Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in home care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dionne Buchanan, Founder of Miller's Luxury Cleaning, located in Brampton, ON, CA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Miller's Luxury Cleaning is a residential and commercial cleaning company that offers various cleaning solutions to customers to help maintain the cleanliness of their homes and workspaces. Our customers come from a wide range of professions, backgrounds, and nationalities who have opted to outsource their daily chores to make more time for family, friends, or their own personal work-life balance.
Tell us about yourself
It all started with a phone conversation with one of my childhood friends during the pandemic. I was working a regular full-time job that I didn't like very much and wanted to work under my terms and rules. If that makes any sense, I quit my 9-5 to work 24/7, as they say. I had no idea where to start nor how I was going to get clients, so I began to research the industry online. Still wasn't 100% convinced this was what I wanted to do. I decided to apply for a cleaning job working for someone else just to get a feel for what to expect. When I was assigned to my first cleaning job, I was nervous because this was something I had never done for a complete stranger before, and I didn't know what to expect. To make a long story short, I was privileged to help a young couple who both worked from home - has a toddler and a school-aged child, and they just couldn't find the time after work to do the necessary chores around the house regularly. I love conversing with people I meet because I have always been interested in learning about different cultures and people. After completing the assigned tasks, the homeowners said, "You did a way better job than our regular cleaner," They gave me a $20.00 tip. While cleaning their home, I didn't see it as a job because I knew I was making a difference in the lives of this young couple. After my first cleaning job, I knew this was something I could do on a full-time basis, and I hit the ground running after that.
I am motivated each and every day to do what I do because I love doing it. I love seeing the transformations of residential homes specifically because I feel that's where we make the most impact in people's lives. It makes me feel good to know when I can help someone who is disabled or is terminally ill, or who simply can't keep up with the demands of housework. My clients are the ones who motivate me to get up in the morning and do what I do.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is to still be in business. I know there is a lot of competition in the cleaning industry, and most businesses struggle to survive, especially when people were not as inviting for a stranger to enter their homes during the pandemic. For this, I am grateful for the opportunities I have received so far and the wonderful clients who trust my team in their homes and me.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things would be time management and finding the right staff that not only possesses the skills of cleaning but also has a compassionate and caring side to them. Coming from a Jamaican background, I would always remember my stepmom telling me, "If you're going to do something, just do it right and done." I have that always embedded in the back of my head when I service each and every one of my clients.
Also, I have learned I cannot do everything even though I think I can, but it's absolutely not true. I would say that letting go of some responsibility was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It felt like giving my baby away.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Thoroughly research the industry you are looking to start your business in.
- Build a solid network and get a mentor in the industry.
- Make mistakes, but make sure you don't make the same one twice.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I feel for someone to have a successful business, they also need to love and believe in what they do, and everything else will follow.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://millersluxurycleaning.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MillersLuxurycleaning
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millersluxurycleaning/
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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