From The Laundry Room to the Classroom
Fifteen years after a first day she almost didn’t make it through, Veronica McCloud is the TLC Cleaning trainer teaching new hires the job.
It Was Being Built
On Veronica McCloud’s first day at TLC Cleaning in July 2011, founder Trisha Lake walked up to the car and asked how it had gone. Veronica told her it was great. That was not entirely true.
“In my head, I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this. This is really hard,’” Veronica said. “But I went back the next day and faked it for another day.”
She kept returning. At first, she needed the paycheck and the consistent hours. She started as a cleaning technician, learning the work from the ground up. Over time, however, Veronica’s reason for coming back changed. She began to see something in TLC that felt different from an ordinary job. She watched Trisha, then a single mother building a company almost hour by hour, do everything she could to keep employees working. Another person who played an important role in keeping Veronica at TLC was Operations Manager Iris Rodriguez. Iris stayed late with Veronica on long jobs and stood by her side, providing support throughout her years with the company.
Fifteen years later, Veronica is still returning, but she no longer has to pretend she belongs. Today, her role at TLC is Trainer, and she is one of the people standing at the front of the company’s classroom, teaching new employees how to do the job that once intimidated her.
“I always tell people, anything that you’ve done, I've done,” she said. “Any mistakes, I've already done, and I'm here to tell you not to do that, and why.”
Her journey has become part of the company’s institutional knowledge. It is also a living record of just how much TLC Cleaning has changed. In those early days, team meetings happened in Trisha’s home. The laundry room served as the company’s base. Since then, TLC has grown into a company with more than 85 employees and service areas centered around Fargo, Grand Forks and Detroit Lakes. The operation now includes company vehicles, dedicated offices, digital scheduling and communication systems, formal benefits, and a structured training program.
Veronica witnessed the less straightforward parts of growth, including the company's first failed attempt to establish a Grand Forks location. Trisha closed it and refocused on Fargo, but when the company re-opened its doors in Grand Forks 9 years later, Trisha was confident. “She was like, ‘It will work this time because I know what to do now, and I know how to do it,’” Veronica said. Adaptability and trust are among TLC’s stated values. Veronica’s story adds another word to the picture: resilience.
“Anything that you’ve done, I’ve done. Any mistakes, I’ve already done, and I’m here to tell you not to do that, and why.”
Support With Expectations
When Veronica began working at TLC, she was rebuilding her life. She did not have a driver’s license, which eventually became an obstacle as she began taking on more responsibility. Trisha challenged her to change that. “If you want people to respect you and take you seriously, you can’t have them drive you around,” Veronica remembers Trisha telling her. “If you’re going to lead, you have to show them that you're a pusher.”
That pattern repeated throughout her career. TLC offered support, but the support was usually paired with an expectation that Veronica would continue moving forward. “She doesn’t just give us things,” Veronica said. “She’s like, ‘You put in the work, and I’ll put in the same.’ You have to show that you’re willing to do what it takes to get where you need to be, and she’ll help you with that.”
Turning Experience Into a Classroom
Veronica’s first transition into leadership happened informally. A few years into her time at TLC, a team lead left. Veronica already knew the clients and homes well enough to guide other employees, so she was told it was time to take over. She was scared, but she did it anyway.
In 2026, TLC expanded the program again by adding classroom-based instruction. Veronica was among the first employees selected to lead it. Her lessons cover techniques, products and processes, but her greatest value cannot be captured entirely in a manual. She knows what happens when an employee feels overwhelmed, falls behind or carries a difficult personal situation into work because she has experienced those moments herself.
The Human Side of a Clean Home
For Veronica, cleaning has never been only about surfaces. Inviting someone into a home can make clients feel vulnerable. TLC attempts to make that experience more personal by introducing its employees through online biographies. Even when a client is away at work, the goal is to help them understand that a real person, not an anonymous corporate workforce, was caring for the space. “We’re not corporate,” Veronica said. “We’re very much mom-and-pop, but with a big vibe.”
Veronica teaches new employees that none of those circumstances determines how much dignity a client deserves. “You should treat that person in a hoarding situation like they won the lottery,” she said, “because they need you to make them feel seen and heard and that they’re not a problem.”
“You should treat that person in a hoarding situation like they won the lottery.”
Veronica's No-Shame Cleaning Rules
One room at a time is enough. A home does not need to be cleaned from top to bottom every day. Completing one manageable space is still progress.
Make the bed and take out the trash. A few high-impact tasks can make a home feel calmer without requiring hours of work.
Use a wet-to-dry method when dusting. Wipe the surface with the damp portion of a cloth, then finish with a dry section to pick up remaining moisture and dust.
Look at surfaces from eye level. Changing your angle can reveal dust, crumbs or residue that is difficult to see while standing directly above a counter or table.
Turn off the vanity lights before cleaning a mirror. This is Veronica’s trick for giving herself more time to wipe the surface before the cleaner begins drying and leaving streaks.
Keep the supply cabinet simple. An all-purpose cleaner and quality microfiber cloths can handle more household tasks than many people realize.
Use only as much product as the job requires. More cleaner does not automatically produce a better result and may leave additional residue behind.
Treat stubborn buildup strategically. For hairspray residue, Veronica may use a small amount of glass cleaner on a compatible surface rather than immediately purchasing another specialty product.
Do not clean because the cleaner is coming. Pick up personal items when necessary, but do not feel obligated to hide the fact that people live in the home.
Remember what the home is for. “Your home is to be lived in,” Veronica said. “It’s to be enjoyed. It’s not supposed to be a show house.”
The Upside-Down Pyramid
Trisha has described TLC’s structure as an upside-down pyramid. The cleaning technicians are at the top because they are the people entering homes, building relationships and representing the company. The office and leadership team are underneath them, providing the support that allows them to succeed. “The better we’re taken care of, the better we take care of our clients,” Veronica said.
That philosophy helps explain why she is no longer the only unusually long-tenured employee. TLC has marked Veronica’s milestones in personal ways, from trips to the Twin Cities and California to a trip to Orlando for her 15th anniversary. “I got my hustle from Trisha, and I got my nurturing aspect from my mom,” Veronica said. “Combining those two made me a good trainer.”
When Veronica imagines TLC’s next five or 10 years, she sees the possibility of another location. In her vision, expansion means identifying an employee or family ready for a new opportunity and giving them the structure to build something of their own. That is how Veronica has come to understand growth: the company moves forward by helping its people move forward.
“I can work here forever, can’t I?”
Fifteen years ago, she was not sure she could make it through a second day. Today, she is the person standing in front of a classroom, showing new employees that difficult work can be learned, mistakes can become lessons and a job can grow into a career, and even a community. People still ask what she plans to do next. Her answer is simple: “I can work here forever, can’t I?”
Learn more about TLC Cleaning at tlccleaningexperts.com, on Facebook at /tlccleaningfargo and on Instagram at @tlccleaningexperts.
Professional Residential & Commercial Cleaning ServiceTLC Cleaning with locations in Fargo, Grand Forks, and Detroit Lakes specializes in home and commercial maid services. From rental property cleaning to commercial business janitorial work. We can cover it all. TLC Cleaning even does the carpet cleaning jobs the others can’t see. Call us now!TLC CleaningRead It in the September Issue
TLC Cleaning FAQ
Who is Veronica McCloud?
Veronica McCloud is the Trainer at TLC Cleaning. She joined as a cleaning technician in July 2011 and now helps lead the company’s classroom training for new employees.
Who founded TLC Cleaning?
Trisha Lake founded TLC Cleaning. The company started with team meetings in her home and a laundry room as its base.
Where does TLC Cleaning work?
TLC Cleaning has more than 85 employees, with service areas centered around Fargo, Grand Forks and Detroit Lakes.
How does TLC Cleaning train new employees?
TLC has a structured training program. In 2026 it added classroom instruction on techniques, products and processes, and Veronica was among the first employees chosen to lead it.
How do you clean a mirror without streaks?
Veronica turns off the vanity lights first. That gives her more time to wipe the mirror before the cleaner starts to dry.
Published September 23, 2026
