Starting a business often comes with uncertainty, but for Jeremiah Green, the journey into window cleaning was both a leap of faith and a natural progression. His story begins in Illinois, where he first gained hands-on experience in the window cleaning industry.
“I was hired by a friend who had purchased a window washing business,” Jeremiah recalls. “I cleaned windows for a time and eventually became Operations Manager. That experience taught me almost everything I needed to know about running the business—from scheduling and customer service to operations and techniques.”
A visit to Phoenix, Arizona, changed the course of his career. “I went to visit my brother, Thomas, who owns
Valley Pro Power Wash, during the middle of winter,” he says. “The weather was gorgeous. When I came back to Illinois, I told my wife I wanted to start my own business in Arizona.”
Why Window Cleaning?
Jeremiah says the decision to specialize in window cleaning came naturally. “I genuinely love to clean. There’s something incredibly satisfying about achieving that perfect, streak-free shine. Plus, window cleaning businesses can be started with a small investment and a lot of hustle, which made it appealing to me.”
Taking The First Steps
With experience in his corner, Jeremiah launched his first company,
South Mountain Window Cleaning, in Arizona with only about $500. “I bought the essentials: a squeegee, T-bar mop, bucket, pole, and some Dawn dish soap—because Dawn is the best for window cleaning,” he says. “I also built a simple website and started running Google Ads. That was it for the initial investment, aside from a shirt with my logo.”
The very first lead came within days. “I was still in Illinois when a woman in Arizona called asking for a quote,” he remembers. “I called my brother to drive by her house and count the windows for me. I quoted her around $300, she accepted, and I drove to Arizona to complete my first job.”
Not everything went perfectly, of course. “There was one window I couldn’t reach, and I didn’t own a ladder yet. I stood on her garbage can to get it, hoping nobody saw me! It wasn’t pretty, but the job got done, I got paid, and I was officially in business.”
Early Lessons and Growth
That first job taught Jeremiah a crucial lesson: “Invest in the things you need before you need them. It makes the work safer, more efficient, and ultimately more professional.”
South Mountain Window Cleaning quickly grew into
Arizona’s highest-rated window cleaning company before Jeremiah sold it in 2019. After selling, he moved back to Illinois and launched
Green Pro Services in Kankakee, Illinois, continuing his passion for high-quality home services.
He also realized the potential for growth early on. “A few weeks later, I completed a $400 job in one day. I called my wife and said, ‘We’re going to be rich if I can make $400 every day!’ This was obviously before I learned about all the expenses of running a business, but once steady income started coming in, I knew it was going to work.”
Advice For Aspiring Window Cleaners
Jeremiah emphasizes the importance of action over perfection. “JUST DO IT. An early mentor of mine,
Joshua Latimer, talks about analysis paralysis—overthinking things and trying to perfect every detail before launching.
I’m the type to jump out of the plane and build the parachute on the way down. The best way to learn and grow is by taking action.”
His journey from Illinois to Arizona and back, from employee to business owner, shows that with experience, determination, and a willingness to take risks, anyone can turn a simple idea into a thriving business.
