The Beautiful Mess of Building Serenade
Dear Serenade Family,
If you have a few quiet moments, grab a cup of tea, a warm coffee, or simply settle in with me for something a little different.
This is not our usual kind of message.
This is a real one.
And truthfully… I’m sharing this wherever it might land for the right people.
Because Serenade has never been just a cleaning company.
It’s something much more human than that.
Over the past five years, Serenade has grown from something deeply personal into something much bigger than I ever imagined.
Some of you know pieces of my story.
Some of you know that Serenade was born during one of the hardest seasons of my life.
After leaving a 20-year marriage, I found myself rebuilding from the ground up—not just emotionally, but practically—while raising seven children and trying to create something meaningful that could both support my family and serve our community.
I did not start Serenade to become wealthy.
I did not start Serenade to build a faceless company.
I started Serenade because I believe homes matter.
People matter.
Care matters.
And over the years, I’ve tried a lot.
Traditional business advice.
Marketing strategies.
Office space.
Systems that looked good on paper.
Even, at one point, an attempt at donation-based cleaning because I wanted care to be radically accessible.
Some things worked.
Many things didn’t.
And that’s okay.
That’s what building something real looks like.
So today, I want to do something more businesses should do:
I want to be transparent.
In 2025, Serenade brought in approximately $260,000 in gross revenue.
That may sound like a large number until you understand what actually happens behind the scenes.
For every dollar Serenade brings in, up to 42 percent goes directly to our cleaners through our commission-based pay structure.
The remaining portion supports the actual cost of operating a real business:
Workers compensation
Payroll taxes
Insurance
Licensing
Administrative support
Scheduling systems
Payment processing fees
Cleaning supplies and equipment
Training
Software and systems
Travel and logistics
Growth investments
Debt incurred while building the company
Community service work that is not externally funded
And ideally? A healthy business also creates sustainable profit so it can continue serving well long term.
That’s the honest goal.
The truth is, for much of these first five years, most of what wasn’t going directly back into our people has gone right back into learning, stabilizing, adjusting, and building something sustainable.
That’s entrepreneurship.
That’s local business.
That’s real life.
And speaking of people…
Right now, Serenade serves approximately 75 recurring homes with a remarkably small but mighty team.
In the field, that team includes:
Angela
Alecz
Ellona
Tymber
…and me.
And of course, our beloved Monica, who is currently on leave due to health concerns but remains deeply part of our Serenade family.
But Serenade’s heartbeat doesn’t only live in homes.
Many of you know Nica, who has been faithfully helping hold down scheduling, client communication, and so much of the invisible backend work that keeps things moving.
And more recently, many of you have also heard from Angela, who has been stepping beautifully into leadership—helping both in the field and in client relations while continuing to serve in homes.
This company runs because of visible and invisible humans giving their care, energy, and effort.
These are not anonymous workers behind a logo.
These are real people serving real people.
And I want you to know something important:
I do not bring people onto this team casually.
One of the hardest realities of this industry is turnover, understaffing, and pressure to constantly hire.
But I refuse to bring people into Serenade just to have them scramble, survive, or fight for scraps.
When someone joins Serenade, I want them to know they are stepping into something supportive.
We actually talk about what they need financially.
What kind of work they want.
What sustainability looks like for them.
Because I don’t believe people should have to work themselves into exhaustion just to survive.
I believe work can be meaningful.
Supportive.
Human.
That vision means growth happens intentionally—not frantically.
Which also means that yes, sometimes when life happens, scheduling gets tight.
Sometimes someone needs a well-earned vacation.
Sometimes someone gets sick.
Sometimes life simply happens.
And sometimes I step in and clean myself.
Truthfully?
I love that part.
I intentionally continue cleaning homes because I never want to become disconnected from the actual heart of this work.
I want to be in your homes.
I want to stay connected to your preferences.
I want to support my team directly.
I want to continue experiencing what Serenade actually is—not just managing it from afar.
So if you’ve experienced rescheduling recently, thank you for your grace.
It is noticed.
It matters.
And while we’re being honest…
Some parts of Serenade are still beautifully under construction.
Our website? Overdue for love.
Our storytelling? Not where I want it to be yet.
The systems we’re building behind the scenes—including our evolving client communication and management tools—are actively being created right now, thanks in no small part to Nika’s tireless efforts helping us evolve.
Hopefully, this very message is reaching you through one of those new systems.
And here’s where I’m choosing honesty over polished perfection:
If you are someone—or know someone—with gifts in areas like:
Website design
Video storytelling
Content creation
Brand support
Mission-aligned business growth
Community building
…I would genuinely love to connect.
Because community-built things are often the most beautiful things.
Many of you also know and love Monica.
She has poured so much of herself into the homes and relationships that helped build Serenade.
Right now, she is navigating serious health concerns that have taken her away from work.
She remains deeply loved, deeply valued, and she absolutely has a place here when she’s ready.
I’ve quietly started what I’m calling the Monica Support Fund to help ease some of the financial pressure she’s facing while unable to work.
If supporting her is something you feel moved to do, we’ll make that easy.
We also continue serving through Cleaning for a Reason, where I personally volunteer time to provide cleaning support for families navigating cancer.
But if I’m honest, my heart reaches further.
There are elderly neighbors.
Families carrying invisible burdens.
People who fall through the cracks.
I believe care should reach wider.
And maybe, with the right growth, it will.
Finally, one loving reset:
Communication.
I do not believe in micromanagement.
I believe in trust.
Ownership.
Clarity.
Kindness.
Real communication.
If something was missed…
If you have a preference…
If there’s a way we can serve you better…
Please tell us.
Kindly.
Directly.
Honestly.
Our team cares deeply.
And excellence grows through communication—not silence.
If Serenade has helped lighten your load…
Softened your week…
Supported your family…
Or simply helped your home breathe a little easier…
Thank you.
If you’ve referred us…
Thank you.
If you’ve shown kindness to our team…
Thank you.
If you’ve stayed with us through messy, human seasons…
Thank you.
You are not just hiring a cleaning company.
You are helping build something local.
Something human.
Something evolving.
Something deeply real.
And I’m so grateful you’re here.
With love,
Tamara
Founder, Serenade Cleaning
