Numbers Don’t Lie: Financial Clarity for Cleaning Business Owners
The #1 Reason Cleaning Business Owners Struggle with Money
Money is emotional. And for many residential cleaning business owners, it’s also confusing, overwhelming, and let’s be honest - a little embarrassing. But in Season 5 of the Five Door Media Podcast, we’re pulling back the curtain and talking real numbers, real fears, and the financial habits that separate successful companies from those stuck in survival mode.
This week, we sat down with Liz Trotter, a straight-talking financial strategist, industry veteran, and founder of Core Profit Builders. Liz is known for helping cleaning business owners get clear on their numbers and rebuild their confidence in the financial side of the business. And she didn’t hold back.
Here are the highlights from our conversation with Liz:
1. Most Cleaning Business Owners Aren’t Bad at Finances, They’re Just Scared of Them
When Liz first meets with new clients, she starts with three simple questions:
What’s your monthly revenue?
What’s your payroll percentage?
What’s your client attrition rate?
If they can’t answer all three, she has them start tracking their numbers daily. Why? Because most cleaning owners didn’t go into business with a financial background. They started cleaning houses. That transition from technician to CEO? It doesn’t come with a financial playbook.
But not knowing your numbers is costing you. As Liz puts it: If you don’t know what the problem is, you can’t fix it.
2. Your Million-Dollar Cleaning Company Might Still Be Broke
One of the biggest mindset traps Liz sees is business owners assuming high revenue equals success. But many "million-dollar" companies are still barely making payroll. Why? Because revenue is vanity. Profit is sanity.
Social media doesn't help. It’s filled with highlight reels that make everyone else look wildly profitable. But most of the owners who look like they’re crushing it are still trying to figure it out, just like you.
Financial transparency starts with honesty (with yourself and your team).
3. Stop Guessing. Start Diagnosing.
Liz coaches her clients to analyze numbers, not just report them. It’s not enough to say, "My revenue is down this month." You need to ask why.
Accountability in your business isn’t about finger-pointing. It’s about being curious. What number dropped? Why did it drop? What do we try next? Owners who stay stuck are often the ones avoiding these conversations, especially the hard ones.
And for the record: talking about your finances isn’t shameful. It’s smart.
4. Scarcity Mindset Is the Silent Killer of Growth
"If I raise my prices, everyone will quit."
"If I hire help, I won’t have enough left."
"If I spend money on marketing, we’ll go under."
Sound familiar? That's a scarcity mindset talking. Liz sees it all the time. When business owners are afraid of not having enough, they start hoarding: money, decisions, responsibilities. But the truth is, growth is about letting go.
You can’t scale your business without spending money. And you can’t grow revenue if you’re afraid to charge what you're worth.
5. Data Builds Confidence. Confidence Builds Growth.
The goal of financial clarity isn’t perfection. It’s confidence. When you know your numbers, you can make decisions faster. You can lead better. You can scale more strategically.
Liz says the most accountable business owners are the ones asking the most questions. They’re not scared to admit they missed a goal. They want input. They want ideas. And they’re willing to get honest about what needs to change.
So if you’re not sure where to start? Start with the numbers. And if you’re still stuck, ask for help, even if that means uploading your P&L to ChatGPT.
Final Thought:
If your cleaning business is making money but you're still not sleeping well at night, this episode is your wake-up call. You don’t need more hustle. You need better clarity.
Watch the full conversation with Liz Trotter to learn how to get back in the driver’s seat of your business finances and start building a company that works for you!
