Chamber Insider Blog

Congratulations to Maid Brigade for being a finalist this year for the 25th Anniversary of the Loudoun Small Business Awards! View the full list of finalists here. These awards will be held on November 8, 2019 at The National Conference Center. Register Here!

Maid Brigade is a finalist for Superior Service Business of the Year. Post submitted by Owner Dave Newland, Sally Crosen & Misti Lorusso.

1.  Tell us your story of how your business evolved into what it is today. 

(Dave)  I was working for a local department store chain back in the late eighties, and it was obvious that the retail industry as we know it, was declining rapidly.   In order to stay ahead of the potential closing,  I decided to get in to business for my self.   At the time, one of my areas of responsibility was leased services, including window replacement, gutters, siding etc.  Part of that division, included maid service, which was new in the market.   It did extremely well and I thought this was something that I could do on my own.   After researching the industry, I decided to go the Franchise route and chose Maid Brigade.

2.  What would it mean to you and your company to win a Small Business Award?

(Sally)  Winning this award would be a huge pat on the back for the team members.  They are the reason we are here. For the team members that have been with us for 20 plus years,  it means a huge thank you for always getting to yes with our customers.

3.  What is the smallest thing that has made the largest impact on your business?

(Sally)  There are many small things that we have done that had a huge positive impact.  Teams coming to the office one time per day, and allowing employees to take our cars home, was one of the most significant.  It was a game changer.

4.  Who is the one person that has influenced you the most in your career?

(Dave)  It actually goes back to the Woodward & Lothrop department store days.  My boss at the time, was very forward thinking and he taught me a ton.

5.  What is your favorite thing about running a business in Loudoun County?

(Sally)  Our favorite thing about running a business in Loudoun County is the “giving back to our community” with our Maid Brigade Angels program we clean at no charge to families that have been affected by an illness or a tragedy.  The last thing anyone thinks about when mom, dad or a child is ill, is the house cleaning.  We come in for 4 months and take that burden off of their plate so they are able to concentrate on more important things.  We also support Habitat for Humanity Loudoun and we take care of cleaning the home that is being dedicated to the new home owners.  We have been dedicated in helping Habitat Loudon for the last 5 years.

6.  How do you see your business evolving in the next 10 years?

(Dave)  We continue to evolve in regards to who we are, and what we are providing to our customers.   The days of thinking of ourselves as “just house cleaners” are over and we know understand that we are responsible for making our customer’s lives easier.  This goes beyond just cleaning.   I also see us continuing to increase our participation in the community.

7.  If you’re not in the office where can we find you/what is another passion you have?

(Sally)  If I’m not at the office you can look for me in anyone of our local rivers and creeks.  I enjoy canoeing, I often canoe the Potomac river and enjoy the treasures that nature given us.  Being able to see a bald eagle fly along the river or a heard of deer swim across the river is a treat for me.

8.  What did you want to be when you grew up as a child? 

(Sally)  I grew up with non-English speaking parents and I was the translator for my them.  As an adult I have always jumped in to help someone struggling with the English language.  I always knew I wanted to be in a position to help those struggling with the language barrier and today I’m still the translator but it’s with the team members whether I’m helping them with an issue at work or in their personal lives.

9.  If you have 24-hours off, and your family was out of town, what would you do?

(Dave)  Work on my farm.  It’s never ending.

10.  What is one book that you would recommend everyone read?

(Dave)  Titan, the story of John Rockefeller.

Thanks to the Maid Brigade team for answering our questions! Good luck at the Small Business Awards this year.