Inspiring Entrepreneurs - Juan Cruz, Jua Jua Cleaning
Juan’s Story
Juan was born and raised in Ecuador, and says, “I had the best childhood anyone could ask for. We have so much fun when we go back.”
In 1999, at the age of 14, Juan needed to learn English. His family was adamant about this requirement, yet Juan resisted. His parents sent him to New York to immerse him in an English-speaking environment. “I didn’t understand why anyone would need to learn a language other than Spanish – it was the best language in the world. I had to move from a hot climate to a cold one. It was difficult.”
Later in 1999, the situation in Ecuador was getting increasingly volatile. Juan’s family was hurt financially. With both Juan and his sister in US schools, his parents moved to the US permanently. Juan was told he wouldn’t be returning to Ecuador.
Juan recalls that his father had to take jobs that did not reflect the professional positions he had held in Ecuador. It was shocking to Juan how their circumstances had changed. Now they were challenged to make ends meet. Juan started working at age 15 to help the family. At 17, he started a pressure washing service, then got into the restaurant business. He worked his way up from manager to a franchisee with multiple restaurants.
Entrepreneurship
Jua Jua Cleaning is the business Juan has successfully grown to over $1 million in revenue. “I used to clean toilets with my wife to survive,” said Juan. “Then I bought a pressure washer. Then we moved from pressure washing to commercial janitorial services. Then we added concrete polishing and epoxy work, with Walmart and Amazon on our client list. We just did the port of Miami. We have over 40 employees now. It is going crazy.”
Juan reflected on the journey that has brought him to this point. “A friend of mine, Mario Mendigana, mentioned the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Accelerator (EOA) program to me because I was kind of lost. It was right before the pandemic. I had gone to Ecuador for a scuba diving trip to the Galapagos, and I missed the EOA opportunity. And then the pandemic hit.”
Juan’s janitorial accounts shut down with the pandemic closings. The next day, he landed a job at the Charlotte airport cleaning windows. Then a job with a school district kept his employees working. There were 2 contracts worth half a million dollars – a blessing to Juan and his family.
When Juan looked to join EO, he was just short of the $1 million revenue requirement. He opted to do the EOA program to help him scale his business. EOA is a program designed by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, providing all the tools they need to accelerate the growth of their business. The program consists of educational content, hands-on workshops, coaching from experienced entrepreneurs, and small accountability groups of other business owners.
The following year after joining EOA, Juan finished at over $2 million. This year, he projects he will surpass the $4 million mark. His goal is to break $5 million, then go to $10 million, then beyond. Juan is focused on having the tools and resources he needs to handle the growth.
Support for the entrepreneur
Juan said he learned the fundamentals of growing a business from EOA. “I still can’t name the fundamentals, but every time we adopt one I’ve learned at EOA, we fix something broken. Each quarter we study something different. We are given different books, which I read as quickly as I can. It is a constant reminder of the things we need for growth.
“As business owners, we are constantly on the go. We are trying to make sales so we can keep our employees working. But when you are at the top, you never have anyone to talk to. Being with entrepreneurs in that same situation, learning from coaches who have been in your shoes, just hearing their stories and having people to talk to – it keeps you on track without even knowing that they are keeping you on track.”
Now that Juan has graduated from EOA and joined EO, he identifies many of the same supports that keep him involved with this group. “No one understands what we go through – not even your spouse. My small forum group within EO was so welcoming. They totally understood me immediately. This group lets you know you are not alone at the top. They know your issues, no matter what arises, and have experiences that you can relate to and learn from.”
Lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs
“Trust your gut,” said Juan. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help – it is more important that you make the right decision.”
Juan said it was shocking how little he knew his business when he started studying the EOA principles. “I have always been a great delegator, and I have the operational things down to a T,” said Juan. “I’ve always been the motivator for the team, but not so much of a numbers person. When I went to EOA, I started understanding that I didn’t know where I stood financially. It was an ‘Aha!’ moment that I needed to understand the numbers to grow the business.”
Juan encourages entrepreneurs to get support. “This role is difficult. I found EO, and the level of my anxiety has been reduced a lot. I can see where we are going, and I know what I need to know – before I didn’t know what I didn’t know.”
Juan recounted what he was doing at 18. “I pressure washed 18 wheelers from a Geo Tracker carrying a 55-gallon trashcan full of water. I didn’t have a pump, so I would suck the water out. The truckers would laugh and say I couldn’t do it, and then I would do it. I always remember that I started with that – you can start with whatever you have, as long as you have the will to make it happen. That is the amazing thing about America. You don’t even have to have an education, you just have to get up and go.”
Thanks Juan, for showing us how it can be done!
Entrepreneur: Juan Cruz Klaere
Juan was born and raised in Ecuador. His family moved to the US when he was 15. After building and growing a variety of businesses, Juan formed Jua Jua Cleaning in 2016. Today, the business has over 40 employees and is rapidly growing. Juan and his wife have 2 daughters, ages 6 and 9.
Juan’s Business: Jua Jua Cleaning
JuaJua Cleaning is a family owned and operated business offering commercial and residential cleaning in the Charlotte area and across the East Coast. They focus on exterior pressure washing, window cleaning, epoxy flooring, hood cleaning and janitorial services. They also do concrete work, including pools and driveways, and Christmas lights.