$2.4 Million Exterior Cleaning Empire with Fred Hodge Jr.

Mar 2, 2026

Keith sits down with Fred Hodge Jr., owner of Clearview Washing in New Jersey—an exterior cleaning company that’s been growing since 2004 and now runs up to 26 employees in peak season. Fred breaks down what actually helped him scale: lead gen, hiring, culture, and the systems that keep the business running even when he’s on vacation (without the “putting out fires from the beach” vibe).

They get into niche high-profit services (yes, chandelier cleaning), the KPIs that drive pricing decisions, how to raise prices without nuking your calendar, and why Fred keeps a buffalo picture behind his desk—to remind himself to run toward problems, not away from them.

 

"What got you there isn’t the same avenue what’s gonna get you to your next place.” – Fred Hodge Jr.

 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Fred scaled from “Chuck in a truck” to a multi-crew operation

• The systems that help him step off the truck—and stay off

• Why bundling services dramatically raised their average ticket

• How to use simple KPIs (no algebra required) to make smarter pricing moves

• What “penny smart, dollar foolish” looks like in real business decisions

• How to build a team culture that retains great people

 

Key Takeaways:

• The Business: 22 Years, 26 Employees, Multiple Services.

  Clearview Washing offers window washing, power washing, soft washing, gutter and roof cleaning, holiday lights, shrink wrapping outdoor furniture—and even chandelier cleaning. Peak season team size hits around 26 employees, with a business mix that’s roughly 70% commercial (including HOAs/condos) and 30% high-end residential.

  
  
• The “Chandelier Cleaning” Advantage.
  

  Fred explains why chandelier cleaning became a standout niche: most competitors avoid it due to complexity and liability. Clearview leaned in, developed the skill set and tools, and now gets inbound calls from across New Jersey—sometimes landing $8K–$10K chandelier-cleaning projects in high-end homes.

• Scaling Happened When Systems Got Serious.
  
  

  Fred credits a major turning point to implementing real operational systems (with big help from his wife, who drives processes). That included choosing a CRM (Jobber) and building workflows that reduce chaos and prevent everything from escalating to “owner-level emergencies.”

  He even jokes their QuickBooks coach says they’re “not an exterior cleaning company—they’re a technology company that offers exterior cleaning.”

 

Connect with Fred

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fredhodgejr/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freddie.hodge 
Website: https://clearviewwashing.com/ 

Connect with Keith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap
Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas

 

Resources and Websites: 

Start Getting Leads Now https://www.footbridgemedia.com/keith

The Untrapped Alliance: https://www.keithkalfas.com/alliance

Resources You Need To Build A Successful Business https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources

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Become An influencer And Monetize Your Expertise: https://www.keithkalfas.com/influence

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