Supportive Franchise Culture Powers Growth and Lasting Fulfillment
Tish Duarte has always had a passion for cleaning. Even as a kid, she’d scrub floors with her toy mop to the cheers of her family. Now a MaidPro franchisee, Duarte says cleaning is more than a task — it’s therapeutic. “After my 19-year marriage ended, I vacuumed every day to escape the uncertainty, gaining control of one thing — clean carpets,” she says. “That small act helped me push through a painful time.”
Duarte’s path to becoming a MaidPro franchise owner began through a former business partner who had transitioned his independent cleaning service into a MaidPro franchise. At the time, Duarte brought with her experience from selling insurance and running a promotional advertising company.
She became a partner in the business in 2014, drawn by the brand’s strong systems, technology and support. When her business partner moved on in 2020, Duarte continued leading the operation with the help of a dedicated team.
Today, that team has grown to 27 employees, and Duarte fosters a supportive workplace culture that encourages personal growth and flexibility — whether team members are juggling school, raising families or pursuing other goals.
To build a cohesive, positive culture, Duarte holds quarterly events such as paint nights, bowling and escape rooms, so everyone stays connected outside work. The brand’s Automate Motivate Rewards app recognizes Duarte’s employees for achievements such as length of service, capturing before-and-after photos or scoring well on client feedback. The points can be redeemed for gift cards and special experiences.
Communication is Everything
Free-flowing information among clients, employees and Duarte herself also fuels the business’s culture and success. “Our team meetings cover everything from product knowledge and customer communication to fun skills like toilet paper origami, which sparks creativity and delights clients. I encourage growth by giving employees ownership of their tasks. We survey them about what’s working and what’s not. We conduct one-on-one reviews every 90 days and discuss whether their hours work, if they’re happy, and any ideas they’d like to share. We review client comments, address challenges and align their roles with their lifestyle goals and our team’s mission.”
Making a Difference
That mission is making a difference for clients. “For a mom of five, we lift the cleaning burden so she has time to read bedtime stories or cheer at her kids’ soccer games. For someone with mobility challenges, we’re a lifeline, ensuring their home is safe and comfortable. For families dealing with asthma and dust allergies, our thorough, allergen-conscious cleaning helps them breathe easier and feel well. It’s about giving people their time back.”
The MaidPro franchise has made all of this personal and professional fulfillment possible, she says. “My experience has been nothing short of amazing. The support from day one has been a game changer — training; coaching calls directly with the co-founder, a cleaning genius who mentored me on surfaces and techniques; back-end resources; and a tight-knit community of owners. Without the encouragement, skills and knowledge from my peers, the road would have been much harder.”
Continued Growth
Duarte expanded her Temecula, Calif., territory in 2022 and always looks for direct and indirect paths to growth. She raised her brand visibility with her Cleaning Tips by Trish blog, “my inner clean geek’ playground that ties right back to MaidPro.” She’s also one of MaidPro’s 15 designated experts who answer cleaning questions for national magazines. “The bigger we get, the more people we can help, and the more we can do for our employees. Growth isn’t just numbers — it’s lives changed.” MaidPro, a Threshold Brands franchise, has opportunities available in the U.S. and Canada.
Learn more about the MaidPro franchise.
