How “Less” Made Us More Profitable, Efficient, and Happy

Oct 8
3 min read

By April Prothero

After 15 years running my Arizona cleaning company, 2024 brought a steep drop in demand. It was sink or swim—and I chose to reinvent.

When I first started Going GreenHouse, I thought teams of two were the gold standard for efficiency. Two sets of hands, half the time… right? Well, turns out, the math wasn’t mathing.

Our profits were razor thin. I was running a top-notch eco-friendly cleaning company with a team of amazing people, but at the end of the day, the numbers weren’t smiling back at me. Something had to change.

So, I tried something bold. Scary, even. We moved from teams of two to solo cleaners. And let me tell you...this was not just a little tweak. It was a full-on business glow-up.

Here’s what happened:

1. Profits went from slim to hefty.

Cutting teams down to one cleaner meant fewer payroll hours per job, tighter scheduling, and less idle time. Suddenly, our margins weren’t just surviving...they were thriving. I’m talking about “sleep-better-at-night” profits. (Though to be fair, I’m often still awake thinking about what marketing channel to reinvest them into… #entrepreneurlife.)

2. We gave our cleaners a 25% raise.

And they earned every penny. With solo jobs, each cleaner has full control of the work. No awkward “who’s doing what”moments. No time lost waiting for a partner to finish their section. The results? Faster, more consistent cleanings, and happy cleaners who are making more money for their time.

3. Waste went way down.

When one cleaner is responsible for the whole job, there’s no “oops, I brought an extra set of supplies we didn’t need” or overuse of products because two people grabbed the spray bottle. We’ve streamlined supplies, reduced waste, and cut costs on everything from microfiber cloths to mileage.

4. Accountability skyrocketed.

In a duo, it can be hard to tell who missed that dusty baseboard or left streaks on the mirror. With solo cleaning, there’s no question. Our team members own their work, start to finish.

This has built a culture of pride and responsibility—plus, our clients love knowing exactly who’s coming to their home each visit.

5. Clients are noticing the difference.

We’re hearing it over and over: “Everything just feels more thorough.” Solo cleaners work their own rhythm and know their own process, so they can deliver a spotless home without the distraction of coordinating with a teammate.

6. My stress levels dropped (mostly).

I’m no longer juggling complicated schedules to make sure two cleaners are free at the same time, in the same place, with the right supplies. And because our quality and profits are both up, I’m finally able to focus on growth instead of constant damage control. Now my late-night thoughts are less about “How do I fix this mess?” and more about “Which ad campaign gets my new marketing budget?”