We recently had the chance to connect with Lora Ladd and have shared our conversation below.
Lora, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
A lot of people think my business is bigger than it is. Because of my graphic design experience, I’ve been able to DIY so much by designing my own packaging, website, and overall branding. It’s just me, wearing all of the hats right now.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My original trade is graphic design. I actually lost my graphic design job during the 2008 recession (as a newbie out of college at the time). This is how I got into house cleaning. Jobless, I became displaced from the city I lived in and love (Portland, OR) and moved back in with my parents….a small town that’s 1-1/2 hours away. After 6 months of falling into a deep depression, I knew I had to get back on my feet and return to Portland.
So I got any job I could find in Portland. I drove 1-1/2 hours (almost-daily) to work for a cleaning business named ’The Other Woman’ (I know, every feminist bone in me today cringes at the name, the sexism, and everything in between). That job didn’t last long…between the differences in values and pay. So I started my own business and got my first clients on MySpace and Craigslist. I did everything from organization, cleaning, and personal assistance. It was the Task Rabbit/Amazon delivery/Uber of services before their time.
Long story short, the cleaning part of my services really took off. I built systems + trainings and scaled it up. I ran that cleaning service and employed many people for 15 years before pivoting in 2023. I closed the cleaning service, due to long term struggles with staffing during the pandemic.
This brings me to today: I now sell eco friendly refillable cleaning products. It’s been a wild journey, these past 2-3 years. I’m back to being a teeny-tiny-small-business-solo-founder. It’s been devastating to see the collapse of my other business model (and income). Equally it’s been exciting to learn an entirely different industry and begin to grow a CPG brand. I literally ship every order from my basement and my fiancé’s family helps support the bills. Because of my experience of 15 years in running a successful cleaning service, I realize there IS a recipe for success. It’s built bit-by-bit with patience, consistency, and being open to trying new things.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My late father really empowered me to use my voice. I grew up with a stutter and felt a lot of shame and insecurities with initiating conversations. I remember when I was 8, I wanted to sign up for gymnastics and I wanted him to do the speaking for me.
My father then said to me: “if you want anything in life, nobody is going to do it for you. You need to speak up for yourself”.
And ever since then? I have!
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There was a time where I did give up, but made a pivot in my business! Between 2021 – 2023 I was unable to find new employees during the pandemic. It was a city-wide issue with small businesses in my town, Portland, OR. I had an exceptional rate of pretty low turnover with employees in a service-industry based job. But normal turnover was met with the inability to hire. At the start of the pandemic, my team was 10 employees. As of 2023, it had dwindled down to 3.
I had to make a decision and was losing money in my business, FAST. I was exhausted and honestly, tired of the cycles that kept repeating in my business and wearing the HR hat + managing all of the other aspects in my business.
In the midst of all of this, I started developing an eco friendly refillable cleaning product line. I kept my business open and made a pivot to the CPG industry.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
It’s common for people to choose “stronger” chemicals because “they work better”. Cleaning with eco friendly products is just as effective with the right products, tools, and processes.
My mission is to help support the gap in cleaning education, by teaching people how to clean with non-toxic cleaning products, with effective cleaning methods.
The Tidy People is a cleaning brand that offers eco-friendly non-toxic cleaning products and digital products. It’s the FIRST cleaning product line that teaches people how to clean. These refillable cleaning products save the average household 30 plastic bottles from entering the landfill each year.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
When I’m operating from a place that comes natural to me. My gifts are creative writing, design, and formulating organizational systems.
I also love being a space where I feel room to breathe, think, and explore. Essential, I feel at peace in contemplation. I do this through visiting my local coffee shop and sitting down with an iced matcha and my journal. Or by traveling and exploring new places.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thetidypeople.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetidypeople
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loraladd
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetidypeople
Image Credits
Self
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