About this speaker
Too many people believe house cleaning is simply a task performed by low skill workers. This misconception can only be changed through the implementation of professional management practices, technology and training. Tom Stewart is an industry leader on professionalizing the residential cleaning industry, for the benefit of cleaning business owners, their clients, and the cleaning professionals that make it happen.
Tom Stewart was a logistics and information technology professional before beginning his career in the house cleaning industry as CEO of Castle Keepers House Cleaning over 20 years ago. Castle Keepers uses a centralized model to run multiple branches with many core processes being performed from its home office in Charleston, SC.
Cleaning business owners faced challenges in the 90’s that don’t exist today. Off the shelf software packages designed for the house cleaning industry did not, so with limited options Tom began developing software to run Castle Keepers. While this program started as an Access database this 25 year project has evolved to become MaidCentral ™, an enterprise solution for multi-branch house cleaning companies.
In the mid 90’s social media didn’t exist and there was no real community of house cleaning business owners. Tom was one of a handful on business owners to found the Association of Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI), and he was one of its early presidents. ARCSI, now a division of ISSA, is the only trade organization for the industry and created a community to professionalize the house cleaning industry.
With his wife Janice, he also founded ModernCleaning.com, a digital hub dedicated to promoting hygienic cleaning and other professional house cleaning practices to the residential cleaning industry. In response to the need for online training during the COVID-19 pandemic Modern Cleaning launched a eLearning platform for house cleaning businesses and the professionals that work for them. Through a partnership with ARCSI this platform offers COVID-19 safety training and the ARCSI Professional House Cleaning (PHC) Certification Program.
Tom is a founding member Cleaning Profit Builders. CBB was known for Foundations of Success, a transformational program which helped cleaning businesses implement professional business processes. Tom is a co-author of the Professional House Cleaning Technician’s Manual and Modern Cleaning: The Evolution of Chemical Free Cleaning. He is a co-founder and Partner in Cleaning Business Today, the online magazine for the house cleaning industry. Tom also is an owner in the industry related digital publications Housekeeping Channel and Health House Institute.