Faith Is Forged in the Valley

Let me talk to y’all—not from the mountaintop, but from the middle of the climb.

Right now, as I write this, I’m living what I’m about to share. Building a business. Facing tough decisions. Managing tight cash flow. All while staying grounded in purpose. And still—I’ve got peace. Because I know God’s got me. He always has.

That’s something a lot of entrepreneurs in the cleaning industry can relate to but don’t often speak on. You’re out here pushing hard, landing contracts, growing your team—and yet there are still moments when you look at your bank account and wonder how you’re going to make payroll. You know the work is solid. You know the money’s coming in. But one unplanned expense? It could throw everything off. That’s a scary place to be.

But growth doesn’t happen on the mountaintop. It happens in the valley. That’s where your mindset gets sharpened and your leadership gets tested. You learn how to move with clarity—not panic. You learn how to make each decision count.

When I started Southern Royalty Cleaning Service, I thought my hustle would carry the whole business. Like many new commercial cleaning business owners, I figured I could learn it all, do it all, fix it all myself. I made the mistake of operating off a false budget—counting dollars but ignoring my own time and energy. That right there is a trap. Because when you don’t count your own time, you hesitate to invest in help. And when you hesitate to delegate, you stunt your growth.

That’s one of the biggest lessons I had to learn. If you’re asking yourself, “Should I hire help for my cleaning business?”—you probably already know the answer. But you’ve got to step back and look at your real numbers. How many hours are you working? How many accounts are you managing? Are you spending time growing your business—or just surviving inside of it?

Sometimes the smartest move is investing in systems or people even when it feels uncomfortable. Not because you’re trying to look like a bigger company—but because you’re planning to become one.

But here’s the part folks overlook: when you're unsure what step to take, the best thing you can do is pause. Stop reacting and start evaluating. Waiting time is not wasted time—it’s preparation time. That’s where the clarity lives. That’s where your next move starts to make sense.

All while going through that, I kept building. We kept cleaning offices, post-construction sites, event spaces—showing up day after day in Virginia Beach and beyond. But Southern Royalty Cleaning Service has never been about just cleaning buildings. It’s about setting a standard. Showing up with consistency. Leading with excellence. That’s what separates a professional cleaning service from someone just trying to get by.

I don’t just want our clients to walk into a clean space—I want them to feel our values in the room. Order. Honor. Intentionality. And I want other business owners to feel empowered to lead their companies the same way.

So if you’re out there wondering, “How do I grow a cleaning business when I’m barely getting by?” know this—you're not alone. I’ve been there. I’m still in it. But if your intentions are real, if your work is honest, and if your drive is bigger than your fear, you’ll make it. Don’t let the tight seasons trick you into thinking you're not built for this. This season isn’t the end—it’s the build-up.

Stay grounded. Stay focused. And don’t ever underestimate what’s being prepared for you right now—while you wait, while you work, while you build.