Leading With Humility and Perseverance

Aneta Mistak’s career in the commercial cleaning industry started alongside a host of other new beginnings. At 18, Mistak was fresh out of high school when she emigrated from Poland to Chicago. She took English classes at a local community college while working full-time as a residential house cleaner and part-time as a frontline cleaner in an insurance office building. Her first big opportunity came when she applied for a commercial cleaning supervisor position.  

“As a young mother of two, I started supervising more than 40 commercial cleaning accounts, ensuring they were cleaned properly each night,” Mistak reflects. 

She was eventually promoted to Area Manager where she oversaw over 450 accounts before transitioning into other avenues. Throughout her career, Mistak says she intentionally sought out environments that would challenge her and expand her skills—from commercial facilities to healthcare, and later to aviation at O’Hare International Airport. Each role taught her something new, whether it was advanced cleaning protocols, managing union staff, or operating in high-risk, high-standard environments. 

“I carved out my space as a leader by being consistent, reliable, and willing to do the work alongside my team,” notes Mistak. “I focused on building trust, learning every aspect of operations, and continuously improving processes. I also invested in my education, earning a degree and certifications to strengthen both my technical and leadership skills.”  

While Mistak prefers to celebrate the team rather than herself, one of the proudest moments of her career is becoming the first woman to serve as director in her current role. It is not just about the title for her; it is about the opportunity to build a strong, dedicated team and create meaningful change.  

“Being in this position allows me to shape operations in a way that brings a positive, safe, and supportive environment to our schools every day, and that impact is what I value most,” Mistak shares. “This experience has taught me that my leadership is rooted in perseverance, hard work, and the ability to uplift others. It reinforced that I could lead effectively, build trust, and make a lasting difference—not by focusing on recognition, but by focusing on people and purpose.”  

Mistak believes women bring a unique and powerful skillset to the industry. She says women are often natural multitaskers, an ability that makes for great leaders where one manages operations, teams, and challenges simultaneously.  

“We are also highly adaptable and resilient,” she adds. “Women are often able to handle stress, navigate complex situations, and turn challenges into opportunities for growth. We tend to lead with empathy, communication, and collaboration, which helps build strong, motivated teams.”  

Mistak's advice to other women? Dream big but be willing to work quietly and consistently to get there. Success doesn’t happen overnight—it’s built through hard work, discipline, and self-motivation. Challenges are opportunities to learn and grow, she adds, while continuous learning is crucial.  

“Most importantly, believe in yourself,” Mistak says. “Work hard, support others along the way, and when you reach a position of leadership, lift others up with you.” 

Elisa Miller serves as an Assistant Editor for the commercial cleaning group—made up of Contracting Profits, Sanitary Maintenance, and Facility Cleaning Decisions magazines, and CleanLink.com. In addition to tackling articles that profile various industry experts in the above brands, Elisa also specializes in the nuances of cleaning for health for the HealthcareFacilitiesToday.com brand. An award-winning writer herself, Elisa works closely with contributing authors to create quality content that these brands are known for.
Elisa is a people person, which is why she's comfortable in front of the camera interviewing attendees at industry events on the latest trends. Those trends are also easy to identify as she remains the point person for product innovation submissions from top industry manufacturers.

Follow Elisa on LinkedIn here.

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