BSCAI Steven Harper Built the Cleaning Company He Wanted To Work For
46 snips
Nov 11, 2025 
Steven Harper, President and CEO of Spectrum Building Services of America, shares insights from his transition from electrical engineering to founding an eight-figure commercial cleaning company. He discusses the necessity of systems thinking in scaling operations and how accountability can transform the janitorial industry. Harper reveals how adopting robotics and AI enhances service reliability and efficiency. He emphasizes a people-first culture and explains how trust and infrastructure are key to doubling revenue through existing clients. The future, he argues, lies in a hybrid model combining human expertise with technology.
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Engineer Turned Janitorial Founder
- Steven Harper moved from electrical engineering and corporate roles into founding Spectrum to apply systems thinking to janitorial services.
- He launched the company to engineer a service model built on consistency, accountability, and measurable performance.
Build Infrastructure Before Chasing Growth
- Build your infrastructure before chasing growth so the experience is repeatable and reliable.
- Invest in systems, people, processes, and technology to create a foundation that makes growth a byproduct of performance.
You Can't Scale Chaos
- 'You can't scale chaos' captures why repeatable systems matter in service businesses.
- Measuring everything and creating visibility lets teams self-correct and sustain growth without the founder in every decision.
