with the highest amount of return on that investment.

[8:24] So, that’s some of the things we do belly is very involved with what we consider franchise development, a lot of our inches, owners our Spanish-speaking, and as we talked about a little bit ago, I am not Spanish-speaking.

[8:37] It was so Valley.

[8:38] Might be able to speak to that a little bit.

[8:40] Yeah, so for the Frenchies development, you know, like we have a lot of injuries owners that want to keep growing afraid so, I keep records if you don’t like, every time one of the franchise owners is, letting us know that they want more cows, that they need more accounts, but all spoke with the mule franchise owners.

[9:01] I’m the one doing the initial trading like the first part of it and I’m making sure that they really understand you know everything to start like all the processes you know.

[9:12] Like every time they got an account there gang what Michelle was saying, you know, the copy of the signed service.

[9:20] Agreement, the scope of work everything needs to be really detailed.

[9:24] So I tried to translate everything that I can for them.

[9:29] So it’s easier to because what Michelle was saying, you know, like it’s really important to us for them to understand everything.

[9:36] So they’re able to really like get there 100% to what they need to do for the customer.

[9:45] Got it.

[9:45] So at this point in your career with how many French a Caesar potential franchisees, have you met?

[9:54] Would you say if you have to throw a Gracie number here and there we’ve met with quite a few.

[10:09] I would say we’re probably running eight to ten appointments a week.

[10:15] We are getting, I’ll be very transparent.

[10:19] We’re getting more selective in the franchise owners that we choose to partner with.

[10:24] And the reason for that is, you know, everybody that’s a franchise owner, whether it’s in West, Michigan, or Los Angeles or Florida, has invested in the stratus name and it’s very important that we hold, that, that high and protect every single person’s investment.

[10:39] So, we’re we try to be as selective as we can be, because it’s not about just taking somebody’s initial deposit on a franchise.

[10:48] We want to partner with people that we know and help build that are it for the right reasons the Long Haul and ultimately, you know, help them become successful because that’s what their, that’s what they’re looking for.

[11:00] No, and you didn’t and nailed me, guess my follow-up question.

[11:04] Knowing the reason I ask is because first, I won both to hear from you do that.

[11:11] You need every day in your Answering calls every day from prospects and people are interested in jumping into the cleaning industry, you probably have seen it all know from the internet entrepreneur.

[11:27] That is hungry that I grow that risk committed to the guy that thinks that he’s going to buy sitting in the couch and make money.

[11:34] So, my follow-up question is with experience that both of you have today.

[11:41] Do you think that in one conversation you have a good idea if someone it’s going to succeed in the industry or fail?

[11:49] And if that’s the case, why like, how do you know or what are the traits that make someone successful in this industry is really necessarily a way to determine the, you know, the longevity of their successor, but be sick.

[12:07] Cecil at all.

[12:10] You know, I tell people, frankly, when we meet with them, this is not buying a job.

[12:15] This is building a business and when you build business, it takes time.

[12:19] We always tell people, do not your day job.

[12:23] You need to put food on the table.

[12:30] You know, if you need to put food on the table, this takes time to get it.

[12:33] Really, really growing.

[12:36] That being said, as far as what I feel makes them there, the franchise owners that come in that are the most successful.

[12:43] In my opinion, are the ones that truly follow the model.

[12:47] They really take care of the customer.

[12:50] They communicate with the customer, so that the customer knows who they are.

[12:53] We always joke about the fact, you know, to be a cleaning fairy in the middle of the night that your customers don’t know.

[12:59] There’s email.

[13:00] While there’s texting, they’re stopping in and saying hello.

[13:02] So we Stratus me work with them very closely to make sure they’re keeping that relationship with their customer.

[13:09] It’s not just a Stratus customer, it’s each franchise owners account, obviously, the obvious things in being able to succeed in this business is doing what you say, you’re going to do doing it right.

[13:22] The first time, staying committed to the longevity or the consistency of the cleans.

[13:28] If you can do that, you’ll be successful.

[13:32] There’s always going to be the one off that.

[13:34] You’re never going to make happy where that they’re going to close their doors.

[13:37] And you’re going to lose the account because they’re out of business.

[13:39] But for the most part, if you just do what you say, you’re going to do and communicate with your customer and give them quality services, you will be successful.

[13:51] Definitely translate into following the mall.

[13:53] No, that’s why they’re investing, and it’s always easy down the line to forget.

[13:58] That you have a proven track record.

[14:00] In a model that you can follow or someone that can support you because I know you get frustrated or you think things are gonna happen fast, but there is no business is cleaning marketing, whatever it is that they will happen from one day to another the key for a successful business owner, it’s always going to be consistency, you know?

[14:21] So you said that and I love it because I don’t think that this model or the cleaning industry per se.

[14:28] It’s for everyone.

[14:30] And you mention it that you’re getting a little bit more selective with the people that you bring to your family.

[14:37] So can you tell a little bit or talk a little bit about how you select that when would be a good fit for you or for someone who is hearing right now that it’s may, be considering buying a cleaning franchise versus?

[14:52] I don’t know.

[14:53] Another type of franchise.

[14:55] Sure.

[14:56] What would be those traits again or or what are you?

[14:59] In 444.

[15:01] The same this guy it’s going to be a great French AC or I’m going to give you the opportunity to him.

[15:09] That’s a couple things.

[15:10] I’m gonna let Valley strip and I’m most impressed when we disclosed as other tier franchise companies are familiar with and they come back and they’ve actually read the document, they have questions that relate to that they’ve read the document.

[15:28] I think that’s extreme.

[15:30] And when we see that and they could act with good questions, they move way up, that quote Google ranking with me.

[15:36] You know, I really don’t want people in here to just wanting to buy a job because it doesn’t work that way.

[15:44] Yeah.

[15:45] I feel like yeah when I first saw prospect that have the the document with like little nose and like everything highlighted I was impressed and my gold.

[16:02] Good preciously show is saying, it’ll would like, I feel like obviously that’s really important.

[16:08] Um, probably like smaller things to like, as I’m blessed coming in and being punctual, if you have your first appointment for your follow-up, you know?

[16:19] Um, if you know, if you’re representing yourself like good over, you know, like if you’re really listening, if they’re late getting really paying attention to what you’re saying, like, you can see when people are Feel like you can see when people are in just like you know, watching you and maybe they’re like thinking something else.

[16:45] But you can notice and you know, simple things like they feel like they make a difference when I’m kind of like reading all the prospects to see really which wants you know, maybe are like a horror by bearing into a 1 or a 2.

[17:01] Yeah, it’s interesting because when they can it’s not just them getting information about Stratus, its outstanding information about them.

[17:10] And that’s where we’ve come up with our reading system.

[17:12] And and we have, you know, the four and five-star people.

[17:16] Those are people that we reach back out to on a consistent basis.

[17:20] And then there’s others that just don’t represent themselves very well.

[17:24] And it’s happened in a numerous number of ways we won’t get into it.

[17:28] But yeah though we don’t call back and we move to that other it but you know it’s the other thing I think that’s really important.

[17:40] Horton and I know this won’t apply to everybody that’s opening up a cleaning company, but it Stratus, every franchise owner is assigned, what we call a brand compliance manager, and that becomes the liaison between the customer and the franchise owner.

[17:54] So, the next part is, we don’t just put you in account and say, go clean it and manage it.

[17:59] This brain contains manager.

[18:00] As I mentioned before is, I’m doing affections on your behalf.

[18:03] But another key component of that is taking the information that’s found in the inspection and helping To better their their claims and what they’re doing their performance.

[18:14] It’s great to get a, you know, an analysis of things.

[18:17] You’re doing great and even things that you can improve on, but if you’re not taking those things that you can improve on and making them better, the inspection process is really not doing what it’s meant to do.

[18:27] So it’s really nice for the unit owners to have that brain compliance manager, who’s there, they can help them grow.

[18:35] And can also help step in when perhaps, there might be a customer that it’s Very difficult or there’s challenges.

[18:42] So they’re not just all out an island in an account by themselves.

[18:45] Stratis is right there with them and available if they need assistance.

[18:50] Yeah, I think that that’s a great explanation for sure because but I think going back.

[18:56] Why do you think so misunderstood it?

[18:58] And why people sometimes don’t see the big picture is that you guys invest so much time and effort in each Prospect from the become a lie.

[0:00] You put at risk, your reputation, your brand, you give them customers.

[0:05] That we know the how hard it is to find good customers that once recruiting services.

[0:10] And sometimes you do all of that and people take it from granted and that’s where you have to, of course, a charge that franchise fee and also make sure that whoever you bring the that’s representing your brand and it’s someone that it’s a good fit.

[0:26] No.

[0:27] So I’m still following do that.

[0:29] I think.

[0:30] Thing just to close this topic.

[0:31] I would ask a final question to both of you.

[0:35] So what you guys what is lost if someone doesn’t succeed know in a in your network, what do you lose if you bring someone that and UPS failing?

[0:47] I want to highlight the importance that you guys.

[0:53] Provide the value that you guys provide to this community and to do is to see the clear way to be putting you on the spot.

[1:05] And what exactly do you guys lose every time that franchise fail?

[1:12] Well, I think, first of all, we can say definitively the franchise to sailed, we really have to look back in the future and say, how did that happen?

[1:21] The nice part about it is As if we ever get to that point, it’s very clear what has happened?

[1:26] Because we have very specific rules and procedures in place, for how we manage accounts that are in trouble.

[1:34] Obviously, when an account is in trouble, that means there’s a franchise owner in trouble and there’s processes, and we have to try to remedy these fronts for the for the franchise owner.

[1:42] You know, there’s certain situations, things happen, you know, that are violations, you know, breaking the rules, you can lose your franchise and if it happens.

[1:53] You know, I’m sorry, that’s the rules.

[1:55] That’s the way it goes, but if they get to a point that it’s based on performance and they are losing every count.

[2:02] I feel bad, I hate to see it.

[2:05] It’s completely contrary to what we’re trying to do.

[2:08] We’re trying to help people build businesses, not lose money.

[2:13] Now, generally at that point, it’s probably not even a break, even for us, to be honest with you because at that point, we’ve invested so much time from even getting the potential franchise owners tube to.

[2:28] Look at Stratus until we get to the point that they’re losing a franchise.

[2:31] We’ve invested a lot of time and it’s, it’s, it’s hard on us.

[2:36] We don’t like, it doesn’t happen very often.

[2:38] Fortunately, and it’s happening less often because we’re getting better at In deciding who to partner with but yeah, it’s hard.

[2:48] Normally it’s happened a couple of times the franchise owners.

[2:52] Now they look back and it was suicide.

[2:55] It was a specific incident.

[2:56] Like it said, it could have been a violation.

[3:00] They’re very well aware, they know exactly what’s happened.

[3:03] The challenge with it is is just noise represent that so, you know, itself that way when they go on social media.

[3:09] But The majority of our franchise owners, the vast majority, very happy.

[3:15] And my friend, we have something called a wall of fame here and it’s all photos of the franchise owners.

[3:22] And we ask particular, franchise owners to look up at that wall and you know anybody you know them call them and ask them about Stratus we have nothing.

[3:28] Hi.

[3:30] I think that speaks volumes.

[3:32] Yeah well you want to add something else.

[3:53] I want to have the first meeting with them and then I have like one or two follow-ups before actually signing them just to make sure, you know that we want to sign them.

[4:10] We want to sign them and I had a lot of prospects just like looking at the wall and like telling me you know, like I’m going to be on that wall.

[4:20] Like you’re going to take the picture out, going to be on that one and it just like, you know, makes you feel so excited.

[4:25] I was just thinking about that.

[4:26] Wouldn’t you mentioned the wall?

[4:28] Yeah, I’m gonna say, do everyone listening.

[4:31] Dad.

[4:32] If you’re looking to buy a franchise, doesn’t matter.

[4:36] Where is your location?

[4:38] A good takeaway here.

[4:40] Here is that if you don’t feel that whoever is selling you, whatever brand you’re going after.

[4:46] It’s a not also like scanning and scanning is not the right word.

[4:51] Is screening your or prospecting.

[4:53] You, I would say that they’re just opening the doors and trying to sell as many franchise as they again.

[5:01] It’s a red flag know and that’s why I went deep into this question because I love that both of you.

[5:09] Take the f effort and you don’t ask everyone because again, it reflects on you and we are looking is for someone who is committed because you’re going to invest a lot of time.

[5:17] And a lot of efforts in training everyone that comes to your family and joins this network to make them successful.

[5:25] So if you are in the process of researching brands for buying a commercial cleaning unit franchise, make sure that you also are evaluating the person that it’s They’re reviewing you and that you can feel that that person is doing the same know and it’s not just trying to sell you that I think that’s a big takeaway that we can, we can get from this conversation.

[5:51] Oh, actually, we actually encourage our unit Grant prospective you and Furniture franchise owners to go visit our competition and I never specifically, say whom I might have what my competition as they need to research it and go find them.

[6:07] But I encourage them to do it and I have a few Points that I that I always share with them that I want to share with you, you know, of how we’re different.

[6:45] And it’s not criticism.

[6:47] I think that, you know, you need to shop.

[6:50] It’s just like buying a car.

[6:52] You got to figure out which one works for you.

[6:54] And just because one works for me, doesn’t mean that it’s going to work for you.

[6:57] And, you know, I encourage them to do their due diligence and go visit.

[7:02] So again, what are the questions that you would recommend someone to ask you or do asking?

[7:08] Yeah.

[7:13] You know, it’s tough because when you ask me that I’m going to tend to get into the real detailed things and there’s no way these people would attend to.

[7:20] But, you know, I would ask about, you know, how were you going to assist me when something goes wrong?

[7:28] What is the not?

[7:29] Just, what are you going to do?

[7:30] What are what is your, your process policy?

[7:35] If you’re willing to share that and train on it?

[7:37] Then I know what the expectation should be.

[7:39] Be, you know, it’s important to really understand and Stratus.

[7:46] You will never lose a contract because stratis takes you from you, every time we transfer an account, it comes direct from the customer, not from dress.

[7:56] They’re requesting a new franchise owner and it doesn’t, it’s not just a phone call.

[8:01] I want to transfer, and let us, there’s a violation of rules, but if it’s a, if it’s a performance issue, we have cure periods.

[8:08] We work with me.

[8:09] Really pleased with the owners but the franchise owners to help them remedy.

[8:14] The problem to keep the contract, you’ll ever just get a phone call.

[8:17] One day, your accounts, being transferred that will never happen here, Melissa.

[8:23] I think, again, for those, considering I would ask similar questions that I’m asking you and again, you don’t know me, gays, that someone has fail.

[8:33] And why can you tell me?

[8:34] Who is your best?

[8:36] Friend Shay.

[8:36] See, how much they’re making?

[8:38] Why are they so successful?

[8:39] Successful.

[8:40] What makes it different?

[8:41] And how are you going to support me grow your business?

[8:20] Support me, grow your business and as no, that’s why this meetings are our one-on-one and why you guys want to meet in person.

[8:28] Not because these are life life, making decision that you’re going to make.

[8:33] So it’s important that that you do your research and as as many questions as possible.

[8:38] So my and we are also going to wrap it up but I have a couple of more questions, so one I guess, Lead, you are more fit to answer because it’s a little bit biased.

[8:54] So I would say that you guys are in, correct me if I’m wrong, work extensively with Hispanic market and as a Latino myself, I’m originally from Venezuela.

[9:06] I’m also proud to say that in my experience.

[9:09] I have seen that a lot of the most successful franchises that I know are Hispanic, no, I don’t know if that’s the case in your Market, but I would love to hear Ey, you think if that’s the case?

[9:22] Why why us this planning are so so successful in this business as well?

[9:29] And I know a lot of people making a lot of money that came from again from Venezuela from on door has with nothing.

[9:37] And right now, they have a seven-figure business, huh?

[9:40] So yeah, I would love to hear your opinion.

[9:45] Your bias will be as well as Aladeen.

[9:49] Baby, what 80% of her franchise owners probably yeah, yeah probably 80% of our franchise owners are Hispanic and I really feel that is because you know like these they normally like just say that Hispanics, are you don’t really hard-working.

[10:10] It’s like that back liked his better hard-working, you know, like I don’t know with it’s something because you know, in our country sister It’s like everything’s hard, you have to work hard.

[10:24] Like there’s no buts, like it’s not a trend like you have to.

[10:29] So I think we just already have that engraved in her and her heads because of a word, you know, culture, our parents you know.

[10:37] So and and here I’ve noticed with the what?

[10:40] Three, four years, no, more since 1019 that I’ve been here.

[10:45] I’ve really, you know, seeing it like how Hispanics can get soaked Creative.

[10:50] Like, for example, if they don’t speak really like fluent English like they’ll just like I saw it the other day, there was a girl and there was a document, it was all in English, she used her phone like took a picture tries to something in it, and she was able to translate the whole thing, like three seconds, you know, like there is so many ways that if they really wanted to do something, they’re capable of, you know, they just really need to Learn how to I really feel that it is I won’t say that I word logos or working culture but like we are.

[11:29] Yeah.

[11:30] But I feel that.

[11:31] Yeah.

[11:32] I think person Austin and integrity component to it as well.

[11:38] You know there.

[11:40] They tend to be very family-oriented honest people.

[11:43] That’s who we are.

[11:45] We’re a family-owned, you know, we pride ourselves on personal integrity, And I think that that’s really taken a hold here in West Michigan as well.

[11:55] And certainly it has been amazing to have Valley with me because before it was really a challenge with the language but and then your reputation gets out there.

[12:05] They share with their friends and trust is huge.

[12:09] Yeah.

[12:10] Frances owner a couple days ago and he told me that he was looking to like other, you know, Franchises as well before he came in here.

[12:22] The one thing that The one thing that made him really go with Stratus instead of another friend Chase it was because here he had the opportunity to talk to someone and his needed you know language and that he felt like he would be really like understood here.

[12:48] Like we were able to help him really the way he needed because for that person it’s really like hard to use technology to do.

[12:58] So he was looking for a Asset.

[13:00] Really?

[13:00] You know, that’s the was bilingual.

[13:02] That’s nice because you know though he’s an advocate for them but then she stays with them as their unit owners and helps them grow their business because she’s the one that contacts are about all the new contracts.

[13:13] And so she doesn’t just sign him on and say goodbye, you know, they really develop a relationship with herself.

[13:19] It’s a great part of this was always here.

[13:24] One always have a that deanery or Hispanic person in your corner and do not ignore these panic Market.

[13:33] I keep saying to everyone in this industry that has the same model as you.

[13:39] It’s a huge Market.

[13:41] We are almost, I believe that time I checked it was 60 or 70 million people that live in America is bank and that’s only growing.

[13:51] So I’m happy that you guys are giving also the opportunity to the community and that you are Seeing the fruits of that know.

[14:02] So what we have a couple of more questions and, you know, one is, what is the future of this industry?

[14:10] Where do you see the industry in the next 3-5 years?

[14:14] One year, we are probably entered a recession.

[14:19] We see that if you read the news you want to cry but you see that it seems like there is a hard times ahead so we’d love to hear from your perspective.

[14:29] Zoom opinion, both of you.

[14:31] Where do you see the industry going?

[14:32] And what you think is going to happen in the near future?

[14:36] And how are you preparing for that?

[14:38] What do we think the industry is going in the lung short and long term?

[14:44] It’s only going to continue increase this this role.

[14:51] Will never be replaced by automation.

[14:55] I remember about a year ago I was at Walmart and at the checkout line and there’s nobody to wait on us.

[15:00] Nobody to wait on us was like two tellers, you know, the whole thing and they some things happened in the state that increased minimum wage and all this and a staff and the next thing you know there’s you know all self-checkouts you know and one person working checking receipts So when people lost their jobs, I don’t think that’s going to happen in the janitorial service industry.

[15:24] If we’re pretty solid there, as far as what we’re doing to prepare for a recession, you know the company continues to build its reputation on doing what you say you’re going to do good business partner whether it’s a customer or unit, franchise owner, living, with Integrity working hard, which is exactly what we ask of our young franchise owners.

[15:49] You know, what would be successful?

[15:50] And I don’t think our trajectory is going to be any different.

[15:54] I think that there’s a ton of opportunity in the janitorial Market, not just because I don’t think that it’s a mystery that’s going to eventually go away, but also because there’s a lot of people out there that want to build businesses, this is a great opportunity for them and we’re able to get contracts because there’s a lot of Industry that can’t hire janitor, janitorial, services.

[16:16] So we’re seeing the fruits of that right now.

[16:19] Now, so, that’s a great.

[16:22] There is no other option than just keep moving forward.

[16:25] Whenever he comes now, you still have to go out and sell and do a good job and focus on what you can control.

[16:40] All know, I guess.

[16:43] I finally to wrap it up, what a pizza of advice?

[16:48] Would you give to someone who is considering buying commercial cleaning franchise or even joining the industry?

[16:59] Look at ways to do so many things.

[17:05] Whatever whatever route you go with it with a proven system, follow through, follow the rules.

[17:12] They know what they’re talking about.

[17:14] Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

[17:15] If you’re doing it on your own, I would highly encourage you to find somebody that you could talk to you.

[17:21] They could educate you.

[17:22] Yeah, that’s what I would say.

[17:25] And I’ve, you know, there’s the obvious things you got to work hard, you know, you’ve got to follow through.

[17:31] You got to do all those types of things.

[17:35] There’s a lot of people that that they just named that they buy a franchise and that’s done.

[17:41] You don’t like will have someone working for them and the I don’t know that there will be making a lot of me and really like the for me, it’s just like when you’re building a business they need to really have the mindset of a business owner.

[17:57] You know, like when you’re building a business, it’s more Leo.

[18:02] You need to do really the word the you know.

[18:04] Italy takes time for you to like build your business.

[18:08] Like we were saying earlier, so yeah, like it’s kind of like thinking like yeah, I’ll get there, maybe like not right now.

[18:15] We be Nation, you know what I mean?

[18:34] Go by yourself in my industry.

[18:59] We say that sales solve most of the problems that you have in the business.

[19:04] Business or as long as you’re growing and doing a good job and retaining your customers and you will get there sooner or later.

[19:12] No.

[19:13] So let me share everything.

[19:15] Thank you so much for being part of the show.

[19:18] I hope to see you in the future as well.

[19:20] In further episodes, thank you.

[19:24] I don’t know if you have one last words or wise were going to go and stay tuned for the next episodes.

[19:31] Yeah, I’m just thinking of him for the opportunity to talk and give her a little Applause for cleaning and motion.

[19:38] It’s helped us for sure.

[19:40] That was finished so I appreciate it.

[20:01] Help you.

[20:50] Mission like a burst like it was really a Tec like website, like how to work with it.

[20:58] Like it made my life so much and we’ve been getting a lot of leads, you know, Anna.

[21:06] It’s really, you know, checking on me and having that person, you know, kind of like your quarter trying to like, you know, be like they’re supporting you with like everything that’s going on and like Every time that I had a lead or something, if I have a question like he’s available 24/7 for me.

[21:25] So that’s right.

[21:26] And then Bali now is the same they’ll like all the support you guys give it’s just amazing though all the the program.

[21:34] It’s really like user-friendly and just having it you know like on my phone of the computer you know any word really like helped me a lot to like I’ll say like yeah well in from a business owners perspective other than obviously making her lot easier you know as first Roi at goes.

[21:54] It’s been very very positive for us.

[21:57] We could have invested the same amount of money and a lot of other ads and I don’t think we would have, you know, seeing the return that we see with with the cleaning and motion the whole program.

[22:09] So I do as an owner, I’ve been very happy to see the results that we’ve gotten for sure.

[22:15] I appreciate you guys.

[22:16] Thank you so much for the kind words and then Now, you’re free to go and enjoy them.

[22:24] All right, thank you.

[22:26] Lord.

[22:26] I will invite you to the next wearing her.

[22:28] That I think it’s a must for you guys and career and it’s gonna be chat DP are using a door.

[22:34] No, I just created an account, my son uses social media.

[22:49] In 30 seconds, it really blows my mind.

[23:16] It’s a game changer.

[23:19] Recording stopped.