A trip down memory lane
Me and my mom jumping for joy because Student Maid turned 5!
We officially have less than three weeks until our Student Maid transition. Where does the time go?!
To commemorate the ending of such a meaningful chapter, we’ve created a calendar of company-wide events to help us make this last month as special as we can. One of those events involved everyone posting pictures of their favorite Student Maid memories, and let’s just say I had a moment.
As I sat there looking at all the pictures everyone shared, it brought tears to my eyes. There are so many happy memories and special times that I will hold in my heart and treasure forever. I knew I had to find a picture to share, so I scrolled through my phone to way back when until I landed on the one that brought out a lot of emotion in me: This picture of me and my mom, jumping up and down, surrounded by balloons, celebrating Student Maid’s 5th birthday.
It means so much to me for so many reasons.
It was taken in our very first office. After a couple of years at the startup incubator, we decided to venture out on our own and sign a real lease. I remember finding this space with our realtor and knowing immediately that it was meant to be ours. It was a small space attached to a warehouse, with four offices and a common area—all we needed at the time. Another entrepreneur I met at the startup incubator was also looking for a space, so we rented one of the offices to him. He happened to be in construction, so he helped us remodel the office and make it our own. My favorite part was the smoothie bar, which you can’t see in this picture, but it’s to the right. I remember how proud I was when it was all done. I remember people walking in and saying, “I didn’t expect a cleaning company to have an office like THIS!” I lived for that. I wanted Student Maid to be special and unexpected in every way.
When I look at this picture, I remember students gathering in the common area before and after shifts, talking to them about their days, and coming up with ideas to make the company better. Many of our early team meetings were held here, cramming as many people as we could until it eventually became too small for us, and we had to rent out a hotel ballroom down the road anytime we had a company meeting. I remember the day I rolled out a “red carpet” (it was really a big piece of red fabric) from the front door all the way to the parking lot. I wrote all of our team members' names on paper stars and laid them on it because I wanted them to feel special and appreciated when they walked in. I remember that on the day before big holidays, I’d stay late and decorate to the nines so that when the team walked in the next day, they’d be surprised. I remember the chalkboard walls where team members wrote each other uplifting notes. I remember the music we blasted, whether it was from the DJ we hired or from our own speakers. I remember when a brewery opened right next door, and on Fridays, our leadership team would head over for happy hour, reminiscing about the ups and downs of the week. I remember meeting here before we’d go on leadership retreats. I remember the days I would realize it was all too much, and I’d surprise the team by taking them to lunch. I remember becoming a team.
I remember the late nights here, working on things that inspired me. I also remember the even later nights that I spent wondering how I’d make payroll or how we’d actually fulfill the contract I had just signed. (Somehow, we always did.) I remember one night when I spent hours on the phone with a client mapping out a huge contract, so excited that we would be working together, only to realize by the end of the call that she was located in Gainesville, GA (we are in Gainesville, FL). I remember the bookshelves that were filled with the books that shaped my philosophy of leadership and culture, and I remember sharing those books with our team any chance I could. I remember learning how to give feedback here, and learning how to receive it, too. I remember interviewing new team members in the back room and letting team members go in the very same spot, as I painfully learned how to do both. I remember the days I wanted to give up—and I remember coming back the next day to do it again. I remember learning how to lead.
When I look at this picture, I think about my mom. I think about how, had it not been for Student Maid, I would have never gotten the chance to get to know her in such a special way. We call her BOB—Boss Of Boss—a title she gave herself that couldn't be more fitting. I think about how she has been there since I got my first contract in college. I remember her filling up cleaning spray bottles using my beer bong—which she didn’t know was a beer bong. (She thought it was just a funnel. Whoops!) I think about how she ended up on our leadership team at one point and even went with us on retreats. I think about how I got to know her on a deeper level and learn more about her life, and how she got to learn the same about me. I think about how she was always there for the big moments, like Student Maid’s 5th birthday. Even more than that, I think about how she was always there for the hard ones: Every move-out season. Every big change. Every time it felt like it all was falling apart. Every. Single. Time. She was there. I think about how she believed in me and reminded me of who I am on the days I didn’t know. I think about going to dinner and a movie after work every time she came into town. I remember how she celebrated my success as if it were her own. (I think you can see what I’m talking about in the picture.)
And most of all, I think about how I felt at the very moment that this picture was taken. Student Maid turning 5 was a big deal. I remember hearing how most businesses failed before the 5-year mark, so it was always a goal of mine to make it to 5. It felt somehow like we were in the clear—like our little cleaning company had grown up and made it. When I had tough moments and obstacles that tested me in years 1-4, I’d tell myself, “You can do it. Don’t give up. You just have to make it to year 5.” And there we were. I remember when this photo was snapped not wanting to be anywhere else. At that time, I was so certain in my heart that Student Maid was where I wanted to be . . . forever. If anyone would have told me that years down the road, I would make the choice to transition away from Student Maid, I wouldn’t haven’t believed them. Not for a second.
And when I think about that, I think about the journey of life, and about how cool it is that you just never know. You never know what’s ahead of you. You never know what’s in store. You never know how one step is leading you to another. You can be so sure about something and then one day wake up and be so sure about something else. When you look back, I believe the dots connect. I believe when you look back, it will all make sense. But today, you have to follow your heart. You have to trust it. And if you can do that, you’ll end up exactly where you are supposed to be.
I know it.
Hugs through the screen,
Kristen
PS: Join us for our LIVE show this Wednesday (and every Wednesday!) at 11 a.m. ET, where our leadership team and I get REAL. We share everything from news and stories from behind-the-scenes of our pivot to what we’re learning, what we’re struggling with as leaders, and how we’re meeting this unprecedented moment in our history as a company. You can register here: https://bit.ly/3kWe2kT. It’s the same link each week. Hope to see you there!
