Franchisee Voices: Matt Renfro of The Cleaning Authority

Matt Renfro is trading over a decade of experience in the financial services industry for a new venture into small business ownership. The Ohio native worked for several banks in the Cleveland/Akron, OH area and after recently receiving his MBA, decided to look for a way to have more control of his career. Renfro chose The Cleaning Authority after two years of researching over 25 different franchise options with the help of a franchise broker. He selected the brand because of its mindset of giving time back to its clients. Additionally, he felt that the brand’s leadership was impressive. Outside of his new business, Renfro works to spread expertise about entrepreneurship to students at Lake Erie College through the Learning About Business Program.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I have worked in banking for most of my career. I received a BBA in Finance from Cleveland State University and worked for MBNA followed by KeyBank, then PNC Bank for around six years. I recently earned an MBA from Lake Erie College. After working in the financial services field, I reached a point where I was looking for something more from my career and decided to research small business ownership opportunities.

What was your first job ever?

I worked for Jolly’s Hotdog Stand in Tiffin, OH throughout most of high school.

Why did you choose to become a franchisee with The Cleaning Authority? How did you learn about the brand?

For the past two years I have been exploring different business options. I worked with a franchise broker and looked at about 25 different options in various industries before landing on The Cleaning Authority. I wanted to find a business that would let me control my own destiny and also give people in my community a better quality of life. I specifically selected The Cleaning Authority, because I like that the business gives time back to its clients. The hardest part about making a final decision was convincing my wife, but when she met the leadership team at The Cleaning Authority, she was sold.