| Cleaning business offers community angle |
By Diane Daniels |
Published
07/24/2008
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Business
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Cleaning business offers community angle
Turning what some would consider a negative situation into a positive, Dana Denson is using adversity to accomplish her goal of becoming an entrepreneur and helping others. A victim of banking and mortgage industry layoffs, Denson says the sales, marketing and customer service knowledge she acquired from 15 years in the corporate arena plays a major role in the operation of Scrubba’s, her professional cleaning service.
Launched earlier this year, Scrubba’s, said Denson, not only provides residential and commercial cleaning services, but also has a community division. Business is more than providing a service and getting paid, it’s about giving back, educating and uplifting others,” she said.
Cautious of the economic downturn and the hardships many families are experiencing, Denson says this is an ideal time to form affiliations with community leaders and organizations to help those in need. As a result, Scrubba’s, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Colts football team, has developed a “Greenup Cleanup” home beautification initiative in partnership with Pentecostal Temple and Urban Impact. Designed to help needy families from neighborhoods across Pittsburgh, the initiative is aimed at providing homeowners with a helping hand at restoring beauty to the interior and exterior of their homes.
Denson explained that several families from the Pentecostal and Urban Impact church were chosen to receive the free housecleaning and landscaping service as part of a push to beautify the community and restore pride of ownership for homeowners. As part of the initiative, selected families will receive information they can use to maintain a healthy looking living environment. Also, youths between the ages of 11-16 will be eligible to participate in a special program that teaches young people how to become entrepreneurs.
“This is Scrubba’s way of giving back,” she said.
| TRADEMARK SERVICE—Diane Stewart owner of D. Renee’s Beauty Salon, one of Scrubba’s commercial clients, receives the red brush treatment from Dana Denson, owner of Scrubba’s Professional Cleaning Service.
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Excited about the partnership, Denson points out that the event will include volunteers from the Colts, Scrubba’s Clean Team and, possibly, area elected officials. She said players from the minor league football team will volunteer their landscaping expertise and equipment for the day to perform basic landscaping chores and help to beautify the exterior of the candidate’s home.
Denson’s team will handle cleaning the interior of the home offering their Housebrite services free of charge. Along with basic cleaning, the Housebrite program includes the candidate receiving advice on how they can use environmentally safe cleaning products and redecorate the interior of their home for health and beauty reasons.
A press conference announcing the launch of the initiative will take place July 24 at 9 a.m. on the steps of the Pittsburgh City-County Building. The winners will be announced at half time during the Community Night festivities at the Colts vs. the Mon Valley Mayhem July 26 game held at Cupples Stadium on the South Side at 7 p.m.
Considered the new kid on the block when it comes to business, Scrubba’s provides its clients with basic cleaning services that fits any budget. Residential duties range from dusting, floor maintenance, cleaning kitchens, bathrooms and tasks by request. Recognizing the deterioration of the atmosphere and the effects it has on senior citizens and children, Scrubba’s offers a Greenup service letting clients make healthy choices when selecting cleaning products. Greenup deals directly with ecological issues by providing ecologically safe cleaning products.
A licensed, bonded and insured company, Scrubba’s also focuses on commercial clients that range from restaurants, beauty parlors and barbershops to boutiques and office buildings. Accounts include Jene’s Soul Food Restaurant, D. Renee’s Beauty Salon, Pinache Boutique and Capital Management. Denson hopes to soon widen her market to churches and other religious venues.
Operating with a code of ethics of honesty and integrity and offering customer satisfaction, Denson’s goal within the next decade is to employ a significant amount of people and for her children to own and operate the business. A mother of three sons 17, 15 and five, Denson said it is important for her to serve as a positive role model while doing what she enjoys and building something for their future.
A Wilkinsburg High School graduate, Denson said she’s always had an interest in business. Participating in athletic activities during her school days taught her the significance of teamwork and instilled a great work ethic that has stuck with her throughout her professional career.
She attended Community College of Allegheny County studying corrections administration and when she decided to start the business participated in the Duquesne University Small Business Development Center.
“Coming out of a corporate environment, I understand the significance of order,” Denson said, aiming to position herself to operate a successful business. Looking to the future, her goals are to open a car wash, create a clothing line and write books on how to maintain a beautiful home environment on a tight budget.
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