Business Name: Sedona Janitorial Services, LLC
Website URL: www.sedonajanitorialservices.
Email Address: info@sedonajanitorialservices.
Year Founded: 2008
Number of Employees: 3
What does your company do?: Sedona Janitorial Services provides commercial cleanings in Northern Arizona. The primary industry in Northern Arizona is tourism. Our company’s primary contracts are with restaurants, who serve the tourists visiting Sedona and the Grand Canyon. We also clean for attorneys,several real estate related companies, and the insurance industry.
Was there a specific turning point when you realized your business was moving to the next level?: We started Sedona Janitorial Services after Donna needed work away from the tourist industry and we were looking for something that would allow us some freedom, as we knew we wanted to start a family. During the first few years, the company remained small with just a few accounts, mainly to provide us with extra income. The turning point came when I was injured during my day job as a police officer. After a year of rehab on my back, two separate doctors refused to release me back to work without restrictions. I was then medically retired. I have worked in government my entire adult life and I knew that I needed help to transition to the private industry. I contacted Dr. Benjamin Tanner at Antimicrobial Test Labs, who also happens to be my brother and a true entrepreneur. Dr. Tanner flew out to Arizona and showed me how to approach customers and initiate sales. This was the catalyst for our current growth.
What processes or procedures have you implemented that have helped grow your company?:
I have found that in the janitorial industry, supervision is key. Sedona Janitorial Services provides leadership training for our managers and each job is physically checked for quality.
What is most rewarding about running your business?: Sedona Janitorial Services has had an outpouring of support from our customers. We have been told several times that we are the best janitorial service available. The work is hard, requiring strange hours, but at the end of each job, we can look around and be proud of the work we have done.
What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?: The transition from government to private industry was brutal. The private industry moves quickly and efficiently. Those who do not perform well need to be replaced.
If you were starting over today, what would you do differently?: I would hire employees at the beginning and would not have feared doing sales.
What advice do you have for other business owners?: I would advise other owners to reach out to the other entrepreneurs for nothing more than networking. You never know when it’s going to pay off.
Please list any favorite books, tools or resources (software, website, etc.) you would recommend for others: Mike Rowe’s Work Smarter and Harder
“The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur” by Mike Michalowicz
What is something that people might be surprised to learn about you?: At our house, we have 3 dogs, one cat, one rabbit, 3 chickens, and a toddler who is much more destructive than all the pets put together.
