Commercial Cleaning Clients Are Hard to Find Without Cold Outreach
229 posts across 42 communities in the last 30 days; 42% from r/smallbusiness.
“I own a dog training business, and it’s just me with no employees. To put it bluntly, I cannot figure out how to make money. I’m lucky if I get one new client a month. Most of my income comes from boarding, which I offer exclusively to clients who have completed training with…”
“That's exactly my concern with this kind of business, it seems impossible to me to find someone who'll take a percentage of revenue; it's always a fixed cost from the start. So for an idea that's currently generating only about $100 in MRR, committing to it by spending thousands…”
“I run a small residential pool service company in Florida. I've been in the industry since 2020. I'm a state-certified Certified Pool Operator, fully insured, and I own my truck and equipment outright. The technical side is my strength. I balance water using the Langelier…”
These individuals are struggling with the complexities of starting, scaling, or acquiring small businesses, particularly those requiring licenses or specialized expertise. A common thread is navigating regulatory requirements, securing funding, and dealing with bureaucratic processes that hinder growth and create significant delays. Many are also dealing with legacy systems and a lack of operational infrastructure.
SOURCES (60)
“that minimum wage realization hits different when its your "best" client [re: ChatGPT can build small working tools on the spot now. I've been using it for quick quote calculators, job costings and "is this client worth it" checks instead of spreadsheets]”
“Agreed and it sounds like you know a little about it. Thanks for that. What kinds of consulting ideas do you have? I’ve thought about a procurement consulting business - in other words, on the vendor side. Many of my customers are incapable of or unwilling to set up too many accounts with different companies. But I’m struggling otherwise to brainstorm consulting ideas. [re: Selling my business.]”
“Have you considered leasing a small space for a workshop? [re: Advice needed: Side business is at a crossroads]”
“I don't know much about your industry so it's hard to say. I'd put effort into evaluating what the cost of customer acquisition would be. Namely - why would a business go through you as opposed to whoever they've been going through traditionally? You're a single person, and unproven at that. What would you have to offer to draw businesses away? How would you contact them? Would there be any legal liability if you used your knowledge of your current employer's client list”
“Will do. Great advice, thank you. [re: 25 years old, making $150k–$185k in business lending, and considering starting my own shop. Am I thinking about this the right way?]”
“Track which specialty each lead actually asks for before you split anything. Run one brand with separate landing pages and phone tracking if you can. A higher-margin service only justifies its own brand once its own demand or repeat work fills a schedule without cross-selling from the main name. In a small market that may never happen. [re: One Construction Brand or Multiple Specialized Brands?]”
“I own a dog training business, and it’s just me with no employees. To put it bluntly, I cannot figure out how to make money. I’m lucky if I get one new client a month. Most of my income comes from boarding, which I offer exclusively to clients who have completed training with me, but it’s not nearly enough to sustain anything. Because of this, I have very limited funds to be put towards things like advertising. Most established trainers I know get business almost strictly through client referral”
“That's exactly my concern with this kind of business, it seems impossible to me to find someone who'll take a percentage of revenue; it's always a fixed cost from the start. So for an idea that's currently generating only about $100 in MRR, committing to it by spending thousands of euros is a bit complicated. [re: You have to start a remote business with nothing but a pc and an internet connection . What do you do?]”
“Hey everyone! I recently started my own appliance repair business in the Northern Virginia / DC area. I have experience as a technician, but running the business side is completely new to me. I tried Thumbtack, but the leads were expensive and didn’t really pay off. Right now, I have 9 Google reviews and I’m thinking about running Google Ads or Local Services Ads. I’m also considering working with home warranty companies, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. For those who own an appliance repair b”
“I am a small business owner and Accountant by profession with experience in Real Estate, retail, and web services/content streaming. I now work with small business owners on a daily basis to help them create financial structure in their business and facilitate decision making. If you have any questions related to your business or books don't hesitate to ask! Britney Boyde-Bey "Consistently driven by purpose and service" All Rights Reserved submitted by /u/Used_Acanthace”
“Hello! I am looking for some help here I have landed my first commercial cleaning. It is a high traffic restaurant. I am wondering what are the best products and supplies that will make the job easier and high quality Scope of work includes -Bathrooms -Glass entrance - Dinning room and bar floor (Do I need a degreaser and then a regular floor cleaner?) -Kitchen floor -Kitchen stainless steel wall behind the main line Thank you in advance submitted by /u/Global-Pension-7929 [link] ”
“Thinking about renting an office or virtual address from Regus or Spaces? Definitely read their official fine print first . Thousands of Trustpilot and BBB reviews show a real pattern – small businesses getting stuck by these exact contract clauses: Inescapable Auto-Renewals (Clause 1.5): Contracts automatically renew for another full term unless you cancel months in advance. Three-month leases require a massive three-month written notice to cancel. Miss it by just a day, and you’re locked in. $”
“We lease commercial vans and trucks. Tis the season! We just cold email. [re: Small business owners, what's an overlooked marketing channel that worked surprisingly well for you?]”
“Hi all, I'm a McGill business student working on a class project about how property and facility managers in the Greater Montreal area choose cleaning and janitorial providers. If you help choose or approve a cleaning provider for buildings in Montreal/Quebec, I'd really appreciate 5 minutes of your time. It's anonymous, no email collected, no selling, academic use only. English: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZIoHVPYUwBTygrxyq901uJxWgOZvbOvTg0PcIP5vafsVmdg/viewform?usp=h”
“I run a small residential pool service company in Florida. I've been in the industry since 2020. I'm a state-certified Certified Pool Operator, fully insured, and I own my truck and equipment outright. The technical side is my strength. I balance water using the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) instead of just checking chlorine and pH. I document every visit, and I tell customers what I did and why. The result is clean water, protected equipment, and no surprises. My problem is the other”
“Even in 2026 - I would suggest and do this for one week 2 hrs a day . Cold call personally - find numbers thru apollo or google [re: Started a Small Software Development Business — How Do I Get My First Consistent Clients?]”
“yes :/ always been doing legacy brick & mortar businesses recently pivoted hard . and now wanting to do this , so feel i dont have the answers. [re: Want to start helping Businesses but not spend (confused)]”
“thanks this is one thing i must immediately start. [re: Want to start helping Businesses but not spend (confused)]”
“I own a handyman and landscaping company that is stuck at 600k gross and am wondering if you hade any suggestions [re: Those profiting $50-100k each month, how does it feel?]”
“One is a cleaning service lead generator. I got a ton of interest and payments from cleaners, but most of their credit cards were rejected. There’s something there but it needs some tweaking. Another is a website privacy compliance scanner. I’ve had hundreds of users and about 7 payments. It’s very niche and still gaining organic traffic. [re: I’m coast FIRE but working on passive income. You?]”
“Been in the industry 10 years and a service manager for 2 years. Long story short I’m at a breaking point. Resi/light commercial/refrigeration company. It’s a 10 man shop. I’m the service manager, on salary, but going on call (no extra pay) because we’re short staffed. I’m the ONLY person that knows refrigeration here. My lead tech sorta understands it but often I’m running those service calls to help him. I’m also the project manager on the refrigeration jobs because our project manager doesn’t”
“Yes, I agree. It has come to a point where I can build my own cleaning and pest control business and become profitable from day one lol. The only thing keeping me to work for him is because he would be in a huge loss if I stop helping him. We have also become kind of good friends which is another reason to not let him go. I have tried asking for an increased pay a few times and he always comes up with his own problems and I feel bad. [re: I think my client is underpaying me. I need advise from e”
“imo the real question is what skills you already have. "just a pc and internet" describes like 90% of online businesses, the actual bottleneck is always distribution. id pick whatever lets me build an audience fastest and figure out monetization second [re: You have to start a remote business with nothing but a pc and an internet connection . What do you do?]”
“Im not the OP. Just doing some research and asked you because you seemed to have some knowledge. Thanks :) [re: Claude ripped my business plan to shreds]”
“I'm starting a small business in Portland, Oregon. Each week I'd send HVAC contractors a list of new residential building permits that involve heating work. It's built only from the City's public permit records: address, project description, value, status, and the contractor name as listed. No homeowner names, phone numbers or emails. Customers are businesses, mostly pitching the general contractor named on the permit. It's a $79/month subscription. Oregon's data broker l”
“I've been working for a local contractor for about 5 years with a focus on flooring and finish trim work. Thinking I could be making more money working for myself. I'm Looking to hear from people who have done it and been atleast somewhat successful with it, or people who have tried it and not had it work out for them. What would you recommend having before you get started? What would you recommend doing/not doing? How did get your name out there and stay booked consistently? Appreciate”
“I’m a dog groomer in Georgia. I make decent money and actually like my job, but I want to build something that could eventually give my husband and me more financial freedom. Neither of us has a degree yet, and he’s still figuring out what direction he wants to take with his career. I also groom dogs out of my home, which brings in some extra income. But I’m trying to figure out how to build something that can provide lasting income and grow beyond how many hours I personally work. I understand”
“Few months late, but a great comment. I have a couple of existing businesses and another one in development with a fully formed idea. I'm working concurrently on them all which I simply never could have done before - and that is letting me focus on the hard part: finding customers and selling to them! [re: How are people actually turning AI into real business right now?]”
“Context: I registered an LLC because my condo building had some maintenance needs, something pretty minimal that takes me 4 to 5 hours a month. For now is my only client and most of the time I can manage it myself. When I find another client I’m not going to be able to fully service it myself and I will need help. Should I paid this said person hourly and basically let them do the full work? When do you know you can afford to have a full time employee? Thank you! Any suggestions, tip, advice or”
“I feel your pain! Just a note to say noones perfect. And this solopreneur journey will 100% have unexpected speed bumps. Stuff happens. A speed bump is not a road block, however. And if you lost money, you'll make more as time goes on. We get knocked down and get up again. 👍 💕 [re: my landing page was live 7 months before I ever checked it on a phone]”
“Appreciate your determination - not everyone has that. Were these independent or franchised businesses? If independent, it may be worth looking into franchising for the extra support. As an entrepreneur myself, I know I just needed someone to wind me up and tell me what needs to be done, because I could do it. But building independently doesn't give you that structure and can lead to energy wasting in the wrong places. You clearly have the drive and commitment to making it happen! Remember,”
“What kind of business are you thinking of starting? I imagine the level of risk would be quite different for someone testing a freelance service versus opening a physical shop. Might be worth looking at the specific risks involved before deciding on the structure. [re: Monday mentorship: ask anything | October 12, 2026]”
“That’s some great numbers! Mind if I ask which specific cities you’re doing this in? [re: Good old days 20-25% down cash flow positive]”
“pick the business based on who you can already reach, not the other way around. as a student that's other students, campus groups and your parents' friends, so find something they'd actually pay for and ask a handful of them before you build anything [re: Can you resell a brand with “build in public”content style?]”
“Can you? Yes. Should you verses a service that'll handle this for $50 a month? No. [re: Is it realistic of me to do my own payroll?]”
“I’ve been trying to create a solid business plan for a semi truck parking business. The biggest issue I’m having is obviously getting it off the ground. For context, I’m in my early 20s and work a bank job. I fucking hate working for people, it’s something I’ve never enjoyed and I always knew doing my own thing was the ultimate goal. I only have about $25k to my name, no debt and no expenses for now until I move out in about 6 months time. Through tons of ideas and plans that never got to see th”
“I did just call them today and was told that if you use your home address as your business location, your address will show up to anybody searching your sellers permit information through their website. submitted by /u/usernamesarehard223 [link] [comments]”
“makes sense, appreciate the detailed answer [re: How we helped scale a travel agency from $3,000 to $20,000 in monthly profits within 6 months]”
“Build a house cleaning service again [re: You have to start a remote business with nothing but a pc and an internet connection . What do you do?]”
“I’m sorry. I had to close a business due to rising rent costs. Find a new spot and. Notify coustomer base. Ave money and put a down payment on a permanent commercial space [re: Lease renewal, 70% increase for the next 5 years]”
“Hello, i've been humming and hawing about starting a small ex business. i am a full time firefighter and have such a passion for heavy equipment and this line of work. i have lots of seat time behind a skid and small excavators as i used to work for a small ex company. my biggest hurdle right now is a truck and trailer. i have done extensive research on what i need but i'm torn between the "buy once cry once" mentality and "the budget route". I will be renting equipme”
“Hi everyone, I need your advice. I have various different business ideas and I‘m just starting out. I was told the most important part is the insurance as if you make 10$ but damage something the cost could be thousands and thwarting the 10$, so it wouldn’t make sense to start at all with no insurance. Then I was told you don’t need an insurance but can just make one LLC for all the business ideas and that if something happens you‘re just liable with the invested capital (hence limited liability”
“Nobody here knows you, your old shop, or your new shop, the scale you’re working with (business? Pleasure??) or your budget range, so I’m not sure what you think you’re asking. [re: Pressure washer, vacuum, air hose.]”
“Phew, the last three or so months have been a massive learning experience. Some good, some bad. Hopefully others can learn from my mistakes. An older gentleman I was acquainted with approached me about selling his business and retiring. I jumped on the opportunity because I have always wanted to own my own business. I quit my job and went to work with him full time. The business has been around 60 years, I put a lot of stock into that number and assumed that meant it was a well ran and profitabl”
“Door hangers and flyers have an incredibly low success rate. It’s under 1%. A business like that is definitely a door to door sell. But it’s also a thing where many of your potential clients already have someone doing their lawn and don’t have much incentive to switch. Get your first customers by offering free service, going after your network (friends’ parents, family, neighbors). Use your story and your pros as your selling points. So, you need to find your value proposition. Why would I want”
“Flyers that detail your services. Knock doors in nice neighborhoods and leave a professional door hanger if they don't answer. Include any service you can do and rent/borrow equipment by the day if you don't already have it until you can buy it. Schedule those services for the same day. Add a QR code to request services easier. Link it to a simple website with a landing page and use a form to collect their contact info. [re: Lawn mowing business]”
“If you don’t mind, can you post/dm the price/term sheet or an example [re: What is the first step when trying to start my own consultant business?]”
“Commercial work runs on relationships with property managers, and those belong to the current owner, not the business. Buy it, he leaves, and the contracts walk out with him With no trade background you'll also depend entirely on your lead tech. If he quits in month three you own a van and a phone number Structure the deal so the seller stays a year and part of the price is tied to retained accounts [re: Leaving tech in ~2 years to own an HVAC business]”
“Honestly I'd pause the Facebook ads for a bit. Payroll and HR is a trust purchase, so pick 30 small companies near you and call the owner or HR person directly. WhatsApp cold gets seenzoned because there's no reason to reply. Do that for two weeks and you'll learn what people actually say before you spend on ads again. [re: Working at a saas company but cannot close sales]”
“I’m thinking of purchasing a dry cleaner business in NYC Manhattan which is the center of the business world. This business has been open for 40 years and seller wants to retire. There’s a 10 year lease in place. 325k purchase price, 150k cash flow (SDE) I have no experience with the dry cleaning business but think I can pick it up quickly with seller training. I expect to work long hours that’s fine with me it’s just that I don’t want to be walking into something that is impossible to do. I kno”
That sounds practical and I would like to do that. I am not IT professional and have little knowledge of these types of matters and in learning every day. Could you walk…
“Any advice is appreciated I need to know everything from scratch because I want to get this show on the road from square 1 with just a high school diploma currently I obviously need a business degree but after that what are the steps needed after having a business degree ? submitted by /u/Rude_Vanilla9565 [link] [comments]”
“Currently own a mobile detailing business in Beverly Hills, California. I work around 3 days a week and make roughly $100k a year after taxes, so financially I'm doing okay. However, I'm ready for a completely different direction in life. I've spent the last couple of years trying to find someone to take over the business, but between the hands on nature of detailing and my high end clientele, I haven't been able to make that happen. Honestly, I'm tired of washing cars and do”
“How many of you have ever needed extra capital to grow your business, take on a larger project, purchase equipment, or just bridge a cash flow gap? I’m curious how common this actually is, especially for businesses that are doing well but don’t necessarily have the cash available when they need it. Have you ever looked into business financing, or do you typically just work with what you’ve got? submitted by /u/Independent_Rise_562 [link] [comments]”
“Pros: you have unlimited upside if you're willing to go get it. I don't think that "being your own boss" is nearly as big of a benefit as people think. If you're a good business owner, you'll be far, far harder on yourself than any boss would be. The thing I like most is that when I wake up in the morning, I have the authority and resources to make what I want to happen, happen. Probably one of the only remaining ways to be truly financially independent and "free&q”