We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful CRYSTAL HUGHEY. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with CRYSTAL below.
CRYSTAL, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
How did you develop your confidence and self-esteem?
Neither confidence nor positive self-esteem came easy to me. As child number 3 of 4, I was introverted and awkward growing up. My head was always in the clouds. As an adult, I had many old bosses who would try and pull me back to the ground. They were not necessarily fans of my sunny disposition. I remember a conversation I had with one of my old bosses. I had outlined a particular project and the potential objectives along with multiple contingency plans. The project was a huge undertaking, but I was confident that we would get through it and have a positive outcome. I excitedly laid out the plan to him, outlined my requested resources, and could barely contain my excitement about the upcoming deadlines. When I finally paused and took a breath, I noticed that his body language was not mirroring my enthusiasm, so I stopped talking. He looked at me for a minute or two. He sat back in his chair, shook his head, and said “In what world are you living?” Puzzled, I said, “The world which I create.” He frowned. He said these types of projects are always disastrous so why would I expect anything other than that? I think I sat there in stunned silence for a few minutes. That’s when I knew it was time for me to go back to my own company.
In my own company, I could create a culture, an atmosphere, where we tackled issues differently. I have confidence now, not because everything goes right. I have confidence because I know that no matter what, we are going to keep moving towards a positive outcome. A part of the business is tackling issues and oopsies that occur. It is not a matter of IF something goes wrong, it is WHEN. I have the confidence and the experience to know that we will keep working through it. We will develop processes and increase training to better navigate the negativities that occur when operating a business. My team is a virtual think tank of problem-solving possibilities. I also have other amazing entrepreneurs within my inner circle. We problem-solve, strengthen, and support each other. Instead of surrounding myself with nay-sayers, I have a peer group of Yay-sayers.
Confidence is defined as a self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s abilities or qualities. For most of my life, I have not had any of that. When I first started the business in 1997, I exhibited confidence because it was better than the alternative. But inside, I was unsure of myself. Over the years, I have read a lot of books, attended a bunch of seminars, and completed dozens of online classes in search of internal confidence and self-esteem. But inside, I was mostly jelly and self-doubt. I think I have always, in my adult life, seemed confident on the outside because I’m competitive. I will always prefer to ‘look’ like I know what I’m doing even when I have no clue. Nowadays, I understand that trying different avenues is my way to problem solve and puzzle things out. I appreciate my process. My self-esteem is rooted in the fact that I will not give up. I will always keep pursuing my dreams.
I used to get angry because people didn’t recognize me as the boss. They would walk past me or talk over me to get to my husband. I remember many times when I would visually see a person dismiss me in their head and go talk to someone else who they felt was more important. I would get so upset it would ruin my whole day. My internal fears would spiral out of control. I remember feeling frustrated and defeated if someone ‘did not see me as the boss’. Now I realize that the root of the problem was that I didn’t see myself as the boss. People were reacting to the subconscious vibe that I wrapped myself in back then. They could sense the uncertainty and lack of confidence. I was angry with them but underneath, I was angry with myself.
One day I had an epiphany. I was watching an episode of Undercover Boss, and I finally realized this truth. I am the boss. On Undercover Boss, the “Boss” secretly works in disguise alongside their employees. The employees treat the “Boss” like any new employee and the Boss’s real job title isn’t revealed until the end. Watching the show made me realize that it does not matter if someone else sees me as the “Boss”. I am the boss. I know what I am capable of and how I can help make effective changes. Once I understood that ‘I am the boss’ and it was not a mistake, error, or oversight, my leadership style changed. I am the boss even when other people (clients, workers, vendors) don’t know it. I am the boss even when I don’t feel like it. I am the boss and as such, I can positively create a wonderful work environment, amazing service for our customers, and a helpful hand to our community. I am the boss whether or not I feel confident in my abilities.
Being confident means you may not have all the answers, but you know how to find them. Being confident means that when you make mistakes you will correct them with accuracy, transparency, and positive progress. Being confident means that I am not flawless, and I do not have to be. My mistakes make me relatable. I use flaws and missteps as an opportunity to grow. Increased self-esteem happens when you realize it is ok not to be a perfectionist. My style of leadership is somewhat different than my husband’s and that’s ok. My manager’s leadership styles are different than mine and that’s great.
Several years ago, I created the acronym PUSH—praying, understanding, surrounding, and having. All of things steps improve my confidence and self-esteem.
For me, prayer is the most important time of the day. I talk to God daily, ask for guidance, and listen to what He and Jesus have to say. Each day is full of choices and decisions. It is easy to become overwhelmed and burned out, so I pray and meditate for clarity. Sometimes I pray for a few minutes to start the day and sometimes I have specific quality time (15-30 minutes) set aside to be quiet, write, and meditate on how my day should flow. Taking time to answer questions such as: What are my top personal and business priorities today? Do I need to accomplish ‘tasks xyz’ myself or can I delegate? How do I set aside time for self-care: healthy meals, hydrating, exercising, etc.?
Understanding the schedule flow is next. I ask myself these questions and record the responses. What exactly do I need to do to move myself, my team, or my resources to our primary goals over the next day, week, month, 90 days, or year? In our company, we say, if it’s not on the schedule, it doesn’t happen, so we schedule everything. We naturally schedule jobs with our clients. We also schedule restocking buildings and individual totes. We schedule equipment drop-offs/pick-ups. We schedule specialty training and team touch bases. We schedule meetings, walk-throughs, follow-ups, etc. We like to get everyone’s to-do list out of their heads and into the digital schedule. This creates a consistent, well-communicated, work-flow.
Surrounding myself with energetic, positive, hard-working, life-loving, joy-increasing people is key. During initial interviews, we ask prospective employees a key question. Do you love to clean? The answer is crucial to their success with us. People should love or at least strongly like cleaning when working with us. Otherwise, dirty apartments will seem taxing, detail cleaning at a property will seem like a waste of time, and nook and cranny cleaning in our buildings will seem like overkill. Work can be hard, so we want to create an environment of mutual respect and appreciation. Likewise, we surround ourselves with like-minded entrepreneurs. People who love running a business. They work hard to provide 5-star service. Problems are just an opportunity to learn. Our network of entrepreneurs helps us source projects, tackle bid questions, navigate administrative issues, and create opportunities to grow.
Having key metrics is vital for success. I love creating SMART goals. I talk about them frequently because they work. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Example? A goal is – I want to finish my article for Voyage’s Bold Journey. A SMART goal is – I set aside Apr 8th, 10 am – 5 pm, to write 1000+ words and finish the content material needed to submit the Voyage’s Bold Journey article by Apr 10th end of day. I have used SMART goals for over a decade, and they work extremely well.
Intentionally take action to sustain or increase your confidence and self-esteem. Take steps to celebrate the characteristics, skills, education, and fortitude you already have. Use SMART goals to move towards any areas of opportunity. Confidence and positive self-esteem start with a choice so you must understand that You Are the Boss.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am the founder of Corporate Cleaning Inc. created in 1997 as a way to stay home with our 1st grader. I have been married for 37 years and run the business with my husband aka my best friend. Corporate Cleaning is a premier commercial and construction cleaning company providing services within Central Ohio. Corporate Cleaning is MBE/EDGE Certified as well as BBB Accredited. Earning many achievements over the years, Corporate Cleaning has remained on Columbus Business First’s Top 50 Minority Businesses since 2014. We have appeared in articles in Columbus Business First in 2018, 2019, 2020, & 2022. Corporate Cleaning is a 2021 Central Ohio BBB Torch Award winner – Customer Service and a 2020/2022 graduate of ISSA GBAC Microbial certification program. Corporate Cleaning lives by the tagline- It’s not just clean, it’s Corporate Clean!
Our exciting news? I love sharing new content with our Corporate Cleaning team. Last year, we participated in Jobs for the Future and Talespin software’s immersive learning collaboration with Meta. Our team, over 7-8 months, was able to use VR technology to learn interpersonal skills such as: communicating succinctly, actively listening, managing emotions and self-regulation, giving positive feedback, and more. The Oculus Quest 2 headsets used advanced virtual human animations, conversational interactions, and voice input. Talespin’s content delivered a level of quality and user engagement beyond what is typically possible through role-play or remote learning solutions like e-learning and traditional video learning. The impact on our team has been phenomenal.
I am also thrilled to announce the 2024 launch of my new business Easy2Clean.org. If you’re just venturing into the commercial cleaning industry, our self-paced webinar program, The 5 Ps Program, is a roadmap to success. Each “P” represents a critical aspect that will shape your journey to success. The program teaches people how to establish a successful, long-lasting commercial cleaning company. It helps reduce the pain points of starting a new business.
The 5 Ps cover:
-Purpose: Uncover your ‘why’ and stand out from competitors.
-Plan: Strategize for long-lasting success.
-Pricing: Develop optimal pricing strategies.
-Product: Choose the right cleaning products wisely.
-Processes: Establish consistent and efficient operating procedures.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Be Flexible. There will be times when circumstances beyond your control change the whole trajectory of your business. Everyone remembers the recent pandemic, but they may not remember what they were doing in the Fall of 1999. My husband and I remember because our business was doing exceptionally well until it wasn’t. That year, 97% of our business was produced by one large commercial client. The property was sold in Aug 1999, but we were told that nothing would change. The new company continued our pricing, volume increased, and we were told that they had no desire to change things up. Unfortunately, that was just a ruse to keep us on board, and on November 1st, a few weeks before Thanksgiving, we were abruptly let go. We had no contract with them. We had no backup plan. We had no savings. What did we do? Ok, there might have been some tears from me for a good 24 hours but then we picked ourselves up, dusted off the cold calling script, asked around, stopped in on some new companies, and found enough business to make it through the winter. It was lean, but we made it. After that, we diversified our customer portfolio so that we have a variety of commercial and construction clients. At the time, we only knew how to clean vacant homes, but we acclimated to new cleaning styles quickly.
Ask for Help. In 2014, we started receiving emails, texts, and phone calls congratulating us for being on the Top 50 Minority Business list with Columbus Business First. We originally thought they were scam calls, and it took several days before we realized the calls were legit. Shortly afterward, we subscribed to the Biz Journals and could not believe we made the list. We were and still are honored. The Biz Journal business list made me think. If this is what happened unintentionally, what can happen if we are more intentional? We started attending networking events and educational opportunities relevant to businesses and cleaning. We discovered that we could require things such as -running water, working electricity, absence of living pests, etc. as part of our terms and conditions. Up until then, we thought we had to work under whatever conditions were available. It is difficult, but not impossible, to clean a unit without running water. Our current contracts list running water under our terms and conditions. Each year, we set educational goals for ourselves and our team members. Even if we do not need a particular resource, we usually come in contact with someone who does. Being a great resource is an excellent networking and relationship-building tool.
Dream Bigger
Dreaming bigger keeps us moving forward. It helps us stay relevant. There was a time when we thought paying a starting wage of $15/hr., providing health/dental/vision insurance, providing PTO and a paid holiday was impossible to reach but we’ve done it. It took longer than we expected but we made it. So now the dream is to have either a group-paid week off (the week between Christmas and New Year’s) or a weekend trip for the team and their families in Hocking Hills. We are not yet sure how to do that, but we are working towards the mark. In 2017, our employee turnover was 72%. Now our turnover is under 15%. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
There are actually three.
In 2017, I read Traction by Gino Wickman. The knowledge from the book transformed our business lives. In the book, we learned that all entrepreneurs and business leaders face similar frustrations—personnel conflict, profit woes, and inadequate growth. Decisions never seem to be made, or once made, fail to be properly implemented. In Traction, we learned the secrets of strengthening the six key components of our business. The book describes it as getting everyone, in the boat, rowing in the same direction.
In 2018, I read The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly. The book uses a fictional cleaning company to tackle real problems like high turnover and low morale. The managers begin to investigate what drives the employees. They discover the key to motivation isn’t necessarily the promise of a bigger paycheck or title, but rather the fulfillment of crucial personal dreams. They also learned that people at every level need to be offered specific kinds of help and encouragement — or our dreams will forever remain just dreams as we grow dissatisfied with our lives and jobs. From then on, we have invested in financial planning, fitness challenges, personal growth, and entrepreneurial investment.
Somewhere between these two books, I read E-Myth: Why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it by Michael Gerber. Gerber walks you through the steps in the life of a business—from entrepreneurial infancy through adolescent growing pains to the mature entrepreneurial perspective. He shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business, whether or not it is a franchise. Most importantly, he draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business. 95% of my day-to-day used to be in the business. Now I work 95% of my day on the business. It’s wonderful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.easy2clean.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/easy2clean.org.usa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090379188421
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/87003353/admin/feed/posts/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CCI_Cleaning
- Other: I work on both businesses so I can share links to both. https://www.corporatecleaning.us/ https://www.facebook.com/CCIcleaning/
Image Credits
I bought the images from Unsplash. They are on my Easy2Clean website but I can also provide pictures from my Corporate Cleaning team. Just let me know what works best. Thanks.
