This episode is proof that mindset, hustle, and heart can take you farther than any résumé.

In this deeply personal and powerful conversation, James sits down with Jay — a successful entrepreneur, relationship-driven barber, and now cleaning company owner — to unpack how he went from cutting hair in his basement to securing a $300,000 commercial cleaning contract.

Whether you're building your janitorial business from the ground up, looking to break into larger contracts, or trying to balance business with family life, this episode will speak to your core.

Jay opens up about:

• Starting with nothing but clippers and a vision
• The importance of humility and human connection
• Why mastering relationships beats mastering sales tactics
• How Cleaning Prophets changed everything
• The real mindset that separates dreamers from doers
  
  

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• ✅ How to scale from zero to $300K without prior experience
• ✅ Why relationships beat marketing in service businesses
• ✅ How to outgrow legacy clients without losing momentum
• ✅ What it actually takes to build trust and loyalty
• ✅ The real reason consistency trumps hard work

⏱️ Episode Breakdown:

• (00:00) – From the Barber Chair to the Boardroom
• (06:10) – Growing Up Different, Leading With Grit
• (13:45) – Starting With Nothing, Building Something Real
• (21:00) – Why Relationships Will Always Outperform Marketing
• (28:30) – The $300K Cleaning Contract Nobody Saw Coming
• (37:40) – What Most New Cleaning Business Owners Get Wrong
• (44:20) – Leveling Up as a Leader, Father, and Man
  

💼 Brought to You By Our Partners:

• ✅ uSource: All-in-one hub for the facility maintenance industry – Start Free Trial
• ✅ Campos Law: Legal partner for cleaning companies – Book a Call
• ✅ Team Engine: Hire, communicate, and manage your workforce – Learn More
• ✅ Swept: Janitorial software that scales with you – Check it Out
  
  
  

👥 Join The Profitable Cleaner Community

• Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitablecleaner/
• Join to be a member to our Profit Advisory Board (Business Growth Community): https://advisoryboard.profitablecleaner.com/

📲 Follow Us:

• 📸 Instagram → @profitablecleaner
• 💼 LinkedIn → The Profitable Cleaner
• 📘 Facebook → The Profitable Cleaner

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Your hosts Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan CBSE, and Ed Selkow dive into the final area of the business planning wheel: Finance. This episode closes out the planning series with clear, actionable insights into how to run your janitorial business by the numbers—without getting overwhelmed.

From understanding cash flow and labor costs to learning how to job cost and forecast smarter, this episode will help you get a grip on your numbers—without needing an accounting degree.

If you're ready to build a more profitable, cash-flow-conscious cleaning company, this is the episode to bookmark.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• ✅ The 3–5 Critical Success Factors that drive your bottom line
• ✅ Why every business owner needs a simple financial review routine
• ✅ The difference between plan vs. actual vs. last year’s numbers
• ✅ What to do when clients aren’t paying—and how to track it
• ✅ Why “when” money comes in is just as important as how much
• ✅ How to job cost and price accurately using real-time data
• ✅ The importance of treating your budget like a living document

⏱️ Episode Breakdown (Chapters):

• 00:00 Introduction and context
• 02:57 Understanding financial health
• 06:01 The importance of numbers in business
• 09:09 Critical success factors in finance
• 12:01 Job costing and pricing strategy
• 14:58 Budgeting as a living document
• 18:01 Final thoughts and key takeaways
  
  
  

📌 Resources:

• ➡️ Catch up on Part 1: Business Planning Simplified - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDwpXwJHIOw
• ➡️ Watch Part 2: Sales & Marketing Planning That Works - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsrWO8sk2Fo
• ➡️ Watch Part 3: Mastering Service Delivery for Growth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vleZIr4jfFw
• ➡️ Subscribe to The Profitable Cleaner to never miss an episode!

🔗 Where to Find Your Hosts

• Sharon Cowan, CBSE – LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
• Mark Anderson – LinkedIn | Facebook
• Ed Selkow – Facebook

About Polishing Profits

Polishing Profits is hosted by three of the most respected and experienced leaders in the janitorial industry: Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan, and Ed Selkow.

With over 140 years of combined experience, they’ve built and scaled commercial cleaning companies, coached hundreds of owners, and helped countless teams go from stuck to thriving.

Each episode brings you real stories, real strategies, and practical tools to build a cleaning business that actually works.

Produced by The Profitable Cleaner Network.

Text Our Community JOIN today

Support the show

If you're a cleaning business owner or blue-collar service pro trying to stand out online, this episode is for you.

James sits down with Jeremiah Dalesio, founder of INCITE Productions, to break down how content marketing actually works in B2B and how blue-collar and “non-sexy” industries can create authentic, consistent content that actually drives trust, revenue, and brand awareness.

He shares the real reason most marketing fails, how to build content that fits your brand, and the lessons from youth sports that translate into stronger teams, better leadership, and long-term growth.

They dive deep into:

• Why most companies are just blending ingredients instead of plating the full meal
• How to create content that actually lands with your clients
• Why consistency and clarity win in content
• The biggest mistake blue-collar companies make with social media
• What it really means to be authentic in your branding

Plus — special shoutout to Jay, who’s now leading podcast production for The Profitable Cleaner. If you’ve noticed our content leveling up… now you know why.

Whether you're spending hours in Canva, burning out trying to go viral, or stuck wondering why your content gets no engagement — this one gives you the roadmap.

🎯 In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• ✅ How to create brand content that actually drives new contracts
• ✅ How to simplify your content and amplify your impact
• ✅Why most companies get video content wrong (and how to fix it)
• ✅ What makes a “non-sexy” brand connect with real buyers
• ✅The content strategy every facility service provider should be using in 2025
• ✅How to stand out in a crowded market using consistency and clarity
• ✅The mindset shift that unlocks better marketing results with less effort
• ✅ How Jay helped grow 8-figure companies through storytelling

🔗 Connect with Jeremiah Dalesio:

• Website: https://www.weincite.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremiah-dalesio-8ab5b15/

💼 Brought to You By Our Partners:

• ✅ uSource: All-in-one hub for the facility maintenance industry – Start Free Trial
• ✅ Campos Law: Legal partner for cleaning companies – Book a Call
• ✅ Team Engine: Hire, communicate, and manage your workforce – Learn More
• ✅ Swept: Janitorial software that scales with you – Check it Out
  
  

👥 Join The Profitable Cleaner Community

• Join our Facebook Group here
• Join to be a member to our Profit Advisory Board (Business Growth Community) here

📲 Follow Us:

• 📸 Instagram → @profitablecleaner
• 💼 LinkedIn → The Profitable Cleaner
• 📘 Facebook → The Profitable Cleaner

Text Our Community JOIN today

Support the show

Your hosts Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan, CBSE, and Ed Selkow dive into the third pillar of your Business Planning Strategy—Service Delivery—in this high-impact episode of our 4-part series, “Simplify Planning & Boost Results.”

If you’ve ever lost a client over a small mistake, this one’s for you.

We're breaking down customer satisfaction, employee retention, training systems, quality control, and the one-liner that sums up the entire service game:

“One Oh Sh*t erases three Attaboys.”

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• ✅Why perception is everything in customer service
  ✅The two key questions to measure service health
• ✅How to track customer churn and employee turnover
• ✅The link between operational efficiency and client retention
• ✅What to fix (and how fast) using the Red-Yellow-Green planning method
• ✅How to set realistic goals for long-term success—and get them in writing
  
  

📌 This Episode Is For:

• Janitorial companies struggling with inconsistent sales
• Owners outsourcing marketing without understanding the numbers
• Operators who want more control and clarity in their sales funnel
• Anyone building a marketing plan for the new year or next quarter

🕒 Episode Breakdown:

03:00 – What is service delivery (and why it drives growth)
05:00 – How to track customer satisfaction (and what not to assume)
08:00 – “One oh sh*t = 3 attaboys” and the power of perception
10:30 – Why employee turnover kills retention—and what to do about it
14:00 – Training, supervision, and operational efficiency: a retention game
17:00 – Planning your future vision: short-term vs. long-term
24:00 – Goal setting: how to actually move the needle
27:00 – Why “writing it down” is your business advantage

📌 Resources:

• ➡️ Catch up on Part 1: Business Planning Simplified
• ➡️ Watch Part 2: Sales & Marketing Planning That Works
• ➡️ Subscribe to The Profitable Cleaner to never miss an episode!

🔗 Where to Find Your Hosts

• Sharon Cowan, CBSE – LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
• Mark Anderson – LinkedIn
• Ed Selkow – CleaningProphets.com

About Polishing Profits

Polishing Profits is hosted by three of the most respected and experienced leaders in the janitorial industry: Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan, and Ed Selkow.

With over 140 years of combined experience, they’ve built and scaled commercial cleaning companies, coached hundreds of owners, and helped countless teams go from stuck to thriving.

Each episode brings you real stories, real strategies, and practical tools to build a cleaning business that actually works.

Produced by The Profitable Cleaner Network.

Text Our Community JOIN today

Support the show

Success in sales isn’t just about strategy — it’s about mindset, discipline, and staying grounded in what actually matters.

In this episode, James sits down with Brian Reimer, Regional Sales Director in the cybersecurity space (Cato Networks) and long-time enterprise closer, to break down what it really takes to win million-dollar deals without losing yourself in the process.

Brian opens up about:

• His approach to enterprise sales cycles
• How his faith and family keep him anchored
• Why he chose people and purpose over prestige
• What most reps get wrong about long-term follow-up
• And the real reason your energy matters more than your pitch

If you're trying to close bigger commercial cleaning contracts, stay patient through long sales cycles, or balance personal growth with business pressure — this episode will hit home.

Whether you run a $500K company or manage a team of 200, this one’s for the leaders playing the long game.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• ✅ How to show up when deals take 12–36 months to close
• ✅Why most people quit right before the breakthrough
• ✅How faith, family, and energy play into long-term success
• ✅Why relational equity outperforms short-term tactics
• ✅The mental edge that separates 6-figure from 7-figure closers

⏱️ Episode Breakdown:

(00:00) – Meet Brian Reimer
(01:00) – Redefining Success Through Faith & Gratitude
(04:50) – Finding Joy in Work (Even in Sales)
(06:30) – How Sales Found Him + Learning From His Mom
(10:45) – Selling Cybersecurity & Long Enterprise Sales Cycles
(14:00) – Staying Engaged Without Burning Out
(17:50) – Why Relationships Trump Sales Scripts
(20:30) – Making the Leap: Leaving a Dream Job for the Right One
(24:30) – The Right Sales Habits = The Right Outcomes
(27:00) – Personal Growth, Energy, and How to Prepare
(30:55) – What Most Sales Reps Forget
(33:00) – Personal Routines That Power Professional Results
(36:00) – Teaching His Kids Faith, Hustle, and Sales
(41:15) – Why You Have to Outlast Everyone Else
(44:00) – Closing Thoughts on Life, Leadership, and Legacy

💼 Want to Work With Brian?

• 🔗 Connect on LinkedIn →https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancreimer/
• 📍 Based in Denver, CO –https://www.catonetworks.com/

💼 Our Trusted Partners:

✅ uSource: All-in-one hub for the facility maintenance industry – Start Free Trial

✅ Campos Law: Legal partner for cleaning companies – Book a Call

✅ Team Engine: Hire, communicate, and manage your workforce – Learn More

✅ Swept: Janitorial software that scales with you – Check it Out

🙌🏼 Join Our Community:

• 🚀 Private Facebook Group: The Profitable Cleaner Community
• 📈 Profit Advisory Board: Business Growth Community

Text Our Community JOIN today

Support the show

Welcome to Part 2 of our 4-part series: “Simplify Planning & Boost Results.”

In this episode, we tackle the two most critical drivers of janitorial growth: marketing and sales.

Hosts Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan, CBSE, and Ed Selkow break down how to use the Planning Wheel framework to evaluate your current efforts, cut what’s not working, and strategically plan for more predictable revenue.

No more crossing your fingers with marketing or relying on luck for leads. Learn how to take control of your growth engine — and stop outsourcing results you don’t understand or can’t measure.

💥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• ✅ How to assess where your marketing & sales efforts truly stand
• ✅ Why outsourcing lead gen without oversight is a huge red flag
• ✅ What metrics to track to predictably grow revenue
• ✅ How to use the Planning Wheel to improve your close rate and funnel
• ✅ Why your funnel health determines whether you’ll keep growing
• ✅ A red-light / green-light method to cut waste and optimize fast
• ✅ Real talk on healthy account size % and chasing the right clients

📌 This Episode Is For:

• Janitorial companies struggling with inconsistent sales
• Owners outsourcing marketing without understanding the numbers
• Operators who want more control and clarity in their sales funnel
• Anyone building a marketing plan for the new year or next quarter

🧭 Episode Breakdown:

(01:00) – The planning wheel recap: where are you, how did you get here?
(03:00) – How to evaluate your marketing honestly (and objectively)
(05:00) – Why outsourcing blindly is like “hiring a $200 date”
(07:00) – What to track when running ads or managing an outside firm
(10:00) – Red-light / green-light method: cut, improve, replace
(12:30) – Sales funnel math: how to plan backwards from your close rate
(16:00) – Why most owners overestimate growth goals without a path
(20:00) – What percentage of revenue should one account be?

🔗 Where to Find Your Hosts

• Sharon Cowan, CBSE – LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
• Mark Anderson – LinkedIn
• Ed Selkow – CleaningProphets.com

About Polishing Profits

Hosted by Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan, and Ed Selkow — three of the most experienced operators in the commercial cleaning industry — Polishing Profits delivers no-fluff strategies that actually work. With over 140 years of combined experience, they’ve helped countless companies scale, win, and systematize their success.

Produced by The Profitable Cleaner Network

Text Our Community JOIN today

Support the show

In this deeply honest episode, James sits down with commercial and fashion photographer John S. Miller, whose work has appeared in publications like 303 Magazine and Mile High Sports. From leading worship for nearly two decades to launching his own creative business, John opens up about his transition, his faith, and how being a father to a daughter with special needs transformed his entire outlook on work and life.

A creative entrepreneur, and former worship pastor who’s built a career and life around service, humility, and family. More than tactics or tools, this episode is about the deeper things we rarely talk about in business — identity, ego, burnout, faith, and showing up fully for the people who matter most.

Whether you're running a $500K cleaning company or managing a team of 200, this is your reminder to build something that works for your life, not the other way around.

🔥 What You’ll Learn:

• ✅ How to balance your business without sacrificing family
• ✅ Why ego is the silent killer of leadership
• ✅ How to transition careers without losing your identity
• ✅ What business owners can learn from faith and humility
• ✅ Why burnout is a signal, not a badge of honor
• ✅ The power of creative presence in a high-stress world

📚 Episode Breakdown:

(00:00) – The Cold Water Moment: Ego & Vulnerability
(05:30) – Life Before Photography: Ministry, Music & Leadership
(11:00) – Raising a Child with Special Needs While Growing a Business
(17:00) – Why Grounded Entrepreneurs Lead Better Teams
(22:00) – Transitioning Careers Without Burning Out
(29:00) – The Role of Faith in Business & Balance
(36:00) – Personal Growth, Partnerships, and the Power of Saying No
(42:00) – Reflections on Legacy, Parenting, and Purpose

👤 Guest: John S. Miller

• 📸 Commercial, Fashion & Portrait Photographer
• 🗺️ Based in Denver, CO
• 🌐 https://www.johnsmiller.com/
• Follow his work on Instagram

Clients include Wrangler, ARTA Tequila, Mile High Sports Magazine, and dozens more.

🙌🏼 Join Our Community:

• 🚀 Private Facebook Group: The Profitable Cleaner Community
• 📈 Profit Advisory Board: Business Growth Community

💼 Our Trusted Partners:

• ✅ uSource: All-in-one hub for the facility maintenance industry – Start Free Trial
• ✅ Campos Law: Legal partner for cleaning companies – Book a Call
• ✅ Team Engine: Hire, communicate, and manage your workforce – Learn More
• ✅ Swept: Janitorial software that scales with you – Check it Out

📢 Follow Us for More Insights:

• 📸 Instagram: @profitablecleaner
• 💼 LinkedIn: The Profitable Cleaner
• 📘 Facebook: The Profitable Cleaner

Text Our Community JOIN today

Support the show

In this first episode of our 3-part series “Simplify Planning & Boost Results,” hosts Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan, CBSE, and Ed Selkow break down how to create a realistic business plan that helps janitorial companies grow with clarity.

No 50-page plans. No MBA jargon. Just a practical planning framework anyone can use — whether you’re running a $500K or $10M operation.

From goal-setting to budgeting, team capacity to execution, this episode walks you through a simple yet powerful wheel you can use to plan each quarter (and actually stick to it).

💥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• ✅ The 4 essential questions every owner should ask before planning
• ✅ Why most service companies avoid planning — and how to overcome it
• ✅ A visual framework (The Planning Wheel) you can apply to sales, marketing, ops & more
• ✅ What to track monthly, quarterly, and annually to stay on course
• ✅ Real stories of 7-figure companies winging it (and paying the price)
• ✅ How to apply the K.I.S.S. method (Keep, Improve, Stop, Start) to every area of your business
• ✅ The difference between activity and clarity — and how to bridge the gap

📌 This Episode Is For:

• Janitorial business owners who feel stuck or overwhelmed by planning
• Operators looking for a consistent growth framework
• Leaders preparing for their next quarter or annual reset
• Anyone who wants to grow with less guesswork and more structure

🧭 Episode Breakdown:

(01:00) – Why most owners avoid planning (and what to do instead)
(03:00) – Real stories of large companies with zero strategic direction
(05:30) – How to use simple software or frameworks to plan effectively
(07:00) – The only 4 questions you need for effective planning
(09:00) – Intro to the Planning Wheel: sales, marketing, ops, finance
(11:30) – Why people and money are your two most important resources
(13:30) – How long it takes to build a plan (it’s not as bad as you think)
(16:00) – Why your marketing and sales planning MUST come first
(18:00) – When a walkaround with business cards is actually a plan

🔗 Where to Find Your Hosts

• Sharon Cowan, CBSE – LinkedIn
  • Sharon's Facebook
  • Sharon's Instagram
• Mark Anderson – LinkedIn
• Ed Selkow – Janitorial consultant & industry veteran
• CleaningProphets.com – Where this collaboration began
  
  
  

🎙️ About Polishing Profits

Polishing Profits is hosted by three of the most respected and experienced leaders in the janitorial industry: Mark Anderson, Sharon Cowan, and Ed Selkow.

With over 140 years of combined experience, they’ve built and scaled commercial cleaning companies, coached hundreds of owners, and helped countless teams go from stuck to thriving.

Each episode brings you real stories, real strategies, and practical tools to build a cleaning business that actually works.

Produced by The Profitable Cleaner Network

Text Our Community JOIN today

Support the show