WAITE HILL, Ohio — Single moms have to balance working to provide for their children while also being there for them as a parent. That’s not always easy with the demands of both work and their children’s needs.
A Lake County mom and entrepreneur is making it her mission to make sure moms and other women can thrive professionally and personally.
“I was a single mom. I was in my early 20s, mid-20s. And it was a way to make extra income and help provide for my kids the extra things like, you know, Christmas presents and maybe a car payment if I had to make a car payment,” said Alicia Scheel, the owner of Eco Cleaning Ohio.
Scheel said while the money was good, she had to make other sacrifices that affected her family. So, she started Eco Cleaning Ohio with just $100 worth of cleaning supplies and a goal to help other women and moms just like her.
“I understand the struggles of trying to fit in sports for kids and trying to get to activities, school functions, meetings, whatever it may be doctor's appointments, and I want them to know that all they have to do is let me know and we'll work around it. We can do that,” said Scheel.
Since 2011, the business has grown from one customer and Scheel as the sole employee to 128 residential and 14 commercial customers and nine employees.
“It was very easy for me to just be like okay, ‘Alicia, in two weeks I need, you know, this day off or during football season, ‘Hey, I can't work Thursday nights because I have football after school,’” said Melissa Ryan, a manager at Eco Cleaning Ohio.
Ryan has five kids and is grateful for the flexibility Eco Cleaning provides her, her boyfriend, and her family, as is mom-of-two Melinda Brooks who just started working for the company a month ago.
"She's definitely flexible with me and my boyfriend. I have a boyfriend who also works a second shift. So she's really flexible with scheduling,” said Brooks. “It's good to know that she's understanding, that she has her own kids. So she kind of sees if something comes up and if we need to make arrangements for something.”
Now, this business has become more like a family of women supporting other women.
“It really is amazing because I do believe that it is a whole different world even from 20 years ago. And I am a firm believer that women can do it, single moms,” said Lynn Cormack, a manager at Eco Cleaning Ohio.
As it continues to grow, Scheel always keeps the most important thing–her reason for starting this all–in mind.
“To see a bunch of women knowing that on Fridays they can depend on something, that they have something to look forward to, and that they can rely on there being work next week. That's where I come into play. I make sure that they have something to go to every week, and it's great, yeah it's super important to me,” said Scheel.
Eco Cleaning Ohio also participates in Cleaning for a Reason which donates free cleanings to cancer patients.
More information about Eco Cleaning Ohio can be found here.
Jade Jarvis is a reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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