30-year-old turned side hustle into a business that brings in $10,000 a month without a college degree: ‘I decided to go all in’

When Anna-Marie Ortiz started her cleaning business, she didn’t waste time searching for the “perfect” strategy or waiting for the ideal moment.

“I think people spend too much time over-preparing — buying courses, watching videos or waiting to feel ready,” the 30-year-old tells CNBC Make It. “Just go out there and do it, make it happen.”

That mindset helped Ortiz grow Cool Aunt Cleanersher Portland, Oregon-based cleaning business, from a side hustle into a full-time operation generating an average of $10,000 a month as of September 2024. Though she left behind a higher-paying job, she says the independence and flexibility of being her own boss has been worth it.

Ortiz’s interest in entrepreneurship began in her 20s, when she left college to work at startups in Kansas. Over several years, she earned what she calls an “untraditional four-year degree in business,” gaining practical skills in sales, marketing and project management.

In 2020, inspired by watching businesses grow from the ground up, Ortiz partnered with a high school friend to open a plant shop. The pandemic forced the business to pivot to online sales, and it ultimately closed in early 2021.

Anna-Marie Ortiz in Portland, Oregon.

Matt Wolcott | CNBC Make It

Though the plant store failed, Ortiz didn’t lose her desire to run her own business. By 2022, after relocating to Portland and working remotely for a startup, she began exploring new ideas. She wanted to pursue a service-based business that didn’t involve managing inventory or high overhead costs.

Cleaning stood out as the perfect fit. “It’s a tried and true service that’s been around forever,” Ortiz says. With her last $2,000 in savings, she purchased supplies, built a website and designed a logo, determined to build a “seven-figure” business.

Ortiz embraced the challenges of starting without a perfect plan. Over time, she adjusted her pricing strategy and shifted her focus to smaller condos near downtown Portland, finding them more profitable than residential neighborhoods with single-family homes.

By November 2023, Ortiz was able to leave her $60,000-a-year fintech job to run Cool Aunt Cleaners full-time. Today, the business is projected to earn over $100,000 in revenue in 2024, serving 15 to 20 recurring clients.

Anna-Marie Ortiz cleaning an apartment.

Matt Wolcott | CNBC Make It

She credits part of her success to her ability to make decisions quickly and pivot as needed. “I’ve never struggled with paralysis by analysis, which I think is a good thing,” she says.

For example, Ortiz hired several employees early on but soon realized her pricing didn’t align with labor costs, prompting her to scale back and work solo. After refining her pay structure, she now has a part-time employee and assists with cleaning jobs herself as needed.

While she pays herself $29,000 annually — less than half of her previous salary — Ortiz values the freedom and flexibility of entrepreneurship. “I love being my own boss,” she says. “It allows me to make my own decisions and create a work environment that reflects my values.”

For Ortiz, building wealth meant creating something of her own — but it required taking that first step. “I realized I couldn’t wait around for other people’s dreams, and that’s when I decided to go all in on mine.”

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