Sarasota cleaning company launches nationwide job board

The husband-and-wife entrepreneurs behind Sarasota-based Crystal Clean Green Cleaning have struggled for years, they say, with a vexing problem plaguing many businesses: finding just-right candidates on job boards. 

So the couple, Kristina and Steven Pajevic, who have run the sustainable cleaning service for 12 years, created a new one. 

Called Cleaning WorkSource, the nationwide job board has been a big hit in the early going: Nearly 4,300 jobs were posted in less than a week of the website's launch.

"We were tired of the exorbitant costs and inefficiencies of traditional job boards," Kristina Pajevic, co-owner of Crystal Clean Green Cleaning, says in a statement. "As a family business, we needed a solution that catered to both employers and job seekers, something affordable, fast and effective."

Not only is it a solution for the Pajevics and Crystal Clean, but Cleaning WorkSource has the potential to be lucrative, too. Posting a job on Cleaning WorkSource costs $49 for one post, $99 for five posts and $149 for unlimited posts, with a 10% discount on the first post, according to Steven Pajevic, who co-owns the business with his wife.

So far, the initial investment has been less than $1,000, Steven says, and he is expecting a significant return.

"Our conservative estimates project initial monthly revenues for Cleaning WorkSource in the range of $9,000 to $13,000," Steven says. "We expect substantial growth as we expand our user base and introduce additional services, with revenues ramping up over time as our marketing strategies take hold. We are aiming for $250,000 in revenue by 2026."

Ultimately, Steven plans to employ a team to maintain Cleaning WorkSource.

Crystal Clean Green Cleaning, meanwhile, has five employees and is looking to expand to 10, says Steven. 

To receive a resume on a traditional job board can cost an employer $30 to $100 per applicant, he says. More often than not, he adds, the candidates are not even a good fit.

“The cleaning industry faces unique challenges, such as high turnover rates and needing specific skills and experience. Traditional job boards often fail to filter candidates for these roles and skills effectively,” Steven says.

Posting a single job for one month on a traditional job board can range from $249 to $499-plus, according to Steven. “It is like throwing money in a wishing well,” he says. In fact, he says he started Cleaning WorkSource after talking with his wife about how challenging it was to find their most recent new hire through Indeed.

“Cleaning WorkSource was created to address these issues by focusing solely on cleaning industry jobs, ensuring employers can quickly connect with qualified candidates,” Steven says. "We aim to simplify the application process, remove the extra noise, and create an affordable tool for small businesses, truly creating something I have been looking for — for years."

To help match candidates with employers, the site uses artificial intelligence to make recommendations based on location and qualifications, according to Steven. It also features a chatbot to help with customer service.

Five days after its launch, Cleaning WorkSource showcases jobs like housekeeper, janitor and cleaning technician at locations from Oklahoma to Massachusetts to Florida.

“We're thrilled to see such overwhelming support for Cleaning WorkSource," says Steven. "It's clear that both employers and job seekers were hungry for a better way to connect."