REMEMBERING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.  January 15, 2012

Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.^[1] He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.^[King has become a national icon in the history of modern American liberalism.^[3]

A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career.^[4] He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found theSouthern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president. King's efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. There, he expanded American values to include the vision of a color blind society, and established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history.

African American Women Who Changed the World:

Harriet Tubman
Like Sojourner, Harriet was born into slavery and found a means of escape with the help of her abolitionist neighbors. In 1849, she fled her slave life in Maryland and found respite in Philadelphia. There she formulated a plan to liberate the rest of her family by way of the Underground Railroad, a system that involved moving slaves from one safe house to another under rigid secrecy. She was able to free her family and numerous other slaves throughout the years, taking them as far as Canada and helping them find safe jobs. Later, she worked as a nurse during the Civil War and was a proponent of both women’s suffrage and the abolitionist movement.

Rosa Parks
This list wouldn’t be complete without including Rosa Parks, the woman who refused to give up her bus seat in 1955 and sparked a movement that led to the end of segregation. Her courageous act fueled the Civil Rights Movement and inspired Martin Luther King, Jr. to get involved. Along with MLK, Jr., she continues to inspire those who still fight for equality.

Oprah Winfrey
Oprah is one of the richest and most powerful people in America. Her vast influence on the women in this country is remarkable and a testament to the strength and kindness of her character. She uses her resources and celebrity to enact positive change in communities worldwide, such as fostering literacy through her book club, building a school in Africa, and encouraging others to perform good deeds.

Mae Jemison
A physician who volunteered with the Peace Corps and the first female African American astronaut, Mae was also the first black woman to go into space. After her 1992 expedition on the Endeavor shuttle, she left NASA and founded the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence (which sponsors science camps for kids), as well as companies involved in scientific and technological research. Currently, she is a professor at Cornell University and strongly involved in the science community.

Via http://www.divinecaroline.com/22343/66732-ten-african-american-changed-world/2#ixzz1jZlKCiEj

We couldn't be prouder of all the media stories done on Cleaning For A Reason!  Here is a moving story of a woman battling cancer and how Hubbard's Maid Service is cleaning for free!  Owner, Nicole Hubbard takes cleaning beyond just business and straight to the heart.   Our hats are off this caring company that gives back.  If you know someone who lives in Savannah, Georgia, we hope you will recommend Hubbard's Maid Service for their participation in our foundation!  And a quick update on the foundation that Buckets & Bows Maid Service owner, Debbie Sardone started in 2006:

• Over 1057 participating maid services in the program
• Over 10,000 women battling cancer have received free cleaning since 2006
• Over 1.5 million dollars in cleaning has been donated 
• Hoover, Proctor & Gamble, and Walmart are official sponsors

The cleaning industry will never be the same, as more and more companies get involved in giving back in this practical, tangible way!

Sorry folks, you get what you pay for.  Period.  We get called upon all the time to "advertise" using offers such as Groupon, Living Social, Deal of the Day, and more.  There's a reason why mature, bonafide businesses know to steer clear of these terrible business-killers.  

First of all, it's pitched as a form of "advertising".  It's really not advertising.  Effective advertising results in a customer.  A customer is someone who pays for my service, and creates a profit.  A Groupon forces the business to paid 75% off of what they normally get paid (a $100 cleaning must be sold for $50, then Groupon splits the commission, leaving only $25 for the owner–well below the break-even point to redeem that Groupon!).  

Most of us don't mark up our product or service so much that we can actually work for 75% off.  That's just not possible in the service industry.   We can discount sometimes by 10% off a first time service, with the hope that the customer will fall in love and sign up for ongoing service,–but who can work for 75% of what you charge?  No legitimate maid service can, (except maybe the ones that employ illegal workers, who cannot be screened for security and safety).

Here's what one fellow industry colleague wrote on LinkedIn recently:

Don't think for a minute this couldn't happen to YOU, the consumer!  Groupon is a business-killer,  therefore it's not good for consumers either.    At Buckets & Bows Maid Service, we thrive on repeat business.  It's what helps to keep our prices down.   The more customers we have that use us every week to every other week, the more competitive we can be with our pricing.  This also enables us to offer fair and competitive pricing for the one-time cleans as well, as not everyone can afford to have service a couple times a month.  "Deals" like Groupon wreck good businesses who have tight margins.  The only time a Groupon is good for the business is if their mark ups are 300% above break-even.  This is just not  likely in so many businesses.

I do a lot of business consulting with maid service business owners around the globe.  Everyone that has called on me for help, after they signed up for a Groupon deal, has regretted their decision and prayed for the day when the offer expires!

Unless your margins are crazy, crazy high, stay away from Groupon type offers if you're a business!

Some other good stories to brush up on your Groupon education:

http://homebrewexchange.net/content/living-social

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-08-16/business/ct-biz-0816-groupon-20100816_1_groupon-businesses-chairs

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/project_syndicate/2011/03/the_groupon_paradox.html

http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/groupon-worst-marketing-business/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/moneybuilder/2010/10/01/groupon-good-for-you-bad-for-business/

October is almost over, and another PINKTOBER is about to pass.  It's hard to believe that our little company, Buckets & Bows Maid Service, that started in Flower Mound, Texas has reached far beyond our own back yard and has had nation-wide impact.  Wow!  How did that happen?  We pinch ourselves every day at the office, and are grateful for the privilege to have helped so many women with cancer.  Who would have ever predicted, that one day my company would launch a grassroots nonprofit that's now in all 50 states and four provinces of Canada.  What a blessing to be a blessing.  Tears come to my eyes as I write about the meaning it brings to my life, as a busy entrepreneur.  Because of a company policy, we started here at Buckets & Bows Maid Service nearly 15 years ago, we've achieved these amazing results through our foundation, Cleaning For A Reason:

• Over 1,000 other maid services have joined our cause, giving free cleaning to women with cancer
• Over 5,000 women battling cancer have received free housecleaning so far
• Over 1.4 million dollars in free services have been donated to these women
• Hoover, Swiffer, Mr. Clean, and Walmart have become major sponsors of our cause

We are proud as peacocks about the incredible impact our foundation is having and hope you will join with us in supporting maid services who are giving back through Cleaning For A Reason.  Our Board of directors met in October for our two-day face-to-face meeting and took a field trip to Walmart.  This is our photo next to the pink limited edition Swiffer Mops display found in all the Walmart stores nation wide during the month of October,  with the Cleaning For A Reason sponsorship logo!

2nd on the left (black  sweater) is Debbie Sardone, Buckets & Bows Maid Service President and founder of Cleaning For A Reason

So grateful Buckets & Bows Maid Service customers are NOTHING like this!  We have the best customers in the world.  But thought I'd share this comical video with everyone   This is another reason why we come out and do in home estimates on all of our prospective weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly customers.  We like to go over every aspect of the cleaning to insure the customer is satisfied with the level of service they sign up for!  Our uniformed staff comes prepared and we bring Jeff & Debbie's Clean Team supplies because they are the highest quality cleaning tools and products available!