Success Stories
Self Employment Program
Lindsay Gayman
Simply Natural Home Cleaning
Canmore, Alberta
“I’m passionate about cleaning and I’m passionate about protecting our environment” says Lindsay Gayman of Canmore. With help from the Self-Employment program, Lindsay combined these two interests to start her business - Simply Natural Home Cleaning in August 2007. She offers a spa experience for the home using all natural home cleaning products. Since opening her doors, Lindsay has built a solid reputation for providing excellent residential cleaning services in the Bow Valley corridor. Her personal attention to detail and focus on customer service contributes to her success. Lindsay is adamant about elevating the home cleaning industry to a solid and respected profession. She conducts in-home interviews with clients to identify special needs and expectations, follows up with regular surveys to ensure quality control and is active in the environmental community.
Her involvement in the Self-Employment program offered by Community Futures Centre West provided Lindsay with the support she needed to start her enterprise. She received valuable feedback, made great contacts with other entrepreneurs and says the program put her in touch with resources she would otherwise have never known were available. Lindsay also feels the program helped her think past her initial idea and to see bigger possibilities.
The biggest reward Lindsay receives from owning her own business is getting positive feedback from her clients and community and seeing her company grow as a result. “Hearing that my business comes ‘highly recommended’ makes it all worthwhile,” says Lindsay.
Owning and operating Simply Natural is not without its challenges. “It’s wonderful to be self-employed and actually have your idea work,” says Lindsay. “But I had no idea how much work it takes to create the engine for my business and to keep that engine going. You could really go 24 hours a day,” she continues. A former nurse, Lindsay left her original profession due to a health condition and is well aware of the life/work balance needed to stay healthy. “I need to know my boundaries and set limits – I don’t have the ability to go non-stop so I try to properly manage my time and efforts.”
When asked for advice to share with other aspiring entrepreneurs, Lindsay offers these comments:
- You need passion, drive and willingness to take the risk, otherwise don’t open a business!
- Be humble and grateful we live in a place where you can start a business that reflects your ideals and beliefs.
- Network, network, network! It’s worth more money than you’ll ever make by yourself.
Visit Simply Natural Home Cleaning at www.simplynaturalcleaning.com or call Lindsay at 403-688-4040 in Canmore.
