How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Cleaning Service [With CDROM]

by Beth Morrow

Book Overview

A lot of people believe that they can set up and operate a cleaning business that will reap big profits with a few dollars and some cleaning supplies. The reality is most of these startups fail in a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1601381441
• ISBN13: 9781601381446
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishing Group Inc.
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Very thorough

This book is very thorough & addresses 99% of issues you're going to encounter when opening your business. While many of it is common sense to most people, it's perfectly condensed & worth the price. I would recommend this book for anyone serious about opening their own cleaning business. The bonus CD is pretty valuable, also.

You Can Hit Pay Dirt by Cleaning Up

The low up-front cost of starting a cleaning service (other than elbow grease) makes this an attractive option for many people thinking about starting their own business. Many would-be entrepreneurs have found out the hard way that it's easier to start a business than to make one profitable. They could have saved themselves a lot of time, money and handwringing, and developed a profitable business, if they had read Beth Morrow's How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Cleaning Service beforehand. Morrow describes step-by-step the process you should go through before opening your own cleaning service, including asking the critical questions you need to answer to know if this is the right business for you. She covers the entire spectrum of cleaning service options from consumer/residential to heavy-duty commercial and industrial specialized services. Morrow also covers many back-office functions that many proprietors overlook, such as obtaining financing, picking the right lawyer and accountant, and developing a marketing plan. The book comes with a companion CD-ROM which contains the forms you'll need as well as a pre-written business plan in Microsoft Word format that you can customize for your business. Morrow goes beyond getting you started and wishing you good luck. She assumes that you're going to make a go of your business and want it to grow and expand. With that in mind, she offers insightful information on how to recruit and keep good workers and paying clients. Equally valuable, she offers wise advice on how to recognize toxic clients and how to learn how to say "No." If you think there's a cleaning service in your future, you won`t go wrong making this book your bible.

Don't start your cleaning business before reading this!

I have been in the house cleaning business for many years, and just last year I decided to go out on my own. I wish I had read this book first! Although I made it through the first year, it was a real struggle. Reading How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Cleaning Service was an eye opener for me. This book has so much information on all aspects of running a cleaning business, many of which I had never thought of. Thanks to this book, I have learned valuable lessons that could have helped me avoid some major mistakes I made early on and will help me avoid many costly mistakes in the future. It has also given me fantastic knowledge on how to better run, and most importantly, market and grow my business. Thanks to this book my business is growing steadily and I am confident it will continue to prosper. This is a must read for any prospective cleaning service entrepreneur.

Wonderful resource for starting your own business

Have you ever dreamed of opening your own business? Felt the need fulfill your inner-entrepreneurial spirit? Or just always wanted to try something different? Does your vision include mops, garbage, and detergent? Probably not. Author Beth Morrow readily admits that operating a cleaning service isn't exactly glamorous, but, if done right, it can be a lucrative career. Her book, How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Cleaning Service, guides you step-by-step from advertising to recruitment to uniforms and much more. Perhaps what is most impressive about Morrow is her honesty. She doesn't promise fast and easy riches, and she discusses the pitfalls associated with the industry. Equally impressive is her clear and concise writing and her in-depth coverage on all the aspects of the business. She answers important questions such as, how do you know what type of cleaning business you should open, what kind of equipment should you buy when you first start out, what legal steps do you have to take, etc. She also includes viewpoints from those who have succeeded in the business. Her appendices are replete with essential forms for running a competent business. Morrow's book is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to start their own cleaning service.

A complete manual that will not disappoint.

The author captures the heart of every budding entrepreneur by anticipating and then answering every possible question one could conceive about starting a business, which she then takes to the next level by including resources and sample documents. This is an all-inclusive manual that will answer every question from start to finish. The book requires the reader to ponder questions that determine not only if they are suited to having their own business, but what kind of service and to what extent. The material in this book is geared toward a cleaning service; however, there is so much more that is offered that could be easily applicable to any business. This book has a 5 star rating without question. The material has been well researched and documented and is in easy to read and understand format. The author has not left one stone unturned. You will definitely walk away from this read knowing exactly who you are, what you want to accomplish and how to go about getting started.