When Ikea Jones enrolled in the Smart Clean Program, her cleaning business was already operating and receiving contracts. However, she was looking for ways to strengthen her company and stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
Prior to joining the program, Ikea had recently completed a Green Sustainable Energy program and had plans to create her own plant‑based, eco‑friendly cleaning products and wipes. While she had the vision, she was unsure where to begin. The Smart Clean Program provided the guidance she needed to take the next step.
Before participating in the program, Ikea had little knowledge of Pollution Prevention (P2) concepts or what a P2 Plan involved. Through the Smart Clean Program, she learned how to develop a P2 Plan and better understand the environmental and health impacts of traditional cleaning products.
The training quickly became a powerful business tool.
After completing the program, Ikea began incorporating what she learned into her proposals, employee onboarding training, and conversations with potential clients. When she shared that she had completed the Smart Clean Program and implemented a P2 Plan, clients became more interested in working with her company because it demonstrated a commitment to safer cleaning practices.
This knowledge proved especially valuable during the interview process for her first government contract. During the interview, Ikea explained why her business prioritizes safer, eco‑friendly cleaning products and how her P2 Plan guides the way her team operates.
The organization she was interviewing with works closely with children, making health and safety a top priority. Her ability to clearly explain safer cleaning practices and pollution prevention strategies helped set her proposal apart.
As a result, Ikea successfully secured the contract.
Since completing the program, she has integrated safer cleaning practices into her operations and now uses safer cleaning products approximately 80% of the time in her business.
The impact of the program continued to grow.
Recently, Ikea secured another cleaning contract, and once again the knowledge gained through the Smart Clean Program played an important role in the proposal process. During the proposal, she mentioned the green training she had completed and shared her P2 Plan. She believes the knowledge she gained through the program helped strengthen her proposal and contributed to winning the contract.
Beyond the contracts themselves, the program has helped build Ikea’s confidence when pursuing larger opportunities and speaking with clients about her services. She also reports seeing more Requests for Proposals (RFPs) that ask about sustainability and safer cleaning practices, confirming how valuable the training has been for positioning her business for new opportunities.
Today, Ikea continues to expand sustainable practices within her company and plans to develop her own eco‑friendly cleaning solutions in the future.
Her story demonstrates how the Smart Clean Program helps small businesses strengthen their operations, improve environmental practices, and compete for new opportunities in growing markets.