Eight months into running Jim’s Cleaning Maroubra, Maria Duque is already working with a team of around five people and taking on several types of cleaning work. Along the way, she has learned that growth depends on understanding customers, training staff properly, and being willing to fix things when they go wrong.
Watch the video above, or keep reading for the full Q&A.
What Is It Really Like Running A Cleaning Business Eight Months In?
Eight months into the business, Maria says she is enjoying it, even though the work has both good and bad moments. She describes the experience as challenging and says progress comes back to working hard, building a good team, and staying focused on giving customers the service they need.
That balance matters. Maria does not present running a cleaning business as easy or predictable. Her experience includes days that go well and days that do not, but she still speaks positively about the work and the direction of the business.
Her comments also show how quickly the role can move beyond doing the cleaning itself. Within around eight months, Maria is already managing a team, training people, handling different types of jobs and thinking about the next areas the business could enter.
For people considering a service business, Maria’s experience is a practical reminder that growth depends on the work done in customers’ homes as well as the systems and people behind it. Readers considering the wider franchise model can also review how Jim’s Group supports franchisees.
How Do You Work Out What Each Cleaning Customer Needs?
Maria’s team works out what each customer needs by asking questions before focusing on the job. She says they try to talk with customers and understand what matters most to them in the home.
Different customers care about different details. One person may be especially concerned about the floor, while another may want the kitchen given more attention. Maria’s approach is to identify those priorities instead of assuming every customer wants exactly the same thing.
That gives the team clearer direction once the job starts. Maria says the process is good for both sides because the cleaners know what to focus on and the customer has had the chance to explain what is most important.
That simple customer-service habit sits at the centre of Maria’s approach: ask first, understand the priority, then do the work around what the customer has actually requested. The broader Jim’s Cleaning service range covers both home and commercial cleaning needs.
How Do You Build A Good Reputation In A Cleaning Business?
Maria says a good reputation comes from being there for customers, trying to help when they call, and going back to put things right if something has gone wrong. Her focus is on responsiveness and taking care of the customer rather than treating the job as finished the moment the team leaves.
She says that when a customer calls, she tries to say yes and squeeze the job in where possible. That willingness to help is part of how she believes the business has built its reputation.
Just as importantly, Maria is open about mistakes. If she has done something wrong, her response is to go back and try to do better. That creates a clear service standard: take responsibility, return when needed, and keep working on the relationship.
For a cleaning business, that approach can matter as much as the cleaning itself. Customers are letting a service provider into their homes or workplaces, so communication, reliability, and the way problems are handled become part of the experience.
How Big Is Maria’s Cleaning Team After Eight Months?
Maria says the business has a group of around five people after about eight months. That team allows the business to take on several types of cleaning rather than relying on Maria to handle every job alone.
Building a team also creates a new responsibility. Maria has to make sure the people working with her understand what customers are asking for and can deliver the work consistently. She describes her team as a really good team and says they ask customers what they are after.
The five-person group is also part of Maria’s growth plan. Her goal is to make the business bigger, so team development forms a major part of what she is working on.
For prospective franchisees comparing the realities of working alone with building a team, Jim’s Group also provides information about owning a Jim’s franchise.
What Cleaning Services Does Maria’s Team Offer?
Maria’s team provides end-of-lease cleaning, post-renovation cleaning, and home cleaning, and the business is also trying to move into commercial cleaning. She later repeats the service mix as end-of-lease cleaning, post-renovation cleaning, commercial cleaning, and home cleaning.
That range shows the business is not relying on only one type of customer. Some work comes from homes, while other opportunities can come from properties at the end of a lease, recently renovated spaces, and commercial sites.
Maria is also looking beyond the work the team already does. She mentions kindergarten and schools as areas they are trying to introduce the business into because those places may need cleaning services.
The direction is clear: keep the existing residential and property-related work while building the capability to service more commercial customers and other settings. That fits with Maria’s broader goal of making the business bigger.
What Is The Hardest Part Of Growing A Cleaning Business?
Maria says the hardest part is the staff side of the business. Because she wants to grow quickly, she is focused on teaching and training the people around her rather than simply adding more work.
Growth creates a practical challenge. More jobs only help if the team can complete them to the standard customers expect. Maria’s answer shows that adding people and developing people are two different things.
Her solution is hands-on: teach them, train them, and keep working with the support available around her. She also mentions the support of her husband and says they work together.
For readers looking at a Jim’s franchise, the company also outlines its franchisee training program. Maria’s comments show why that training mindset continues to matter after the initial start-up period.
How Does Maria Train Her Cleaning Team?
Maria trains her team by teaching them directly and helping them understand how the work should be done as the business grows. She links training closely with her goal of growing fast and making the business bigger.
Her earlier comments show what some of that training needs to achieve in practice. Team members need to ask customers what they are after, recognise the areas a customer cares about most and know what to do once those priorities are clear.
Maria also says her husband gives her good support and that they work together. The business is therefore growing through a combination of customer-facing work, team training and support behind the scenes.
The lesson from her first eight months is straightforward: hiring people does not remove the need for involvement. Maria is still actively teaching, checking what customers need, and shaping how the team approaches each job.
Where Does Maria Want To Grow The Business Next?
Maria wants to make the business bigger by expanding the team’s work into more commercial cleaning and places such as kindergartens and schools. She says the business is already trying to do commercial cleaning and is looking at other settings that may need its services.
That gives the next stage of growth a specific direction. Maria is not only trying to do more of the same residential work. She is considering different customer types and service environments where the team’s cleaning capability could be used.
At the same time, she is trying to build the people needed to support that growth. Her comments about training staff and working with her husband sit directly alongside her plans for new types of work.
Eight months in, Maria’s story is still a work in progress. The business has around five people, covers several cleaning services, and is looking for the next opportunities to grow.
If you are considering starting a cleaning business through Jim’s Group, review the Jim’s Group franchise FAQ and speak with the team about the opportunity in your area.