The Give a Damn Weekly: Edition #1 - Are you scaling or just losing your mind?
- Ammanda Juriga
- Jul 8
- 5 min read
Can we talk about "the grind" for a second?
I see so many of you running yourselves ragged, thinking that if you just work more hours, things will eventually get easier. Newsflash: more hours of chaos just equals more chaos. I’ve been there: sitting at my kitchen table at 11 PM, staring at a stack of invoices and wondering why I ever thought owning a cleaning business was a good idea in the first place.
I remember one specific night where I was trying to figure out why my bank account didn't match the sweat I’d put in that week. I had a full schedule, my team was out there working, and yet, I was the one up at midnight doing the admin work for zero extra pay. I felt like I was drowning in the details of residential cleaning jobs that I wasn't even the one performing.
That’s when it hit me: Scaling isn't about working harder; it's about building something that works without you. If you're constantly in the weeds, it's time to step back and look at your foundation. Are you actually building a business, or have you just created a very stressful, high-pressure job for yourself?
Welcome to the first edition of The Give a Damn Weekly. We’re going to get real about what it takes to move from survival mode to actually running a professional operation.
1. The Dirty Truth: Busy Doesn’t Mean Profitable
Here is a hard truth most people won't tell you: You can have a packed schedule and still be broke.
If your overhead is eating your margins and you’re afraid to raise prices because you might lose "cheap" clients, you’re stuck. I see it all the time in the BeyondPro Network. Owners are terrified that if they charge what they’re worth, the phone will stop ringing.
But here’s the thing: cheap clients cost more in stress and time than they are worth in revenue. They are usually the ones who complain the loudest and respect your time the least. When you focus on quality and systems, you attract clients who actually value the "give a damn" factor. If you aren't tracking your numbers, you aren't running a business; you're just busy.
2. Give a Damn Spotlight: Carly Romano
Sometimes I come across someone in this industry who just blows me away. This week, I want to give a massive shoutout to Carly Romano from Clear Cause Cleaners in Toronto.
Carly’s been at it since 2015, but she isn't just running a cleaning company; she’s running a social enterprise. Her business specifically employs survivors of domestic abuse and human trafficking. Think about that for a second. She’s providing more than just a paycheck; she’s providing a lifeline and a path to independence.
Carly uses only vegan, non-toxic products and gives 10% of her profits back to the community. She is the living embodiment of what it means to "give a damn." She proved that you can build a successful business that has a soul. That is the kind of leadership we need more of in the cleaning world.
3. This Week's BEST Lesson: B is for BUILD
If you want to scale without losing your mind, you have to follow one rule: Build your systems before you build your team.
If you hire people into a mess, they will quit. Period. And then you'll be right back at square one, frustrated and telling yourself "nobody wants to work anymore." The truth is, people want to work in environments where they know exactly what is expected of them.
Start small. Don't try to automate everything overnight. Pick one simple process: like how you handle a new lead for a residential cleaning quote: and document it. Write down every step from the first phone call to the confirmed booking. That document is your first step toward freedom. When you have a system, you can train a human. Without a system, you’re just hoping for a miracle.
4. Tool We Love: BeyondPro Quoting Tool
Stop guessing. Seriously. I am so tired of seeing owners do "napkin math" or "gut feeling" pricing. You cannot scale a business on vibes.
Our BeyondPro Quoting Tool (part of our BeyondPro Software) was built to stop the bleeding. It ensures your quotes are consistent, professional, and: most importantly: actually profitable.
One of our members told me last week that using this tool saved them three hours of admin time in a single week. That’s three hours they got back to spend with their family or, you know, actually sleep. If you aren't using a system to manage your quotes and invoices, you are leaving money (and sanity) on the table.
5. The Give a Damn Challenge: The Client Audit
I want you to take 10 minutes this week and look at your client list.
Find that one name. You know the one. The client that makes your heart sink when their name pops up on your phone. The one who complains about a speck of dust on the baseboard after a 6-hour deep clean. The one who always pays two weeks late but expects you to show up early.
Your challenge: Plan the "breakup" call.
You need that space in your schedule for a client who actually respects your work and pays your full rate. You cannot grow when you are being held back by toxic clients. Fire them. I promise you’ll feel five pounds lighter the second you do.
6. Straight Talk Quote
"If you don't build a system, you are the system. And you weren't meant to be a machine."
7. What's Happening at BeyondPro
We’ve been busy behind the scenes! The Recruiting Playbook Guide is officially finalized and ready for you. If you’re struggling to find the right people to help you scale, this is your map. It’s not just about where to post an ad; it’s about how to find people who actually give a damn.
We’re also incredibly excited to welcome 15 new members into the BeyondPro Network this week! The energy in our private community group is electric right now. It’s amazing what happens when you get a bunch of high-level cleaning pros in one room (or one Zoom call) who are all committed to elevating this industry together.
BONUS: The Give a Damn Score
On a scale of 1-10, how much time did you spend working ON your business this week instead of just IN it?
If your score is a 1, don't beat yourself up. We all start there. Just aim for a 2 next week. Maybe that means taking 30 minutes to document one process or finally looking at your profit margins. Small wins lead to big freedom.
So, what’s the one thing you’re going to systemize this week so you can finally stop being the machine?
Drop a comment or send us a message. We’re in this with you.
Your cleaning industry advocate ❤️ Ammanda.
Rachel Phone: +1 (705) 910-1211 (Ask for Rachel!) Website: www.beyondthesurfacesolutions.com
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