Absolutely. I’m in the residential cleaning industry, and I would encourage the next generation to consider it, especially because I think people underestimate where a career in this industry can lead.
I have two daughters, and I’ve tossed the idea of taking over the business into their laps more than once. Right now, I don’t necessarily see either of them heading that direction, but they’re still figuring out what they want to be when they grow up, so who knows!
What I want them to understand is that this industry gave me much more than a job. It gave me the opportunity to build something that eventually didn’t require me to be in daily operations. I’ve been out of the day-to-day for over two years now, and my role has shifted much more toward developing leaders and helping other women grow.
And if my daughters ultimately want nothing to do with it? That’s okay too. I’m not opposed to eventually hiring someone who can replace me as CEO and letting the company become part of my retirement plan.
To me, that’s one of the biggest opportunities in the trades and service industries: you can learn the work, but you can also build something much bigger than the work itself.
