KATHLEEN BANDS

CEO
My Cleaning Service Inc.

Kathleen Bands and her employees have answered the daunting challenge of operating a cleaning service during a worldwide pandemic.

“We are proud that during the last six months, we’ve joined the fight in keeping our fellow Americans healthy and protected from the spread of the virus,” said Bands, the third generation of her family to run My Cleaning Service. “Our mobile post-construction cleaning crews were easily trained and equipped to become mobile disinfection crews. This allowed us to respond to positive cases rapidly.”

Under Bands, CEO since 2018, My Cleaning Service has grown to 300 employees. Her grandparents started the company in the basement of their Baltimore row house and all four of their children worked in the business. Bands, who started as director of business development in 2009 and was named vice president in 2013, bought the company in July.

“My biggest challenge so far has been balancing rapid growth while the COVID-19 virus pushed us to serve our clients even better. We have had to respond quickly and efficiently while adapting to their changing needs,” Bands said.

The 50-year-old company has transformed under Bands’ leadership, she said. “Our team has been able to shift the company to a modern, scientific-based, systematic operation that still holds the family values of my grandparents,” she said.

In addition to her hard work and vision, Bands attributes her success to creating a strong, collaborative team she can grow with.

“Empowering each person to believe in their own ability to make critical decisions while leaving room for inspiration and creativity has generated a culture of success,” she said.

Bands has also been very involved with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Baltimore since 2011 and helped start its Red Shoe Crew, a group of young professionals who have built strong connections with the families and the organization. Bands has had leadership positions at RMH and worked on its fundraisers, but she’s most grateful that she has built relationships with the families at RMH.

“I am proud to be part of this incredible organization because there is something truly magical about the people there,” she said.