Client Stories

Building a family-friendly workplace

Red River Cleaning Services

As a young mother in The Pas, Teresa found herself raising four children on her own, at times working up to three jobs to support her family.

She struggled to find reliable child care, and at the end of long working days, what little energy Teresa had left was spent on cooking and other household tasks.

That experience had a big impact.

Now, her Winnipeg-based residential and commercial cleaning business, Teresa Sayese Cleaning Services, is working to create a more family-friendly workplace where women can ensure children are well-cared for while earning a decent living.

Teresa began her career in cleaning many years ago, unsure if she’d like the work. But she quickly discovered she was good at it. “I always worked a little harder in people’s homes to make it that much cleaner.”

As an employee, Teresa was always told she had leadership skills and was encouraged to go out on her own.

Her experience in hand, Teresa joined SEED Winnipeg’s business development training program, which helped her to organize and develop her ideas.

I feel that, if I do things right, I can help others who are in my situation.

“The training helped me to focus on the financial and marketing aspects of my business,” she explains. “It made me realize all the components that need to be in place to be successful.”

Billy Granger, Teresa’s Business Consultant at SEED, meets with her regularly to make the connections that will help grow her business.

“I feel like they’re a part of my life,” says Teresa of SEED staff. “I can just go there and ask for help anytime.”

Teresa has big plans for her business. She envisions a location with on-site child care, and flexible work arrangements for staff.

“I feel that, if I do things right, I can help others who are in my situation,” says Teresa. “I can create a more democratic business. That’s unusual.”