https://www.facebook.com/BoldTV/videos/617797751911516/
What is Student Maid?
Student Maid began 11 years ago in college when Kristen Hadeed was at the University of Florida. Hadeed recollected that she felt very lost and that she didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life. One day, when she fell in love with a pair of jeans that she couldn’t afford, she decided to attempt paying for them by putting out an ad on Craigslist as a house cleaner. This simple action led her to the inspiration that she needed to found Student Maid. It has created a network for college students to clean other students’ apartments, dorm rooms, etc. Hadeed related that when the company kicked off, 45 out of her 60 employees quit pretty much on-the-spot because, as she herself admits, she was a bad boss. This inspired her to “kick it up a notch” and create a company where people really want to work. She believes that this, in part, is a reason for the company’s success.
“Permission to Screw Up”
Hadeed wrote a book called “Permission to Screw Up,” and it is about “how [she] learned to be a leader by doing pretty much everything wrong.” Hadeed wrote the book because she thought, and still thinks, that people like to pretend failure never happens. Or at least they don’t talk about it. “We should talk about [failure] so we don’t feel so alone,” Hadeed said. Admitting that you fail makes people feel safer and builds trust and the very things that “make us human.”
From four employees to 60
Student Maid recently has moved from four to 60 employees, and while this size increase may seem impressive, Hadeed hastens to mention that, at one point, the company actually had 400 to 500 employees. She says, however, that the company performance suffered for its size, and so they scaled down to around 60. This taught her a lesson that it is OK to downsize to preserve performance levels and keep them at peak, “staying true to your values and not sacrificing that [is important].”
Company culture
Hadeed’s company has a DJ booth in the office as well as a smoothie bar. Co-host of Bold Business David Grasso asked the question “How important is company culture?” Hadeed, while acknowledging her company’s amenities, says that she believes company culture’s importance is not in the materialistic, but about how valued an employee feels, and how trusted and safe they feel. “That’s what everyone wants,” Hadeed said. She mentioned that her company focuses a lot on leadership development, and that, while her employees are paid to clean houses, they are also taking classes on how to find their strengths, how to build relationships that are meaningful, and other things that help them in their lives, too.
“Do kids know how to clean?”
The last question that the Bold Business panel posed to Hadeed goes to the heart of her business model. Do kids actually know how to clean? Do they do a good job? Hadeed says that most do. Although she unleashes a large laugh, admitting that some, in fact, could be better.
Takeaway
Student Maid is a testament to the power of entrepreneurialism and innovation. Hadeed, although once just another lost-feeling college student without a sense of purpose or direction, decided to put her mind to rising above her fears and feeling of directionlessness. As a reward, she engendered a truly inspired and unique business idea. We can all take a lesson from Hadeed’s story that begins with hopelessness and ends with empowerment.
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