Real Talk. No Fluff. 

MaidPro's professional Business Consultant, Ryan Rabideau, discusses the 5 truths behind what it takes to own your own business. After helping to open more than 115 locations, Rabideau can give you a first hand look at what new owners can expect when they choose to open a cleaning business through MaidPro.

 
1) Define success. If your definition is only "money",  you're just an investor, not an entrepreneur.  Entrepreneurs are sculpting their business from the raw marble into a (hopefully) glorious monument. It takes blood, sweat, and tears. If part of your definition for success includes pride, community service, freedom, and time, then you are ready to rock.

2) Consider who your audience will be.  They, both employees and customers, are potentially personalities you're not used to working with. Economics, culture, and expectations vary from place to place and person to person. You must ask yourself if you are ready (and if you even want) to handle the differing social dynamics. Controlling your emotions will be a crucial part of the process and can be intensely stressful if you are not prepared to do so.

3) Data is wonderful. Data can be likened to light, too little and you can't see, too much and you are blinded. You will need to use data to keep your business running, but be sure to have an open mind. Deciphering who collected certain data and how can be just as important as what the data says.  You will also need to be ready to make decisions quickly pending your results.

4) You learn from the bottom up, not the top down. Most businesses don't get to hire their entire infrastructure on day one. Expect to get your hands (literally) dirty and be proud of it.  If you don't understand your business first, you can't lead your employees later.

5) Perfect is the enemy of good. If you expend all your energy trying to get something perfect, most likely, everything else will suffer. You're never going to be perfect at anything no matter how hard you try. At every stage of a business big and small, imperfection abounds. 

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