Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in general services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Annelie van der Heyden, Owner of High Standards Cleaning, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

HSC is a full-service residential, office, and post-construction cleaning company. We serve the City of Vancouver and its neighboring municipalities. We love creating customized cleaning solutions for busy families & offices and putting the finishing touch on a renovation or construction project.

Tell us about yourself

When I finished paramedic academy in 2007, I needed to generate an income but also needed a flexible schedule so I could complete my practicum. I started to advertise on Craigslist as an independent cleaner using the supplies and cleaning products of my customers. I drove home too many days feeling ill from working with chemical cleaning products all day. To solve this problem, I developed my own handmade natural & eco-friendly cleaning products.

My customers started exclaiming how much they loved the smell and results of my products, and my clientele grew quickly by word of mouth. When I eventually got hired full-time as a paramedic, I informed my client base I would be closing my cleaning service.  This was met with much protest and encouragement to grow my independent service into a small business.

I took that encouragement, and I am so blessed to have a team of incredible employees who care for our client's homes and projects. Being able to offer flexible employment so others can achieve their long-term life goals, be it their school, motherhood, artistic projects, or other endeavors, is a privilege. We do this at the same time as offering our clients more ease and enjoyment in their lives. I love what we do at HSC.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

It is hard to quantify our biggest achievement as a business. We helped sell a 25 million dollar home in British Properties by keeping the home spotless for open houses. On the other end of town, we have been cleaning for a mother-daughter duo living in a basement suite for years. They have often credited the harmony in their home to our biweekly cleaning service. Both of these are accomplishments that we achieve by putting our hearts into our work.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The hardest thing about being a business owner is finding and retaining staff that is prepared to uphold the highest standards in their performance. We pay fair living wages and offer flexibility and equity in our hiring practices; however, most of our long-term, highly valued employees eventually move onward and upward with their life goals. It is both rewarding and challenging to see them go.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Oh, if I only knew then what I know now. First and foremost, set business hours for yourself and hold them strictly. When you are an entrepreneur, it is tempting to allow work to sneak into all hours of the day, but protecting your rest and recreation is important to make longevity possible.

Next, I recommend outsourcing tasks that you don't absolutely have to do yourself. It's good to know what is going on in all areas of your business, but at the same time, there are other small businesses, like bookkeeping, for example, that can efficiently do that task and allow you to put your creative energy and time into growth. Support yourself by supporting services that are experts at doing outsourceable tasks.

Lastly, utilize technology to your advantage. I started off on paper and might still be doing that if it weren't for the wise counsel of my big sister, saying constantly, "Why are you doing this!?" "There is an app for all of that!" This last point supports the first and second also to ultimately guide you to use your time wisely. Good luck!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://highstandardscleaning.com/  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/highstandardscleaningvancouver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highstandardscleaning/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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