The Six-Figure Side Business for Cleaning Parking Lots - Side Hustle Nation

      Side Hustle Nation is focused on enhancing your personal profitability. To achieve this, we frequently collaborate with companies that share this objective. If you register or make a purchase through links from our partners, we may earn compensation—at no additional cost to you. Learn more. This week's guest began his side hustle aiming to earn an extra $1,000 each month. Four summers later, it has transformed into a 6-figure business!

      Blademir Hernandez, a listener of the Side Hustle Show, was motivated by Brian Winch's story in episode 266 to launch his venture. Brian developed a $650k annual business collecting litter and maintaining parking lots—something Blademir believed he could accomplish as well. Blademir reached out to Brian to discuss his idea before seeking out property managers in his area to propose his litter collection services.

      This narrative perfectly illustrates what can occur when you draw inspiration from a successful business model and implement your own strategy. Tune in to The Side Hustle Show interview to learn how:

      - he acquired his initial customers

      - to price and promote a local lot sweeping service

      - Blademir expanded his business

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      The Motivation to Start Cleaning Parking Lots

      “I was browsing your website and stumbled upon 99 ideas for making extra income, which led me to the litter picking service,” Blademir shared with me. Curious for further details, Blademir clicked through and read the article about episode 266 featuring Brian Winch. In that episode, Brian explained how he turned his litter picking operation into a $650k business and how anyone could start earning $30-$50/hour in their spare time. “This is something I felt I could do,” Blademir stated.

      He reached out to Brian to see if a similar cleaning venture would be viable in his area. Brian replied affirmatively, stating it could work “anywhere there are parking lots.” That was all the encouragement Blademir needed to kick off his business, seeing as most regions have parking lots.

      (Brian also offers a guidebook on how to get started.)

      Launching a Parking Lot Cleaning Business and Finding Initial Customers

      Blademir mentioned that he established his business as a sole proprietor, opened a business checking account, and began searching for lots to clean. He drove around his neighborhood, talking to tenants living in apartments and reaching out to businesses in commercial lots and plazas. Blademir asked tenants for the contact information of the manager overseeing the lot.

      When he connected with a manager, he would introduce himself like this: “Hi, my name is Blademir, I'm a local vendor, and my company specializes in cleaning litter and debris from parking lots. Would you be interested in this type of service?”

      His first customer was a plaza near his home. He contacted the manager and arranged to meet in person, discovering that the manager also oversaw eight additional locations. Blademir expressed his willingness to take on the job, which turned out to be his first paid contract. There was no existing company sweeping the lot, as tenants had been handling it themselves, so they were thrilled to see Blademir arrive to clean the area.

      Pricing a Parking Lot Clean-Up Service

      To set the price for his initial job, Blademir recounted, “I walked along the property and thought about how long it would take for me to sweep this parking lot.” After surveying the area and pretending to sweep, he estimated it would take about 15-20 minutes to clean the lot. He then multiplied that by the frequency with which the manager wanted it swept to calculate a monthly price. “I initially aimed for $35/hr, which translated to around $450-500/month,” Blademir explained. He questioned whether it was worth his time, but being his first customer and wanting to gain experience, he decided to proceed.

      Blademir submitted a proposal to the lot manager, and he soon received a signed agreement.

      Startup Expenses

      Blademir's startup costs included:

      - Legal fees – He used LegalZoom to register as a sole proprietor.

      - Equipment – He purchased a blower, a push broom, a rake, and a Litter Licker scooper.

      Logistics and Cleaning the Lots

      Blademir needs to clean lots when no vehicles are present to ensure a thorough sweep. This typically requires working either late at night or early in the morning, which makes it a suitable side hustle as it can fit around standard day jobs. For the cleaning, Blademir primarily uses a blower to gather trash and debris into one spot, followed by a rake and his Litter Licker to collect the litter