Starting a cleaning company from scratch has its merits and risks. As to merits, you do not have to concern yourself with a lot of the trappings of a real business so long as you keep things simple and low key. The risk is that the IRS or a local licensing body will find you and then there could be a serious price to pay in fines and possible litigation. Remember that when you operate as a sole proprietorship, you expose all your assets to a lawsuit if someone is injured or sues you for any reason.

Please give serious consideration to forming some type of corporate protection such as a Sub S corp or LLC (Limited Liability Corporation) that must have a license, insurance and valid working address. The monies you spend (or better stated, invest) becoming "legal" can pay for itself many times over if the worst happens.

Being a true "company" can also give you credibility if you decide to venture out and bid on larger opportunities. Your "image" as a real company that has a valid address, insurance, license, etc. can open doors. Not having such a legal presence can close doors and cause you to miss opportunities that may not come back for a while. In addition, it would not hurt to have a web site, news letter and business cards to lend credibility to your operation.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.


posted on 5/19/2015