Jessica Miller transitioned into franchising after spending a decade in New York City working for a financial services trade association. During her tenure, she took on various roles and eventually moved into project management. As her interest in her current job waned, she and her husband Richard Gore, who also has a background in running businesses, decided to explore franchising. 

Business ownership was always something Miller felt curious about, and franchising felt like a secure route into entrepreneurship, given the franchisor support and proven business model. The couple chose ecomaids due to its low barrier to entry and eco-friendly approach which mirrors Miller’s eco-friendly and non-toxic lifestyle. 

Since opening their ecomaids franchise in Fairfax, Virginia, Miller’s biggest accomplishment has been the personal growth she has experienced along the way, particularly in her leadership abilities and her confidence in managing a team of employees.

Miller and Gore took the time to chat with 1851 Franchise to discuss all of this and more. Here’s what they had to say.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Jessica Miller: My husband and I own the business and I primarily operate the business. Prior to this, I spent 10 years in New York City working for a financial services trade association in a lot of different roles there. Eventually, I landed a job getting more involved in their software operating systems, which led me to a career in project management, working for software companies helping their new clients implement new systems, primarily CRMs (Customer Relationship Management Systems). We opened ecomaids and have been operating for a year and a half now. We decided to go this route for a number of reasons.

I had always been curious about having my own business. My interest in my current job and career path was dying out, and we decided it was a good opportunity for us. I was already working remotely and hadn't been in the office for over two years at the point we decided to do this. It was just good timing for us. We also have a longer-term plan in terms of business ownership where ultimately Richard would like to leave his corporate job by way of purchasing additional businesses. We started looking at franchises as a starting point for a first business for a learning experience. We also liked the idea of having a model and a support system, and other locations were already doing the same thing as us, so we weren't starting completely from scratch. 

Richard Gore: I was interested in getting back into owning our businesses. I have owned a couple of businesses myself and have run businesses for other people before. I am currently running an IT department for the same financial trade association that Jessica used to work for and so this was the opportunity to get back into that world and be our own boss.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Miller: We looked at ecomaids because it was a lower investment. We used my 401(k) to purchase the business; based on the amount of money, our goal was not to go into debt for this, and so far we haven't. It was important for us to find something that I could manage and operate on my own because Richard was going to keep his job to allow us to do this financially. I also really liked ecomaids' approach to the products and methodology — eco-friendly, non-toxic — that kind of clean living is important to me. I try to live that lifestyle in many ways, so I really believe in that, and that drew me to this specifically.

1851: What is your biggest accomplishment with ecomaids so far?

Miller: I struggled to call this an accomplishment because it's very much a work in progress still, but I think the mindset shift is probably my biggest accomplishment. Things like accounting, payroll and billing are normal. The biggest challenges and my biggest areas of growth have been on a more personal level: mindset and having employees for the first time — true employees, not just someone that reports to me but people that I have hired and am 100% responsible for. That was a big shift, and that's something I'm still very much working on. Being your own boss in theory is one thing; in practice, it's another.

You have to believe that you are capable of owning a potential one-million-dollar business. One of the biggest things for me is changing my mindset from, "It would be nice if we owned a one-million-dollar business," to "I will own a one-million-dollar business." We're not there yet, or even close to being there yet, but it's a mindset shift I didn't anticipate. There's a lot of talk about this with business owners — so much of your success and your team's success is based on where you are and what your leadership style, goals and belief in your own abilities and your team's abilities are. My biggest accomplishment is more of a personal one, growing in those ways and recognizing that I have to in the first place.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Miller: The most important advice for a first-time franchisee is that you might feel like because you're buying into a franchise with a support system and model, it's not going to be as hard as if you were trying to open a similar business without the franchise model. It's still really hard. You are still, as an owner — especially in the early days — working hard. It's nice that the franchise gives you a starting point, but it's your responsibility to take what the franchise gives you and build on it for your location and business. We had a big reality check with that. ecomaids is doing a lot right now to provide more support and is working hard on providing more resources, which has been great.

But definitely don't expect the model and the franchise to do the work for you.

Gore: I think it's really important to determine what your goals and aspirations are before you go into a franchise, and what your expectations are. Then, spend your time researching and finding the franchise and even the business that matches up with that. Sometimes it may not be the business you think it is if you have different goals. Be very clear before you start the search about what you want to get out of it so that you can find the thing that will work for you. 

Miller: For example, we didn't really understand until we became business owners the concept of an exit strategy. Ask yourself when you're buying a franchise or any business: are you buying a business so that you can have a job, or are you buying a business because you want an income that you can step away from and still have?

Especially in the very beginning, what level of involvement do you want or are you capable of offering to the business? Can you commit upfront, especially for a smaller investment and smaller brand, 40 to 60 hours a week to your business? Can you wear all the hats? Are you willing to do that?

About ecomaids:

Since becoming a part of Happinest Brands, ecomaids has become the fastest growing cleaning franchise in the United States. Our mission is to deliver a spotlessly clean home every time by using only green and eco-friendly products and services. Our non-toxic, allergen-free Green Seal certified products are designed with one thing in mind – protecting families, loved ones, and pets. Our professional cleaning staff utilizes a comprehensive 64-point cleaning checklist to ensure we never miss a spot, and our Satisfaction Guarantee means customers always get the cleaning experience they expect. ecomaids is a 2023 Franchise 500 brand, ranked for its financial strength and stability, unit growth and brand power.