By: Elena Mart

When Chris Randall left his corporate role at Pepsi, he didn’t have a background in tech. He didn’t know the first thing about the cleaning industry, and he didn’t have a detailed roadmap for entrepreneurship.

What he did have was frustration and a strong dissatisfaction with the shareholder-first mentality he saw dominating big business, where hitting numbers mattered more than serving customers. This frustration eventually inspired the creation of Sweep, a tech-driven cleaning platform that aims to bring transparency and accessibility to an often opaque industry.

“I didn’t want to build something that ignored customer needs,” Chris says. “I wanted to solve a real problem in a simple, honest way.”

The Lightbulb Moment

The idea for Sweep emerged during Chris’s long drives to work, where he listened to business audiobooks. A recurring lesson that stuck with him was that the most successful businesses often tackled services that people are reluctant to do themselves. Cleaning, an area he understood from growing up in a household where hiring cleaners seemed out of reach, became an obvious choice.

“Why wasn’t there an Uber for cleaning?” he wondered. “Something where you could see clear pricing and book instantly online?”

This question became a driving force. With no tech background, Randall turned to Upwork to find developers, leveraging the gig economy to build the Sweep app with a modest budget and an outsider’s mindset that became his strength.

A Crash Course in Entrepreneurship

Launching a new app is already challenging, but doing so two weeks before COVID-19 lockdowns? That proved to be a significant hurdle.

With the sudden inability to enter homes for residential cleanings, Chris quickly shifted focus to commercial clients such as office buildings, apartment complexes, and property managers. He went door-to-door to sell Sweep, even taking on cleaning jobs himself to maintain cash flow.

“It was a humbling experience,” he admits. “I went from corporate strategy to literally scrubbing floors. But I learned the industry from the ground up.”

That experience proved to be invaluable, shaping Sweep into a platform that is more than just a typical cleaning service.

Complete Pricing Transparency

One of Chris’s main frustrations with traditional cleaning companies was the lack of clear pricing. Hidden fees, vague hourly rates, and surprise costs were common, which led Sweep to take a different approach. Instead of focusing on hourly rates, Sweep offers transparent, room-by-room pricing that customers can see upfront before booking.

“Hourly pricing doesn’t always work,” he explains. “Two cleaners work at different paces. Square footage can be confusing. But everyone understands what it costs to clean a kitchen or a bathroom.”

This straightforward approach extends to Sweep’s contractors, who are referred to as Sweepers. They have the freedom to choose jobs that fit their schedules and financial goals, with transparent payouts and minimal friction.

Sweep takes a fixed percentage from each job booked through the app, creating a predictable revenue model while also empowering Sweepers to choose jobs that align with their schedule and income targets. Sweepers can also increase their commission percentages by consistently maintaining high ratings and hitting performance benchmarks.

Building a Local-First Movement

Randall’s goal wasn’t just to launch another app—it was to build trust. He made a conscious effort to embed Sweep within the West Michigan community by sponsoring local events, joining Chambers of Commerce, and establishing relationships one handshake at a time.

“It’s not about quick growth,” he says. “It’s about growing right. This region is our testing ground to refine everything before we expand nationally.”

Since launching, Sweep has facilitated over 7,000 cleanings and continues to grow at a steady rate of 66% year-over-year in West Michigan alone—despite having relatively basic tech. With a loyal customer base and scalable infrastructure, Randall feels optimistic about Sweep’s potential as it begins to expand into new markets.

Empowering Cleaners and Customers Alike

At its core, Sweep is designed to create mutually beneficial experiences. Customers enjoy an easy, transparent way to reclaim their time, while cleaners benefit from flexible work, fair pay, and the tools to run their own businesses without the complexities of marketing or billing.

“I didn’t grow up with much,” Chris reflects. “I want to build something that helps families get their time back, and helps cleaners take control of their income.”

Chris’s vision doesn’t stop with West Michigan. Sweep is actively preparing to expand into new markets, refining its technology and systems to make it ready for potential franchising opportunities. However, he remains committed to maintaining the company’s core values of transparency, customer-first service, and empowering people on both sides of the transaction.

With strong operational systems and clear processes in place, Randall plans to extend Sweep’s reach, potentially offering investors and partners a clear path to scale the business.

“This isn’t just about cleaning,” Randall says. “It’s about creating impact. It’s about doing things the right way—even if it takes longer.”