Podcast Summary

Podcast: Action Academy | Millionaire Mentorship For Your Life & Business
Host: Brian Luebben
Episode: From $114K in Debt to a $2.8M Cleaning Empire (Without Cleaning a Single House!) w/ Anthony & Jhanilka Hartzog
Date: December 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features Anthony & Jhanilka Hartzog, a married couple who climbed out of $114,000 in debt and built a $2.8 million cleaning business—without ever cleaning a single house themselves. Their story is about rejecting the typical "hustle harder" grind, leveraging entrepreneurial thinking, and building systems to create a business that gave them freedom from their 9-to-5 jobs. The Hartzogs candidly share their journey from growing up in the Brooklyn projects to launching a service business in Dallas, providing actionable insights for anyone looking to replace their job with a cash-flowing business.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Humble Beginnings & Mindset Shift

• The Hartzogs grew up in Brooklyn’s public housing ("the projects"), with no family background in entrepreneurship.
• Quote:
  “We come from Brooklyn, New York, born and raised in the projects… There was no discussion of a business. We don't have any family members that own businesses...It was not a mindset that we had, which we eventually shifted, of course.” — Anthony, (00:24-10:11)
• The couple had successful corporate jobs but were burdened by debt, not initially recognizing it as a problem.

Timestamp Highlights:

• [00:18] – The Hartzogs’ background and where they started
• [01:56] – Their realization and decision to tackle $114K in debt

2. Tackling Debt—Together

• The pivot began with financial literacy and listening to Dave Ramsey’s podcast.
• Anthony initiated the debt-free journey after noticing how others with less income were becoming debt-free.
• They made a contract allowing them to balance paying off debt and still enjoying life—e.g., attending Beyoncé concerts and traveling.
• Quote:
  “Meeting each other in the middle was important. It made it fun. It made me still want to do it.” — Jhanilka, (04:46)

Timestamp Highlights:

• [03:01] – Jhanilka’s initial resistance and their practical approach
• [04:46] – How they navigated differing attitudes around money as a couple

3. From Employees to Entrepreneurs: The Cleaning Company Leap

• Their push to pay off debt quickly sparked the idea to boost their income through side hustles: dog-sitting on Rover, renting a car on Turo, counseling side jobs, and eventually starting a cleaning business.
• At the outset, neither had any ambition or family precedent for business. They deliberately structured the company so they never cleaned homes themselves.
• Inspiration came from observing service businesses and learning that you don't have to be the technician—you can be the entrepreneur coordinating the team.
• Quote:
  “We don't go out and do the cleaning, but we do own a cleaning company.” — Jhanilka, (00:56)

Timestamp Highlights:

• [08:27] – The mindset of earning more vs. only cutting expenses
• [09:46] – Starting their cleaning company as non-cleaners
• [11:12] – How seeing others lead businesses without domain expertise inspired them

4. Building a Business, Not a Job

• The Hartzogs intentionally designed the business to run without their direct labor, as both had demanding jobs and limited time.
• They partnered with independent cleaners and mom-and-pop shops—positioning the business as a connecting platform (like Uber or Airbnb).
• Early on, systems and automations were not in place, but constraint (limited time) forced them to outsource and delegate from day one.
• Quote:
  "Constraint actually equals cash flow....out of necessity, you guys had to build systems, you had to build processes..." — Brian, (15:39)

Timestamp Highlights:

• [14:07] – Structuring the business to work on, not in it
• [16:52] – The role constraints played in forcing system-building

5. Lessons from Failure & Growth

• Early mistakes included poor vetting/hiring, taking on bad-fit clients ("all money isn't good money"), and underestimating the need for robust processes.
• Retaining top talent is the biggest ongoing challenge. The couple learned to treat their contractors as partners, listen to their feedback, and offer bonuses and personal touches.
• Quote:
  “Treating them as people... goes a long way. It's so simple that people don't even think about that.” — Jhanilka, (22:20)

Timestamp Highlights:

• [18:08] – Mistakes made with hiring and onboarding
• [22:20] – Retention strategies and building a contractor-friendly culture

6. Raising Prices, Building Social Proof, and Scaling Up

• They positioned themselves as a premium brand, with higher prices justified by strong online reviews, background checks, guarantees, and seamless digital processes.
• Regular retargeting/emailing old leads (clients from years before) became a key growth lever—something they only optimized years into the business.
• Quote:
  “We have over 500 reviews and we have 4.8, 4.9 stars in a cleaning business… That branding and that social proof definitely sets us apart.” — Anthony, (26:17)

Timestamp Highlights:

• [25:24] – Why they go upmarket instead of competing on price
• [29:55] – Retargeting leads as a game-changing tactic

7. Delegation, Team, & Stepping Back

• As the company scaled, the Hartzogs realized the biggest bottleneck was themselves and their reluctance to delegate.
• Hiring an operations manager proved pivotal: “The very next month, we had our highest month in revenue at that time. That was like 60 plus thousand dollars.” — Anthony, (31:11)

Timestamp Highlights:

• [30:53] – Bringing on an operations manager and letting go as founders
• [33:11] – Focusing on owner-level work, automation, and SOPs

8. Unexpected Transitions: Layoffs & Leveraging Options

• Jhanilka was laid off three weeks after giving birth to their second child. Because of the business, it didn’t throw their finances or family into chaos.
• Building a "million-dollar side hustle" before leaving 9-to-5 gave them leverage and security—and eliminated desperation.
• Quote:
  “You have a little pep in your step when the entrepreneurial side... is supplemental to me.” — Jhanilka, (37:13)
• They do not pressure students to immediately quit jobs after starting a business; instead, they advocate for "options" and smart transitions.

Timestamp Highlights:

• [34:24] – Jhanilka’s layoff and real-world resilience
• [37:13] – The power of building outside income before you "need" it
• [38:10] – Their advice to students about quitting (or not quitting) their jobs

9. Final Advice & Mindset

• The Hartzogs encourage listeners to simply start, even before you feel 100% ready.
• Quote:
  “It’s never going to be a perfect time... The worst thing that happens is you lose your job and you’ve got nothing to fall back on. You start from scratch. So you got an idea. Just start it, start talking about it, start sharing it, start posting it, and you never know where you’re going to end up.” — Anthony, (42:28)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “More hard work does not equal more money. And it was all about that scale and that process.” — Brian, (16:52)
• “We’re here to tell you to have options!” — Jhanilka, (37:13)
• "We never tell anyone things we haven't done or experienced. We had a million-dollar side hustle while we had the nine-to-five." — Anthony, (38:10)
• "Constraint actually equals cash flow.” — Brian, (15:39)
• “You might end up on the Action Academy podcast.” — Anthony, (42:54)

Where to Find Anthony & Jhanilka

• Coaching/Training: cleaningbusinessuniversity.com
• Social Media:
  • @thehartrimony (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube)
  • “More Than a Side Hustle” Podcast

Conclusion

Anthony & Jhanilka’s journey demonstrates that you don’t need a trust fund, family business, or grueling years cleaning houses to build massive wealth and freedom. With the right mindset, a partnership approach, and insistence on systems, almost anyone can replicate their path. Their story—infused with heart, humor, and hard-won lessons—is a practical playbook for any high-achiever itching to quit the rat race.

[Replay or connect with the Hartzogs via cleaningbusinessuniversity.com or @thehartrimony]