egular listeners of Acquiring Minds will have heard stories where a new business owner had to fill in and do the work that front-line employees typically do.

The entrepreneur had to drive the truck or make the deliveries or paint the walls themselves.

It's the ultimate working in the business, literally doing the work of the crews.

But I'm not sure I've had a guest top today's 2 guests:

George Tibil and Keith Fields bought a commercial cleaning business, and during their transition they went out with their crews overnight to clean offices.

And they did it for months.

George Tibil, Keith Fields, and the ServiceMaster Clean Buffalo team
George, Keith, and the team in Buffalo

Now they bought a small business, with about $380k of SDE. Maybe if they'd bought bigger they could have avoided this outcome.

But they wanted to get in the game.

And, as it turns out, they don't regret those nights anyway.

On the contrary, that investment will pay off in myriad ways. "I wouldn't change a thing," says Keith.

You'll hear why both he and George treasure having worked the nightshift for months as cleaners in their newly-acquired business.

We also discuss:

  • Buying into a franchise system, and what they liked about theirs
  • How they course-corrected a blue collar business in decline
  • Communicating with a low-paid, immigrant workforce
  • The value of going on this journey together
  • and much more...

When George & Keith bought their ServiceMaster Clean territory last October, revenue was slipping fast, from $1.5m down to $1.1m in a matter of months.

But nine months into their ownership, and revenue is up to $1.8m — and they're just getting started.

Please enjoy this interview with George Tibil and Keith Fields, owners of ServiceMaster Clean in Buffalo, New York.