Podcast Summary: The Side Hustle Show | Episode 438: Listener Success Story: From Idea to 6-Figure Side Hustle (Greatest Hits)

Release Date: May 8, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 438 of The Side Hustle Show, host Nick Loper revisits a compelling listener success story featuring Anthony and Janilka Hartzog. Originally recorded in 2021, this episode is part of the "Greatest Hits" collection and includes a special "time travel" segment that provides an update on the Hartzogs' journey since their initial broadcast. With a mission to eliminate six figures of debt, Anthony and Janilka transformed their financial landscape by launching a thriving side hustle while maintaining their full-time jobs.

Meet Anthony and Janilka Hartzog

Anthony and Janilka Hartzog embarked on their financial freedom journey by following the Dave Ramsey debt snowball plan. Despite earning well from their day jobs, they realized budgeting alone wouldn’t suffice to eliminate their substantial debt. This epiphany led them to explore the income side of the equation, sparking the creation of multiple side hustles.

Chris Schwab (00:21): "A living, but your 5 to 9 makes you alive."

Launching MaidsToMatch.com

The Hartzogs diversified their income streams by taking on various side jobs, including gym secondments, car rentals on Turo, and dog sitting. Inspired by insights from Chris Schwab in episode 295, they ventured into the residential cleaning business, establishing MaidsToMatch.com.

Janilka Hartzog (02:29): "I came across one of your interviews where it was a kid, a guy that was making $10,000 a month in cleaning... At that time, we had never run a business before, so it was just kind of left field."

MaidsToMatch.com quickly gained traction, now generating $20,000 to $25,000 monthly with minimal direct involvement from Anthony and Janilka. They transitioned into full business owner mode, dedicating just a few hours weekly to oversee operations.

Building a Reliable Team

A critical aspect of their success was assembling a dependable team of contractors. The Hartzogs prioritized hiring cleaners before booking jobs to ensure they could meet client demands without personally handling cleaning tasks.

Janilka Hartzog (05:00): "We always say that we get the contractors first because we don't want to do the clean."

They employed various strategies to recruit cleaners, leveraging both free platforms like Facebook Groups, Craigslist, and Nextdoor, and paid services such as Yelp, Thumbtack, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter. Maintaining an ongoing recruitment process ensured a steady supply of contractors, crucial for scaling their business.

Effective Marketing Strategies

MaidsToMatch.com implemented a multifaceted marketing approach to attract clients. Their primary channels included:

1. Thumbtack: Their first booking originated from Thumbtack, albeit with initial challenges in lead costs and competition.

2. Nextdoor: Leveraging neighborhood networks, they engaged with local communities to secure recommendations and bookings.

3. SEO and Google Reviews: Investing in local SEO paid off over time, enabling them to rank on the first page for relevant keywords in the Dallas area. They also prioritized Google reviews over Yelp due to higher visibility and ease of acquisition.

Janilka Hartzog (19:15): "Our biggest one today is Yelp and SEO... SEO, search engine optimization, we've been cranking out leads from people just finding us organically on Google for three years now."

Their website featured a user-friendly booking system, allowing clients to specify details like the number of bedrooms and preferred cleaning frequency. Automated systems, powered by platforms like Launch27, streamlined the booking and contractor assignment process.

Pricing and Client Management

Transparency in pricing was pivotal. MaidsToMatch.com operated on a flat-rate pricing model, typically ranging from $25 to $35 per hour for contractors, ensuring fairness and simplicity for both clients and cleaners. This model prevented concerns about time-based billing and fostered trust.

Janilka Hartzog (09:09): "Yes, what we say is the rate kind of breaks down to even with the 60%, it ranges from about $25 to $35 an hour."

They established clear communication protocols to handle unexpected job complexities, allowing contractors to report discrepancies and adjust pricing accordingly. This flexibility maintained client satisfaction while preserving their revenue margins.

Overcoming Challenges

Early on, Anthony and Janilka faced hurdles such as unexpected tax obligations and initial reluctance to embrace SEO. They acknowledged the importance of:

• Hiring Professionals Early: Engaging an accountant to navigate tax requirements prevented costly surprises.

• Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Transitioning from manual booking processes to automated systems reduced their workload and increased efficiency.

Janilka Hartzog (30:41): "Hire someone early... Someone to look at the books for you. Probably something we would have done earlier."

Scaling the Business

With consistent revenue growth, MaidsToMatch.com aimed to scale their operations by increasing their contractor base and expanding marketing efforts. They set ambitious targets, aspiring to reach $40,000 monthly sales while currently sustaining between $20,000 to $25,000.

Additionally, they branched into education by launching Cleaning Business Masterclass, a platform designed to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs in replicating their success. This educational arm has grown to host over 2,000 students, collectively generating more than $18 million in their own cleaning ventures.

Janilka Hartzog (35:26): "We're really trying to scale the business... We want to continue to scale that and that. And that's our big focus."

Time Management and Automation

To balance their side hustle with full-time jobs and family life, Anthony and Janilka leveraged virtual assistants and automation tools. This strategy minimized their direct involvement while maintaining business operations. They emphasized the importance of problem-solving and delegating tasks to specialized team members.

Janilka Hartzog (27:49): "So we were just texting in a group chat like, hey, this is what we have. But now through the platform, we just sort of send a blast and whoever answers first would get the job."

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

In closing, Anthony and Janilka shared valuable insights for side hustlers:

1. Persistence: "Keep going, because you never know what's on the other side of that quitting factor." (36:32)

2. Flexibility and Passion: "Pick something that I think is flexible and maybe something that you're good at as well." (36:48)

Their journey underscores the significance of strategic planning, effective marketing, team building, and continuous adaptation in transforming a side hustle into a lucrative business.

Key Takeaways

• Build Strong Relationships: Establishing a reliable roster of contractors is essential for scaling service-based businesses.

• Prioritize Local SEO and Google Reviews: Investing in local search optimization and leveraging Google reviews can significantly enhance visibility and credibility.

• Automate and Delegate: Utilizing automation tools and hiring virtual assistants can streamline operations and free up time for strategic growth.

• Educate and Mentor: Sharing knowledge through educational platforms can create additional revenue streams and foster community growth.

Nick Loper (38:36): "If you can bake some sort of feedback loop like that into your process for a local business, I think you'll start to see some real positive results in Google which becomes self-perpetuating."

Conclusion

Anthony and Janilka Hartzog's success story is a testament to the power of perseverance, strategic marketing, and effective team management in building a six-figure side hustle. Their journey from debt elimination to establishing a thriving cleaning business offers actionable insights for entrepreneurs seeking financial freedom through side hustles.

For more detailed insights and resources mentioned in this episode, visit sidehustlenation.com/clean2.

This summary captures the essential discussions and insights from Episode 438 of The Side Hustle Show. For a comprehensive understanding, listening to the full episode is recommended.