The CleanOps Collective

Innovation and AI: The Numbers You Can't Ignore What drives progress in any industry? Innovation. But it’s not just a buzzword—it’s a disciplined, scalable process that separates the leaders from the laggards. And when paired with AI, the results are staggering. Jouni Halme dug into studies from PwC, McKinsey, Deloitte, and Gartner to share 42 eye-opening statistics that highlight just how powerful innovation can be—and why it’s essential for businesses to embrace it. Here are a few that stood out to us: ✅ 87% of executives believe innovation is essential to their organization’s success. Yet only 20% of the most innovative companies manage it informally. Lesson? Structure and strategy matter. ✅ AI could contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030—a figure that surpasses the combined output of China and India. ✅ Companies that prioritize collaboration are 3.5x more likely to outperform their peers. Top innovators work with external partners over three times more often than others. ✅ 54% of AI projects make it past the pilot phase—a number that’s growing but still shows room for improvement. But here’s the flip side: During the pandemic, we saw terms like innovation and AI overused and misapplied, leading to skepticism. Much like technology, innovation isn’t a magic bullet. It’s a mindset, a commitment, and a process. So, what’s the takeaway? Companies that prioritize creativity, AI adoption, and strategic collaboration are the ones shaping the future. https://lnkd.in/gYuDfdaN

The Innovator’s Blindspot: Your Big Idea Isn’t Enough Imagine pouring your heart and resources into a groundbreaking innovation, only to watch it fail—not because it wasn’t brilliant, but because your partners weren’t ready to meet you there. This is the Innovator’s Blindspot. Ron Adner captures it perfectly in The Wide Lens: even the best ideas can fail when their success depends on others’ innovations that don’t arrive on time. Philips learned this the hard way in the 1980s when their HDTV flopped—not because the technology was flawed, but because the supporting ecosystem (HD cameras, transmission standards) didn’t yet exist. It’s a tough pill to swallow: your success doesn’t just hinge on your idea or execution. It depends on others adopting, innovating, and aligning with your vision. At CleanOps Collective, we see this dynamic every day in the cleaning and restoration industry. A revolutionary product will go nowhere if distributors, service providers, and regulators aren’t prepared to adapt. The most innovative cleaning tool is useless if technicians don’t know how to use it or customers don’t trust it. This is why we emphasize ecosystem thinking. When you expand your focus beyond your innovation to include your entire value chain, everything changes: ➡️ Co-Innovation Risk: Are your partners innovating alongside you? ➡️ Adoption Chain Risk: Are stakeholders ready to adopt and champion your solution? Great ideas require great ecosystems. It’s not enough to build the product—you have to orchestrate the network around it. The companies that succeed don’t just innovate; they align. https://lnkd.in/gxf65RBx

What If Cleaning Wasn’t A Single Point in Time Event? Our industry has one mantra: Kill the bacteria. Eradicate the germs. End of story. But… what if that wasn’t the only option? Hear me out. Probiotic cleaners use Bacillus spores—not to kill, but to clean smarter. Think of them as tiny enzyme factories, working around the clock to chew up organic soil on surfaces. You’ve heard of enzymatic cleaners, right? Great for breaking down organic material. But here’s the twist: probiotic cleaners don’t stop when the spray bottle runs dry. They keep producing enzymes for as long as there’s organic soil to “feed” them. Still not impressed? How about this: these microscopic workers don’t just sit around waiting for grime to come to them—they move. They actively seek out soil to break down. It’s like having a multipurpose cleaner with a built-in radar for dirt, cleaning indefinitely. It’s not just science fiction; it’s science fact. Probiotic cleaners challenge everything we thought we knew about cleaning. They’re not just a tool—they’re a revolution. Need to see the data? I got that too. Reach out to learn more. #ProbioticCleaning #LevelUp #CleanOpsCollective

Quality Compliance: The Line Between Thriving and Just Surviving When it comes to quality compliance, there’s no “good enough.” Either your program is rock solid, or it’s a liability waiting to happen. We’ve seen it time and again: a company riding high on innovation gets blindsided because their quality program couldn’t withstand the scrutiny. Maybe it’s a missed inspection. Maybe it’s an oversight in documentation. Maybe it’s just one unhappy customer with a megaphone. Whatever the case, the fallout can be catastrophic—lost trust, legal battles, or even a complete shutdown. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to learn this lesson the hard way. A strong quality program isn’t just a box to check—it’s your insurance policy, your growth engine, and your reputation rolled into one. The secret? Get the right people in the room. Experts who live and breathe quality compliance can help you build a program that stands up to the toughest challenges. They’ll spot the gaps you don’t see, fortify the areas you didn’t know were weak, and give you the confidence to move forward. Quality isn’t just about avoiding failure. It’s about creating the foundation for long-term success. Companies with rock-solid quality programs aren’t just surviving—they’re thriving.

Commercializing New Tech: The Secret No One Talks About We all love a good innovation story: the scrappy startup, the breakthrough technology, the “aha!” moment that changes everything. But let’s get real for a second: bringing new tech to market isn’t about the tech. It’s about people. The best technology in the world can flop if it doesn’t resonate with the people who buy it, use it, or advocate for it. So here’s a radical thought: stop obsessing over your tech’s features and start solving real problems for real people. Here’s how we approach it at CleanOps Collective: 1️⃣ Listen Before You Launch: Every breakthrough starts with understanding the customer. What keeps them up at night? Where does your tech make their life easier? 2️⃣ Sell the Destination, Not the Plane: Your audience doesn’t care about the intricate details of your product. They care about outcomes. Clean floors? Safer environments? Less downtime? Sell that. 3️⃣ Find Your Tipping Point: Every product needs advocates—the mavens, connectors, and storytellers who help your innovation reach critical mass. Find them. Nurture them. Give them the tools to amplify your message. We’ve seen it firsthand: when tech goes from “nice to have” to “can’t live without,” magic happens. But that magic doesn’t come from code or patents. It comes from understanding your market deeply and executing strategically.

Why Does Everything Seem So Expensive These Days? Have you ever looked at your business expenses and thought, Why is everything so expensive? It feels like every decision—every product, every service—comes with a hefty price tag. Being cost-efficient isn’t just a good idea; it’s critical to survival. But knowing what to spend on and where to cut costs is the million-dollar question. Here’s the thing: You don’t have to figure it out alone. Tapping into experts—those who’ve already walked the path you’re on—can save you not just money but time and frustration. Sometimes, all it takes is one conversation, one question answered, or one piece of advice to point you in the right direction. It’s like having a map when you’re lost in the woods: invaluable. At CleanOps Collective, we know the power of experience. Whether it’s understanding which cleaning technologies are worth the investment or how to make your operations more cost-effective, a single hour of focused insight can drive real progress. So next time you’re weighing a big (or even small) decision, ask yourself: What’s the cost of not asking for help? Experience isn’t free, but it’s priceless. Let’s talk. 👇 #CostEfficiency #BusinessTips #CleaningIndustry #CleanOpsCollective

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What Can a Fake Assistant Teach Us About Perception? Here’s a thought experiment: what if how you appear—or how others perceive you—determined the opportunities you’re offered? For Jamira Burley, a woman of color in tech, this wasn’t hypothetical. Enter Matt: a fake, male assistant she created over a decade ago. “Matt” schedules meetings, negotiates rates, and even rejects offers. But here’s the reality: when Matt speaks, people listen. When Jamira pretended to be Matt over email, she noticed an immediate shift in behavior. Suddenly, people took her more seriously, offered her better rates, and treated her as a professional force. Matt wasn’t just an assistant; he was a social hack—an embodiment of privilege and confidence. So, what’s the lesson here? Perception drives behavior. People respond to the story they believe, not necessarily the truth. In the cleaning and restoration industry (or any industry, really), the same principle applies. How we position ourselves, our teams, and our tools can shape the results we achieve. Do your clients see you as a leader in innovation? Do they trust your expertise before you walk in the door? Sometimes, it takes a bit of storytelling—like Jamira creating Matt—to shift perception. But in the long run, the goal is clear: build trust, deliver value, and show up with the confidence you deserve. Until then, what’s your “Matt”? https://lnkd.in/gGdE4HkB

From Refugee Camp to Million-Dollar Business: What We Can Learn from Judith Virag Sometimes a story makes you rethink what it means to hustle, innovate, and lead. Judith Virag’s journey from a refugee camp to running a million-dollar cleaning business in Calgary is one of those stories. In 1987, Judith arrived in Canada with no English, having spent three years in a refugee camp after leaving communist Hungary. She started at the bottom—washing dishes and cleaning offices while learning English in high school. Fast forward to today, and she’s the founder of Clean Club Calgary, a thriving business built on her values of trust, accountability, and excellence. Here’s what stands out about Judith’s story: 1️⃣ Hard Work Opens Doors: From late-night cleaning shifts to corporate roles at PwC, Judith made herself indispensable in every job she held. 2️⃣ Passion Powers Success: When she decided to go out on her own, Judith leaned into what she loved—cleaning—and turned it into a thriving business. 3️⃣ Innovation is Everything: With her new CleanIQ Cleaning Industry Educator Judith isn’t just running a business; she’s lifting the entire industry by teaching others how to succeed. Judith’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, but it’s also a call to action: success isn’t just about grit—it’s about knowing when to pivot, when to invest in others, and when to double down on your passion. At CleanOps Collective, we believe in celebrating leaders like Judith who challenge the status quo and redefine what’s possible in the cleaning industry. Her story isn’t just inspiring—it’s proof that this industry is a place where meaningful work and big dreams collide. https://lnkd.in/g6-nrRX2

Celebrating the Quiet Power of Project Management Loud. Bold. Visible. When we think about project management, these are often the stories we celebrate—the dramatic rescues, the heroic turnarounds, the impossible deadlines met against all odds. There’s something undeniably intoxicating about these tales. They fit neatly into the narrative we all love: a leader confronting chaos, persevering through obstacles, and emerging victorious. But Mark Mullaly, in his brilliant article "Something Worth Celebrating" asks us to consider a different perspective: What stands in opposition to bold action? The answer is something far less glamorous but infinitely more powerful: quiet competence. This, the start of a new year, let’s pause to celebrate not just the heroes who save failing projects but the ones who never let them fail in the first place. The managers who guide with unruffled feathers, foster alignment before chaos has a chance to take hold, and make risk mitigation look easy. There’s no drama here. No histrionics. Just teams that trust each other, processes that actually work, and outcomes that feel inevitable—not because they were easy, but because they were handled. Mark Mullaly beautifully captures this ethos in his article: "Project rescues are about loud, bold, visible actions. The opposite of that is something very different indeed. What stands in opposition to bold action is quiet competence. Effective delivery. Unruffled feathers." Here’s the key: Quiet competence doesn’t mean boring. It’s not about bureaucracy or grey suits. It’s about calm leadership, clear purpose, and cooperative execution. It’s about creating environments where challenges are met with solutions, not finger-pointing, and where the work speaks for itself. At CleanOps Collective, we see tremendous value in applying great project management to start-up and small businesses. Early ventures rely on preparation, intentionality, and systems that prevent chaos rather than just react to it. They must aim to deliver outcomes that are seamless, efficient, and, dare we say, quietly exceptional. So today, we’re raising a glass to all the project managers who keep the wheels turning without the drama. Because at the end of the day, quiet competence is the loudest success of all. https://lnkd.in/gS9mkDxM