Smart Cleaning School
433 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago - ★★★★★ - 35 ratingsThe Smart Cleaning School Podcast helps cleaning business owners from start-up to the struggling solo to the striving seven-figure get SMARTER in their businesses, reshape their mindset, increase productivity, clear the overwhelm, and get clarity through SMART goal-setting & personal accountability. Ken Carfagno is a lifetime learner and teacher. His mission is to help visionaries make the impact they were meant to make.
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Episodes
If You Have a Gold Mine with Dionne Austin
January 30, 2020 06:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBDionne was a struggling single mom. She was willing to do anything to make it, including moving to a different state and trying out a crazy business... cleaning houses. If you're a mom listening to Dionne's interview, I fully believe you will be encouraged to know it's not easy but you can do it! Dionne shares how surprised and honored she was when I invited her to join the Solo Cleaning School as a founding member. The idea of paying for a membership forced her to take personal leadership ...
Get A Name For Doing
January 27, 2020 06:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBCarfagno Cleaning is a corporation with various divisions. We have a this podcast and the Solo Cleaning School. I serve team cleaners in the SMART Cleaning Tribe. This all falls under my 'consulting' division. My main division is my own solo cleaning business that I am rebuilding in the Philly suburbs after sellling my first one to Ian Traynor of Albany Pure Cleaning. I hope you've been enjoying this podcast and the journey I've taken you on. This week was a short one as Thanksgiving cut o...
The Accountability Roadmap
January 23, 2020 06:00 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBWe're at part 4 of our goal-setting series. You should have a great handle on your Why, why you set goals, and how to create a SMART goal. These are all vital steps in getting traction and achieving. However, there is more to the equation. Let's talk about an accountability roadmap. Think about a huge map of the country. There's a car off on the side of the map. Where do you want to go? Well, that's a silly question. We first need to know where you are now on the map. Step 1: Know Your Numb...
You're A Cleaning Guy
January 20, 2020 06:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBIt was GO-TIME for Bridgett and I this week! We met on Monday at a coffee shop to connect and to prepare our double showcase presentation to our MCBA group. Once we made the connection that we were both in the same business, the "business of first impressions", our presentation was like riding a bike going downhill. We selected fellow member Vernessa Hopkins and discussed how we could help her in a way that was engaging to the meeting for 40 minutes. There would be NO call-to-action to the o...
Make Your Goals SMART
January 16, 2020 06:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBGoal-setting is a science and an art. We covered some of the art and the emotion of why to set goals. Now it's time to dive into some science. The S.M.A.R.T. Framework is a methodology of setting goals that allows you to measure and track your progress. Without a system like this, your goals are likely just wishes. Check out my free "SMART Goals Masterclass" to get a great recap on the Why of goals and for an in-depth explanation of the SMART Framework. In this episode, I want you to grasp...
I Meant to Call You
January 13, 2020 06:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBIn my last solo cleaning business update, I was thrilled to report two successful house cleaning estimates. I had cleaned for Ellie last week and verbally, she agreed to a recurring service starting in December. The other estimate was with Erika, whom my wife connected with through the local Facebook mom's group. I felt great about the estimate and expected a second yes, but heard nothing all weekend. Of course, doubts trickle in and you wonder if she changed her mind. Here's what I did. I t...
Why Set Goals?
January 09, 2020 06:00 - 16 minutes - 11.5 MBThis is our second lesson on goal-setting. The first was "What is Your Why", where we saw the importance of finding what makes you tick and use that to keep you inspired. In this lesson, I want to prove to you why you need to set goals if you want to succeed. In fact, I'll let the well-known Harvard Business Review study tell you why! 83% of people do not set goals. 14% of people do set goals and succeed 10 times more than the 83% that do not set goals at all. 3% of people have goals and ...
Sure, I Can Do That!
January 06, 2020 16:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MBI started this week with a presentation cleaning assessment for Tom and Marci at Edward Jones. As you may remember, this lead came through connecting with new friends's friends on LinkedIn (2nd Connections). I was able to point out several cleaning & presentation changes that could "present" their office better on first impressions to their target client. They were grateful for the time and free consulting I suggested. Plus, it was really great to meet my new LinkedIn friend Tom McKee in per...
What is Your Why
January 02, 2020 06:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MBWe are starting 2020 with a 4-part podcast series on Goal Setting. Recently, I was asked by Courtney Wisely of Rescue My Maid Service to be an expert on this topic. I did a live training through Zoom to 8 growing cleaning business owners in St. Louis to identify what topics connected the most. Then I refined my presentation to record a 60-minute masterclass on Goals & Accountability for Courtney's Maidivation subscription boxes. Since this content has been received so well by cleaning compan...
Because You're a Business Person that Cleans
December 30, 2019 06:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MBThis is the last business update on my new solo cleaning business for 2019. What a way to go out! Andrea Szlavik of A2Z Realtor Pa assures Ken that he is not a cleaner who happens to do business. He is a business person that happens to clean. This is a big difference. Let's dive into this week in my business! We had a business showcase presentation from Laney Landis this week at MCBA. She is the 5th generation owner (over 200 years in the family) of Old Village Paint. I was mesmerized at th...
Think Week
December 26, 2019 06:00 - 22 minutes - 15.4 MBJohn Maxwell is internationally acclaimed and sought after for his gifting in the instruction of leadership development. He has spawned thousands of leaders through his system. I may never physically meet him in person, but his books and talks have mentored me for over a decade. There is one specific annual exercise that I would like to wrap up 2019 and I hope you'll join me. Check out John's blog article first! Here's what John is doing right now and I'll quote him directly from the blog. ...
Honor Your Gift
December 23, 2019 06:00 - 12 minutes - 8.61 MBThis goes back to my introduction episode and going into more mindset on honoring what you currently do and have. Every seed sown comes up. The message here is simple for you to ponder during Christmastime... what are you sowing into the ground with your current job or business? What about your relationships? Every action you take will leave a ripple in the pond of your community. Which ripple are you making... one toward good will or bad? Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I'm the Only Cleaner
December 19, 2019 06:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBI don't have any new clients yet, but you will absolutely start to see the seeds being planted and my expectation of future harvest. This episode starts with my meeting with Indian Valley Chamber President, Steven Hunsberger. Steven loved my approach to meeting the other members. Although I had no intention of joining the chamber right away, Steven uttered these words. "Ken, you'd be the only cleaner." My next words were, "Steve, can I have an application?" I also attended my first Montgome...
I Felt Limited with Ronita Jefferson
December 16, 2019 06:00 - 10 minutes - 7.54 MBAfter 20 years of working in the medical field, Ronita was offered an opportunity to work part time as a solo cleaner. The position was commission based, so she started earning part time close to her full time job income. This built her dream that she could leave corporate America to start her own solo cleaning business, Divine Commercial Cleaning Services. Within a few years, Ronita felt like she was back in corporate America because of the choices she made in her cleaning business. She too...
Free Donuts
December 12, 2019 06:00 - 22 minutes - 15.4 MBThis episode continues to follow Ken's path to building a brand new solo cleaning company. If you haven't heard the two introductory episodes, check out Building "My New Cleaning Network I and II". Teresa and I attended the Total Life Freedom Mastermind Retreat in early October 2019 in Gatlinburg, TN. We left our scarcity mindset in Tennessee, resolving to become the givers we have always wanted to be. We also renewed our commitment to build this new solo cleaning business and share our pr...
It Was Hard to Leave
December 09, 2019 06:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBMany have asked me, "Ken, how did you sell you're solo cleaning business." They want to hear the steps and the numbers. In this episode, I share the emotional rollercoaster of selling our business. If you are a solo cleaner and you've considered selling, make sure to listen. It wasn't about the steps or the numbers. That was a necessary part, but it wasn't the main part. The main part was the heart. Truly, it was so difficult to leave my New York cleaning families. Mentions: In the Handy D...
My Secret Weapon with Roland Downs
December 05, 2019 06:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MB"You have to master your own lane." - Roland Downs Roland knows that his wife Dina is extremely professional and understands the language of business. In his follow up with accounts that he's cleaned and helped grow, he gets feedback that the gym owner didn't think he was legit as a cleaner. Dina gave the image of a business person and secured the account. That'a Dina's lane. Roland knows he is the master of custodial arts (as he says in his Facebook intro) and he will be the best cleaner t...
The Funny Papers
December 02, 2019 06:00 - 13 minutes - 9.31 MBThis is the craziest time of the year for the solo cleaner as EVERYBODY wants their house cleaned after Thanksgiving and before Christmas! Please allow me to help you declutter your scattered brains with one of the best remedies... HUMOR! Do you remember the "Funny Papers" in the Sunday newspaper? I remember my grandfather reading his comics after church every Sunday. I didn't get it. I didn't think they were funny. But he would read & laugh as he sipped his coffee in his Sunday best. That's...
The Jeans Don't Fit
November 28, 2019 09:00 - 14 minutes - 10 MBHave you ever shopped at the discount racks? This episode is a companion to Blueberry Pie in helping you to understand pricing. Study this and apply it! Teresa needed new jeans, so she went to Kohl's and shopped at the discount racks first because she didn't have much money to spend.. She's looking for a discount and she finds nothing that fits! Some are too short, too long, too tight, not for her body type. Teresa came back home after going to Kohl's and was frustrated. She thought, "Is so...
Blueberry Pie
November 25, 2019 09:00 - 13 minutes - 9.38 MBThe first lesson of Blueberry Pie covers the 3 types of Buyers: Those that want your product or service and value it enough to pay what it's worth. Those that want your product or service and do not value it enough to pay what it's worth. Those that don't want nor value your product or service. The sooner you can learn to accept this and focus on finding Buyer #1's, the sooner you will hit your goals. Do you remember how my interview with Marcia Davidson went? I didn't answer her questio...
I Try to Do the Best with Marcia Davidson
November 21, 2019 09:00 - 11 minutes - 8 MBTwo years ago, my friend in the cleaning coaching world, Debbie Sardone, referred Marcia Davidson to me. Marcia was not ready to scale her business and needed my help in making her solo company extremely profitable. Marcia struggled as a single mom for the entire time, trying to hold onto $15/hour temp jobs to pay the bills. She desperately wanted to grow her solo cleaning business, but circumstances held her back. In this interview, you will see how Marcia turned the corner this past summer...
The Road Not Taken
November 18, 2019 09:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBOn October 2, 2014, I sat in the back of the Rose Theatre in New York City for the Business Gets Personal Conference. Seth Godin stepped to the stage to do his opening keynote and shared the story of the 5th Annual Solvay Conference in October 1927. Physicists such as Marie Curie, Niels Bohr, Max Plank, and Albert Einstein attended and were relatively unknown. Of the 29 in attendance, 17 went on to later receive the Nobel Prize. Seth explained that it wasn't the conference that caused them t...
It's the Trust Factor, Ken
November 14, 2019 09:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MBThis episode highlights how important trust is to your clients. I connected in-person with each of my former NY house cleaning clients before selling my business. I am still amazed at their feedback and by far, the biggest take away was how critical the Trust Factor was in each of their decisions to hire & keep me for all of those years. Shawn - We met while I was cleaning for Alicia from "Moms Helping Moms Helping Moms". She already knew my quality and trusted me. In my final year in NY, s...
Trust is Everything with Beth Lane
November 11, 2019 09:00 - 20 minutes - 13.8 MBIn this episode, Beth Lane of Lavender Fields Cleaning Service joined Solo Cleaning School. She has been working in this amazing profession for 21 years and has a world of experience that she graciously shares with us today. She uncovers several key points for new solo cleaning moms to use as they grow their business. How Not to Run a Business - Beth shadowed a friend for 3 days and with her banking experience, knew one thing... how not to run a cleaning business. Beth took these lessons an...
How to Start Your Solo Cleaning Business
November 07, 2019 09:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBI recently connected with Whitney Bonds of "Tried & True Mom Jobs" who helps moms venture out into the workforce to help their families. It's an awesome mission. Whitney or Max as she goes by, asked me to write up a concise blog for her on "How to Start Your Own Cleaning Business". She wanted to bring this content and example to her large blog audience of moms to show them the potential of cleaning as a mom job. Let's cover my answers to her questions in this podcast episode as I believe it'...
Building My New Cleaning Network II
November 04, 2019 09:00 - 15 minutes - 10.7 MBIn Sept 2019, I started phase II of my new marketing mindset that I learned from Steve Hanson of the Janitorial Store. In this episode, I share how one new client turned into a friend and gateway to local business networking meetings and building the momentum needed to grow my new solo cleaning company to our next goal. There is power in connecting in-person at meetings and then online with LinkedIn, Facebook, and email. You'll see that play out in this episode. In part I of this podcast se...
Building My New Cleaning Network I
October 31, 2019 08:00 - 14 minutes - 9.75 MBThe Solo Cleaning School draws on the lessons I learned in my first solo cleaning company, which I shared in my "Introduction to the Solo Cleaning School" episode. I hope you had a chance to listen and understand my heart for starting this podcast. If you want the short version, here it is. We started Carfagno Cleaning in 2005 in Upstate New York and sold it in 2018 to move back to Philly. During this 14-year run, I gained national recognition as the solo cleaning expert, having optimized a ...
Hi, My Name is Kevin LaCombe
October 28, 2019 12:00 - 9 minutes - 6.69 MBKevin LaCombe shared a simple marketing strategy, "Hi, My Name Is...". It worked big time for Kevin & Cherie in their first month in business. They added two small commercial clients on the same day to add $35,000 in annual revenue and earning close to $90/hour doing it! All they did was share their business with the people they already knew. I call this the A & B lists in our Solo Cleaning School premium membership. As Kevin says. "It's not an easy business, but it's simple."
Cons of Solo Cleaning
October 24, 2019 08:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBWe explore the cons of solo cleaning in this episode so you know it's not all rainbows and unicorns. If you truly evaluate this business with the pros and cons in proper perspective, you can make an informed decision whether this is the right business for you and your family. Cons of Solo Cleaning Physically Demanding & Exhausting - In the beginning, it's hard to clean a house. 3-4 hours of cleaning straight if you're not used to it is hard at first. Cleaning does become routine and you ge...
Pros of Solo Cleaning
October 21, 2019 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.1 MBSolo Cleaning has amazing potential for any mom looking for a business. In this episode, we examine the pros that make solo cleaning stand out. Money - A new solo cleaner can set up a part business earning $400-$500/week part time. As they progress through my ISO Model Signature Solution, they can increase their part time income to $1,000/week, increase to full time and earn double that, or transition to hiring employees. The part time money potential is amazing if you do it right. Flexi...
My Goal is to Create Peace for My Family with Andrea McCoy
October 17, 2019 11:00 - 10 minutes - 7.48 MBIn this episode, I spotlight my first solo cleaner. Andrea McCoy runs Peachy Clean in St. George, UT. She is a mom of 6! She explains why she started her solo cleaning business and the various mind shifts she has made over her 3 years in business with my help to increase her hourly rate from $25 to $65! We also talk about the power of keeping your hand on the marketing water pump and setting a goal for peace.
Moms Helping Moms Helping Moms
October 14, 2019 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBWe dive deep into Ken's vision for the Solo Cleaning School of moms helping moms helping moms. Ken starts with his first Funny Papers edition called "Seran Wrap", followed by an explanation of each mom group. The first group are the moms that are looking for something and solo cleaning could be their vehicle. The second are the current solo cleaning moms that need a strategy and each other to win for their family, yet also desiring to mentor new mom solo cleaners. The final group are the Al...
Introduction to the Solo Cleaning School
October 08, 2019 14:00 - 31 minutes - 22 MBKen introduces himself and Solo Cleaning School. He shares his personal journey through solo cleaning and dives into the vision of moms helping moms helping moms through this amazing business vehicle.