Danielle Smith is a self-proclaimed neat freak, so it only makes sense she runs a cleaning business. It’s called Detroit Maid.
“As Detroiters, we deserve amenities, we deserve to have services that other major cities have,” Danielle say.
Meeting a need
And that’s exactly the reason Danielle startedDetroit Maid. Four years ago, cleaning her own Detroit home was taking a back seat in her busy life.
“I didn’t really find a service that met my needs in the city, and I wanted to find a place in the city but I couldn’t. So I looked at services that were nearby but no one would service my area,” she explains.
A seed was planted. She turned to theBuild Institute in Detroit to help the idea grow. The program helps entrepreneurs start and run a business. At the end of the 8 weeks, Danielle grabbed a bucket.
“We started with three clients, me and a cousin.”
Months later, as a Build Institute graduate, she won a contest called hello:Detroit. For one weekend, some of the best advertising and marketing minds with the Adcraft Club of Detroit poured their talents into making her business a success. Among their many ideas, herMaidefesto. It lists the 40 jobs the cleaning experts will tackle.
Today Detroit Maid has well over 100 clients. A handful of cleaners now do the "dirty work", while Danielle manages the company. She and her business administrator work out ofBamboo Detroit, another resource for entrepreneurs. It allows them to access co-working space, to save money on rent.
Last summer, Danielle was featured inFortune Magazine for an article about African-Americans being the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the country. Her story was also shared in the PBS television show “Start-Up.”
Detroit Maid cleans both residential and commercial properties. Her first commercial job was on the set of the movie “Transformers,” when it filmed here in Detroit.
Danielle says she’s so grateful for all the help and support she’s had along her entrepreneurial journey… and for her team.
“We’re proud of Detroit, our employees are Detroiters, we just love the city and want to make sure we support the city in any way we can.”
