This season, we're sitting down with Curt Kempton, founder of ResponsiBid, a quoting and sales automation software that’s changing the way cleaning companies operate. Curt didn’t start as a software engineer. He started as a window cleaner. And it’s that boots-on-the-ground perspective that makes his insights so valuable. In this conversation, we unpack what he’s seeing across the home service industry, how AI is being adopted (and misused), and what separates companies that scale with tech from those that stall.

If you're a cleaning business owner trying to grow your client list, you've likely asked:

"Should I invest in Google Ads or Facebook Ads?"
"Which one brings in more paying customers and delivers the best return on my investment?"

The short answer is that both platforms can work, but they serve different purposes and support different business goals. This article will help you understand how each works and when to use them.

Welcome back to the Five Door Media blog, where we dive into lessons from our podcast conversations with leaders across the home service industry.

In this episode, we sat down with Martha Woodward, co-founder of QualityDriven Software, a platform built to help cleaning and service businesses track employee performance, reduce churn, and foster accountability. Martha’s story is equal parts grit and insight. She didn’t just study culture - she lived it, leading a cleaning business through chaotic beginnings, rebuilding after hard lessons, and eventually creating systems that gave her team clarity and her company stability.

If you’re a cleaning business owner, you’ve probably asked yourself this exact question: "Why does digital marketing cost what it costs? And exactly what makes it go up or down?"
In this blog, we’ll break down the top factors that can increase – or decrease – the cost of your digital marketing investment as a cleaning company. Our goal is to demystify this topic and help you feel more confident in evaluating quotes, proposals and performance.

Welcome back to the Five Door Media blog, where we unpack insights from our podcast conversations to help home service leaders thrive.

In this episode, we sat down with Lacie Nash, co-founder and CEO of Clean Squad, a near seven-figure residential and commercial cleaning company in Metro Detroit. Lacie’s story is as real as it gets: she and her business partner rebuilt Clean Squad from scratch during COVID after losing their entire team. With only $2,000, grit, and relentless consistency, they grew back stronger by prioritizing culture, trust, and leadership over shortcuts.

Many cleaning company owners try to handle their marketing on their own - after all, who knows the business better than you? Unfortunately, what starts as a cost-saving decision often turns into a hidden drain on time, energy, and profit.

In this blog, we’ll break down the hidden risks of DIY marketing for cleaning companies, why so many owners find themselves stuck in the same cycle, and how to know when it’s time to bring in professional help.

Welcome back to the Five Door Media blog, where we dig into the insights from our podcast guests to help home service leaders build healthier, stronger businesses.

In this episode, we sat down with Brandon Faust, co-founder and Executive Director of Wayfinders and partner at Switchback Leadership Development, to hear how he helps leaders and teams build a culture that’s simple, scalable, and sustainable. He showed us that the best cultures don’t need a 20-page handbook. They need simplicity, consistency, and a few key habits that everyone can understand and live out.

By all accounts, building a website should be easier than scrubbing baseboards. I mean, you’re not on your knees with a Magic Eraser. You’re just dragging boxes on a screen. How hard can it be?

Turns out, kind of hard.

At Five Door Media, cleaning companies often ask us: “Which is the best website builder for my business?” Let’s break it down — Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress — the three most common platforms.

In this episode of the Five Door Media Podcast, we welcomed Molly Moran; entrepreneur, coach, and culture architect. Her secret sauce? A vibrant blend of radical accountability and extreme appreciation. Molly built a high-performance team in an industry known for high turnover and burnout. But she didn't get there overnight. Here's how Molly turned culture from an abstract idea into a living, breathing system.

Welcome back to the Five Door Media blog! This time, we’re diving into one of the most foundational, and often least tangible, aspects of organizational success: company culture. We were thrilled to host Mark Demchak, long‑standing leader at the Miami County YMCA (Peru, Indiana), to explore how culture shapes business health, staff retention, and customer experience.

Rusty McCommas, owner of Evergreen Lawn & Landscape, stepped away from nearly two decades in corporate America to buy a lawn care company with one bold mission: build an employee-first business. Since acquiring Evergreen in 2018, Rusty’s culture-first philosophy helped transform the company from $1.8M in revenue into a projected $5.5M in 2025. How? By treating his team like the greatest assets they are.

From AI to short-form video and smarter websites, these are the trends reshaping how cleaning businesses win leads in 2025.

If you’re running a home service business — cleaning, lawn, HVAC, or anything in between — this one’s for you! Culture isn’t signifying it’s alive by the neon signs on your wall, it’s alive when your team actually shows up, stays, and brings their best. And nobody embodies that better than Linnsey Dolson, founder of Linnsey’s Cleaning. In our latest Five Door Media podcast episode, her culture-first leadership isn’t just inspiring, it’s executable.

Tired of answering the same questions about your cleaning service? This post shows how to turn those FAQs into marketing gold using the “They Ask, You Answer” approach.

Welcome to the Five Door Podcast Blog! This blog dives into season three’s theme: company culture in home service businesses. In this episode, Sam Gembel, founder of Atlas Outdoor, shares how a strong, people‑first culture propelled his landscaping company from humble beginnings to a multi‑million‑dollar operation built on values.

What is AEO and why does it matter for your cleaning company? Learn how to get found in Google’s AI-generated results and voice search with this simple guide.

The residential cleaning industry just got big news: MaidCentral is launching a major rebuild of its scheduling software, introducing a new platform called MaidCentral Pulse.

In a video announcement, MaidCentral founder Tom Stewart explained what’s ahead for the software giant.

Here’s what cleaning company owners need to know.

AI is changing the game for cleaners. Here are 7 real ways to use artificial intelligence to grow your business—without working harder.

Organic posts build trust. Paid ads build leads. Here’s how to use both for your cleaning business social strategy in 2025.

If your cleaning business isn’t showing up on Google, you’re missing leads. This post breaks down local SEO for cleaners—with 5 steps to win your market.