We recently had the chance to connect with Greg Shepard and have shared our conversation below.
Greg, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is a normal day like for you right now?
I don’t really have a “normal” day.
And especially not right now as I’m in the middle of launching my fifth (and final!) house cleaning service. With startups, every day feels like a rapid-fire mix of different, often unrelated but always interesting tasks, all aimed at taking a fledgling idea and pushing it into success.
It all started years ago with my first cleaning company in Dallas. I spent a long time refining and automating systems until the business was running so smoothly it became one of the largest in the city. When you do that, you basically write yourself out of the daily grind which is what every business owner should do, though some struggle with letting go. Me? I let go, and then I got bored.
That boredom turned into my second company, Emily’s Maids of Dallas. It was much easier than the first because by then I knew what worked, how to serve customers better, how to keep things running efficiently, and how to scale. Since then, I’ve been repeating the process, building on 20 years of refining what makes a cleaning service thrive.
So now, here I am starting yet another maid service, armed with battle-tested systems, automation, and a dash of entrepreneurial stubbornness. A “normal” day doesn’t really exist for me, and I’ve come to accept it never will. But frankly, I like it that way. Normal sounds boring, and if I ever do get a “normal” day, I’ll probably just start another business to mess it up again.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Greg, founder of Emily’s Maids of Dallas. I’ve been in the house cleaning industry for over 20 years, and what started as one local cleaning service in Dallas has grown into multiple maid services across North America, Canada included. Along the way, I discovered that the secret to running a great cleaning company isn’t just about dusting and vacuuming, it’s about building rock-solid systems that let the business run smoothly while consistently delivering quality service to customers.
Emily’s Maids is special to me because it represents that philosophy: combining personal care with professional efficiency. We’re named after Emily. Who’s Emily? Ok, here is a secret I’m first divulging here: We’re called Emily’s Maids because I liked the name Emily. Sounds like what the girl next door would be named, right? I just wanted a name that evoked that warm, neighbor feeling. The friendly neighbor that is always their for you. That is why I started in the first place, to create something family-oriented and customer-friendly
What makes us unique is that we’ve refined and automated many of the back-end processes so the team can focus 100% on the people we serve. That mix of technology, efficiency, and genuine care is what allows us to stand out in such a competitive space.
Right now, I’m also in the exciting (and sometimes chaotic) process of launching my fifth and final cleaning service. It’s a lot of work, but I love it because each new venture builds on everything I’ve learned, making it easier, smarter, and more fun than the last.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
I taught myself the most about work.
Whenever I’ve wanted to master something, my first instinct has always been to pick up a book (or four). In my early 20s it was investing in the stock market. I read everything I could, applied it, and did well enough that I could retire now… though I’d be bored out of my mind.
Then it was starting a business, so I read more books, tested what I learned, and eventually ended up running six companies. Later, before buying my first property, I dove into real estate books and even took realtor classes. I’m not a big-time investor, but I do own a few residential and commercial properties thanks to that self-education.
At the end of the day, it’s really been my curiosity that pushed me, and reading was the key that unlocked it all. And from all the autobiographies I’ve read on great leaders and businesspeople, there’s a common thread: they’re all voracious readers. So if there’s a “secret” to success, I’d say it’s simple: love to read.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes! Nearly two years into starting my first maid service, I hit that wall where I wondered if this was all worth it. I seriously thought about quitting. But instead of giving up, I decided to push through. Two more years later, I was completely exhausted, so I took what felt like a crazy step at the time: I went backpacking around the world.
That trip ended up being one of the best business decisions I ever made. It forced me to automate my systems because, well, I wasn’t there to run things. My mindset was, if the business survives while I’m gone, great. If not, at least I had an adventure. But the business did survive. It chugged along without me.
When I got back, things were easier because I could see where the cracks were and fix them. The stress level dropped dramatically, and I realized the power of building a business that runs on systems, not just you. What almost broke me ended up shaping how I build companies to this day.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
If you asked my closest friends what really matters to me, they’d probably boil it down to three things:
First, my family. If there’s any real meaning to life, it’s found in relationships and love. That’s it. Everything else is bonus.
Second, building businesses that make people happier. And yes, house cleaning actually does that! Studies show that living in a clean, organized home reduces stress and improves mental health. I often tell my team, “We’re not in the cleaning business; we’re in the happiness business.” (Though, admittedly, “happiness technician” doesn’t look as good on a résumé.)
And third, truth. My personal motto is “Always seek truth,” whether you like what you find or not. And this is going to sound hippy-ish of me to day, but it’s the truth: I genuinely wish more people lived by that, because truth leads to understanding, and understanding leads to love.
So in short: family, happiness, and truth. My friends would probably also add coffee to that list, but hey, truth tastes better with caffeine.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m with my family, especially my two adorable daughters. They bring so much love (and, let’s be honest, just the right amount of chaos) into the home. They’ve made me a better person in more ways than I can count, and even when the house looks like a toy store exploded, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://emilysmaids.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilys.maids
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emilys-maid
- Twitter: https://x.com/EmilysMaids
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilysmaids
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/emilys-maids-of-dallas-dallas-4
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@emilysmaids
- Other: GMB: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6YsYE9twjJijqDYY8
