In 2023, Anna-Marie Ortiz was earning $60,000 a year working remotely for a fintech startup. While she liked her job, she couldn’t shake the feeling that her future at the company was uncertain. “I realized I can’t wait around for other people’s dreams,” she says. “That’s when I decided to go all in on mine.”
By July of that year, Ortiz decided to take a leap of faith. With just $2,000 in savings, she started Cool Aunt Cleaners, a cleaning business she initially ran as a side hustle. By November, she had left her corporate job to focus on the business full-time.
Although this career shift meant taking a drastic pay cut—her annual earnings dropped to around $29,000—Ortiz is thrilled with her decision. “I love being my own boss,” she says. “It gives me the freedom to make my own decisions and build a work environment that aligns with my values.”
Building Her Dream in Her 20s
Ortiz wasn’t new to entrepreneurship when she launched Cool Aunt Cleaners.
In her early 20s, she worked at various tech startups before opening a plant store in Wichita, Kansas, in 2020. Though the store closed in early 2021, it gave her valuable experience in managing inventory, customer service, and budgeting—skills that proved crucial when she started her cleaning business.
This time, Ortiz chose cleaning over retail because of its low startup costs and steady demand. “Cleaning is a service that has been around forever,” she says, noting its reliability and potential for consistent income. The low overhead allowed her to start small and gradually expand as demand grew.
In its first month, Cool Aunt Cleaners generated about $2,600 in revenue. By 2024, the business was earning around $10,000 per month.
Lessons in Scaling a Business
When Ortiz took the business full-time in late 2023, she quickly set her sights on growth, hiring four employees to keep up with demand. But the rapid expansion came with challenges. “You have no idea how it’s going to go when you start a business,” she reflects. “But you keep going because you believe in what you’re building.”
Realizing she needed to scale back, Ortiz downsized her team and began running the business solo during the summer of 2024. Since then, Cool Aunt Cleaners has stabilized, with 15 to 20 regular clients. In August, she hired a part-time worker using a commission-based pay model.
Looking Ahead
Ortiz dreams of growing Cool Aunt Cleaners into a seven-figure business, but she’s in no rush. “When you have a vision for your business, it’s a long-term investment,” she says. “It’s not something that can be rushed.”
Despite earning less than she did in her corporate role, Ortiz sees this as a temporary sacrifice for long-term freedom and fulfillment. “I think people have a false sense of security with their 9-to-5 jobs,” she explains. “They can get comfortable being told what to do every day, which can be dangerous. You end up staying in a place where you’re no longer happy.”
For Ortiz, the rewards of forging her own path far outweigh the risks. “I’d rather put in the work now to build something that lasts,” she says.
From a fintech job to founding her own cleaning business, Ortiz’s journey is a testament to the power of believing in your vision and taking bold steps to make it a reality.
ALSO READ:
- Owning a Home in America Now Requires a Six-Figure Salary
- How ChatGPT Impacted Chegg’s Educational Empire
- How I Made Over $22,000 in 15 Days with a Digital Side Hustle — And How You Can Too
- The Best Ways to Become Rich in 2025: Top Strategies to Build Wealth and Financial Freedom
- From Side Hustle to Success: How One 32-Year-Old Turned $3,000 into a Six-Figure Monthly Income
Leave a Reply