Meet Anna-Marie Ortiz, who launched Cool Aunt Cleaners with just $2,000 in 2023; by 2024, her cleaning business was generating an estimated $120,000 a year

Starting a business does not always require a large investment. Notable, to launch Cool Aunt Cleaners, Anna-Marie Ortiz used her last $2,000 in savings. It was a cleaning service based in Portland, Oregon. After almost a year, the business was bringing in an average of $10,000 per month.

The business was started by Ortiz just as a side thing. She was also working at a fintech startup. Cool Aunt Cleaners grew into a full-time operation by September 2024. The business was estimated to generate more than $100,000 in revenue during 2024.

Who is Anna-Marie Ortiz?

She grew up in Kansas, and worked at technology startups. Later she started her cleaning business. Before this, she had also worked at a plant shop, and also explored other business opportunities.


She always wanted to build something of her own when she moved to Portland. Then she thought of cleaning service as a practical option. She knew it did not require a large investment.

Her $2,000 savings were used to cover the basic costs of setting up the business, which included cleaning supplies, a vacuum cleaner, a website, a logo and marketing materials. Some of the money was also spent on business registration and other essentials.

Ortiz decided to begin with what she could afford. She did not wait for extra money or investment from someone.

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Cleaning business and its first customers

Simple marketing methods were used by Ortiz to attract customers, where she distributed flyers and business cards in selected neighbourhoods rather than spending heavily on online advertising.

She also relied on word of mouth, which played an important role in bringing in business.

The aim of the business was to offer a more personal experience, which customers would expect from a traditional cleaning service.

Meanwhile, CNBC reported that the business grew massively in just over a year. By September 2024, it was generating an average of about $10,000 a month.

Why did Ortiz leave her job?

Before this, Ortiz used to work remotely for a fintech startup. There, she earned $60,000 a year. Notably, running her own company gave her more control over her work, but it also meant making financial sacrifices.

CNBC reported that Ortiz paid herself a salary of about $29,000 a year after moving to the business full-time.