Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Loya.
Karen, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The story of Silvia’s Cleaning started when I quit my PhD program at UT Austin in 2024. I came to accept that research and academia were not career paths I wanted to pursue. I ended up completing my Masters degree, then took the next 8 months to look for a full-time job while working part-time gigs to support myself. During that time, I was unraveling who I thought I was and what I had imagined my future to look like. As part of this time of deep self-reflection, I came to terms with various limiting beliefs that I held onto for most of my life. One of them was that I was not a leader, but rather a follower (in my case, I prided myself on being an amazing student, but never thought that I could be a manager). I delved into deconstructing the “why” behind that belief and felt a desperate desire to prove it wrong. That process led me to want to be a business owner–a representation of the type of leader I wanted to be.
At the same time that I was deciding what kind of business I wanted to begin, I was also thinking about the people that supported me along my path. One of the biggest reasons why I was able to turn away from school (and the subsequent academic career path) and pursue other ventures was because of my mom–Silvia. She was the first person I told that I felt lost and unhappy at school; the first to hold me as I broke down crying when I realized I didn’t want to complete my PhD but couldn’t handle the sense of failure in leaving the program; the first to tell me that everything was going to be okay and that she would support me in whatever path I chose.
As I worked to figure out what business owner I wanted to be, I knew that I wanted it to be meaningful. I ended up choosing a cleaning business because it was a chance for me to develop the skills that I wanted (managing workers, making decisions, creative problem solving) while also honoring my mother and the love that she’s shown me my whole life. Silvia’s Cleaning Services is an homage to my mom–I can be the leader that I desire to be and be a part of creating spaces ready to fill with love and support, just as my mom did for me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been far from a smooth road! Transportation, managing hyper-specific requests, hiring, ensuring quality, and finding new clients are all constant struggles. One big challenge was taking critiques from both my internal team and clients. I really struggled with managing (what I felt were) failures in the first few months. However, I was determined to keep moving forward, no matter how terrible I felt or how badly I wanted to give up.
Now that I am six months in, my growth mindset has strengthened exponentially. Problems will always arise, and I still feel bad at times when things don’t work perfectly. However, through the bad, I can take the lessons learned and use it to improve myself, my processes, and the business overall.
We’ve been impressed with Silvia’s Cleaning Services, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Silvia’s Cleaning Services is a residential cleaning business that delivers services in Austin and surrounding towns. We provide one-time, recurring, deep, and move in/out cleans at a competitive price.
I am most proud of how much my internal team cares. We care about providing a great clean and experience to our clients; we care about our cleaning teams; and we deeply care about being kind, respectful, and trustworthy to one another. My team works really hard in reflecting the values that I think my mom (Silvia) carries forward every day. I am so proud to be building a small but mighty team in this way.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Christmas in Mexico when I was around 6. We spent it with my extended family in Cuidad Juarez one year, and I have this vivid memory of me running around my grandma’s house holding my stuffed animal and laughing hard as my cousins chased me around. That memory still brings a smile to my face.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.silviascleaning.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silviascleaners/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581775106436
