Are Your New Year's Resolutions Green?

Grist asks: Will you bike more? Cook more? Drive less? Go nuts with LEDs? Knit sweaters for penguins? Donate socks to weasels? Embrace the medium chill? Are your NY resolutions green? http://bit.ly/uvAIpa 

Where to Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Ever wonder what to do with your tree after the holiday is over? This site can help you learn where to recycle it. Talk about ever-"green!"

The Green Holiday Guide

Providing you all the resources you need to have the greenest holidays possible - and we're not talking about the Grinch! http://bit.ly/veSYMv 

Find a Job You Love with Stratus Building Solutions

Have you ever wanted to work for Stratus Building Solutions ?

If your passion is providing superior customer service while contributing to a
world class sales and marketing organization, we may be the place for you.
Stratus Building Solutions has fantastic career opportunities in management,
sales, customer service, telemarketing and training.

Call 877-731-2020 today to see if we're hiring in your local region or by clicking  here.

Stratus Building Solutions #1 Commercial Cleaning, #1 Fastest Growing Franchise

We wanted to share this great news with everyone: Stratus  is #1 in the Commercial Cleaning category, #1 Fastest Growing & #12 Overall in the Entrepreneur  Magazine's Franchise 500 list for 2012!

Children's Gift: Cleaning with Kip Koala Activity Book

Looking for a kid's gift? Try the Cleaning with Kip Koala activity book.

"This coloring book about Kip Koala follows the happy marsupial as he attends Animal Elementary School, plays with friends like Messy Monkey, discovers germs, recovers from a cold, learns the value of handwashing, cleans his room, and shares in other adventures.

The International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA) designed this engaging publication to help teach kids to 'keep it clean' and healthy through coloring, word search, fill-in-the-blanks, and interactive activities with parents.

 Proceeds from the sale of the book support the non-profit IEHA, a 3,500-plus professional member organization dedicated to keeping public places such as schools, hotels and hospitals, clean, healthy and attractive."

To learn more about professional cleaning, visit http://www.stratusbuildingsolutions.com.  

Stratus Building Solutions Franchise Check Day

Stratus Franchise Check Day is a time when Franchise Owners have the chance to talk to everyone at Stratus. Here we have Hanso, and Operations Manager; Stephanie, the Office Administrator; and Alicia, the Adminstrative Assistant.

How Often Should I Vacuum?

Frequent vacuuming is an important part of keeping carpets looking clean. Because carpet hides soil so well, many building owners and managers think their carpets are clean, when they're actually quite dirty. That's why it's important to educate your customers on how often carpet should be vacuumed.

The first thing you need to look at is how heavy the foot traffic is in different parts of the building. Some areas will need more frequent vacuuming than others. Here is a breakdown of heavy, medium, and light traffic areas that are common to most buildings.

Heavy traffic areas. These areas should be vacuumed daily because they receive the most traffic every day. The heaviest traffic areas are the entryways. The front entry is often given the most attention, but don't forget that employees and vendors frequently use other entryways in the building, so these must be vacuumed daily too. Other high traffic areas include lobbies, reception areas, elevators, hallways on the first floor, vending machine areas or coffee centers, and breakrooms.

 Medium traffic areas. These areas may need to be vacuumed just two or three times a week. Medium traffic areas would include office areas, hallways and upper levels.

Light traffic areas. These areas will probably need to be vacuumed just once a week.Light traffic areas would include areas not used very frequently like conference rooms or empty offices.

Detail vacuuming. Most cleaning companies detail vacuum offices once a month. Detail vacuuming involves using a back pack vacuum with crevice tool attachments. These tools help you to get into hard to reach areas like underneath desks, between file cabinets, and along the walls where dust and debris collects.

Every building is different, so be sure to review the amount of traffic in each building before deciding what frequency of vacuuming is needed in each area. Also, include your customer in this decision as they will be able to give you more information about traffic patterns.

(Originally written by Steve Hanson for the ISSA)

Stratus Building Solutions in USA TODAY for 50 Top Franchises for Minorities

Stratus Building Solutions celebrates diversity within the organization once again with inclusion in the Top Ten list of this year’s 50 Top Franchises for Minorities reported by USA Today on November 4, 2011.  The survey is in its fourth annual list and this is Stratus’ second recognition.

The National Minority Franchise Initiative recognizes Stratus to be leader in the franchising field with proven successes for minorities.  Stratus Building Solutions exceed the expectations with over 5,000 franchisees and with 93% minority participation.

“We hope this award reminds people about the strong work ethic and mental perseverance that come with a large minority base,” says CEO Dennis Jarrett.  Stratus Building Solutions also includes a Veteran Program as well as a Referral Program to franchise owners.  “Without dedicated franchise owners, the Stratus name is nothing.  We owe our successes to our team of franchise owners all over the country."
Stratus placed in the Top Ten recommended franchises being called “an optimal franchise that meets your needs” and that “there is no question that these companies are clearly doing something right and that they actively support your inclusion within their systems.”  Click here for the article and list of Top 50 companies.

 The National Minority Franchising Initiative uses a number of different resources such as company’s books, FDDs, etc. that one would reference when considering a franchise.  Access to these materials and for more detailed information on franchises actively seeking minority franchisees, please visit www.MinorityFranchising.com.

What is Green Cleaning?

From Wikipedia:

Green cleaning refers to using cleaning methods and products with environmentally-friendly ingredients to preserve human health and environmental quality.

Green cleaning techniques and products avoid the use of chemically-reactive and toxic cleaning products which contain various toxic chemicals, some of which emit volatile organic compounds causing respiratory and dermatological problems among other adverse effects. 

Green cleaning can also describe the way residential and industrial cleaning products are manufactured, packaged and distributed. If the manufacturing process is environmentally-friendly and the products are biodegradable, then the term "green" or "eco-friendly" may apply. 

Green cleaning is behavioral as well as simply using healthy and environmentally-friendly products.  Consumers are being made aware of the ways in which green cleaning is most-effectively used.

Read more

Stratus Building Solutions Ranks in Inc. 500

INC. MAGAZINE UNVEILS 30TH ANNUAL LIST OF AMERICA’S FASTEST-GROWING PRIVATE COMPANIES – THE INC. 500

Stratus Building Solutions Ranks #494 on the 2011 Inc. 500 with Three-Year Sales Growth of 688.9%

Stratus Building Solutions jumps over 400 spots to rank #494 in the 2011 edition of Inc. Magazine’s Annual List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies.

Inc. magazine today ranked Stratus Building Solutions #494 on its 30th annual Inc. 500, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Stratus increased 688.9% in three years. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy–America’s independent entrepreneurs. Companies such as Microsoft, Zappos, Intuit, Jamba Juice, Zipcar, Clif Bar, Vizio, Oracle, and many other well-known names gained early exposure as members of the Inc. 500.

Stratus Building Solutions’ CEO, Dennis Jarrett, was featured in an interview in the Franchising section regarding how Stratus has “doubled its size three years in a row” due to wide range of franchise options available, low market share and the necessity of having work done locally. Stratus also was ranked #1 as Most Revenue per Employee at $9.1 million dollars each.

“Having Stratus ranked so highly in this year’s Inc. 500|5000 is an honor and we share it with the whole Stratus system. The growth from ranking 916 to 494 in the matter of a year has been tremendous in our current economic times, but we are actually creating jobs with this model,” shared Jarrett. President Pete Frese added, “And we are not done growing by any means, as there are tremendous interests and opportunity internationally. This, along with our ranking from  Entrepreneur as the #1 Fastest Growing Franchise continues to drive our growth.”

To read more, go here.

Stratus is the Green Clean Industry Leader

Anyone familiar with Stratus Building Solutions is well aware of our thorough commitment to sustainability.

We have gone through rigorous testing of our products and process in order to actually be considered "green."  Third party verification processed by trusted industry leaders like the USGBC and Green Seal guarantee the Stratus Clean your facility gets is in line with our commitment to be environmental stewards.

For more information on Stratus Green Clean, click here or call for your local Stratus office at 877-731-2020.

Stratus Carpet Care featured in Cleaning & Maintenance Management

Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine released the July 2011 edition that is a spotlight edition on Carpet Care – and features our very own David Farrell and Marvin Ashton! They lend their expertise in an article instructing how to “Become a Trusted Carpet Care Expert.”  

  

This is a huge opportunity for Stratus personnel to share their expertise on the importance of carpet maintenance.  With property owners already trusting a commercial cleaner to care for their facility, they can add value by caring for the carpet, too.

Using the current economic situation as a lead in, that thought emphasizes the importance of controlled spending. 

David Farrell,  Executive Vice President

David and Marvin did an excellent job going through the carpet care program and its importance in the upkeep of a facility.  Starting with the tools necessary, they walk through the process starting with a plan for landscaping.  Entering the facility, they recommend walk off mats and a spot removal program.  Next, they move into describing the interim phase and different machines and techniques that have become available through advances in the industry. 

 

Marvin Ashton, Master Development Director

The bio under David and Marvin’s pictures references Stratus as the “industry leader in facility services, using their own line of Green Seal-certified chemicals, StratusPrivate Label HEPA vacuums and other proprietary products that fall in line with the company’s strong emphasis on environmental stewardship.”

We have various categories covered in our press room.  The major goal is to diversify the audience scope. When we write articles like these, our intention is to share our Stratus knowledge with industry professionals.

How to Connect with Stratus Building Solutions

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at 

Stratus Building Solutions?

Well you can find out by connecting with us on Social Media.

There are a variety of ways to connect with the real people that run Stratus Building Solutions.  You're here, so that's a start! Check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stratus... you can even like it.  Next, head over and see what we're tweeting about on Twitter.  Don't forget to follow @StratusBuilding while you're there.  For anyone looking for more action, our YouTube channel is packed! - except we don't call it YouTube, we call it StratusTube.  And for the more business-minded professional, LinkedIn is a great resource to do a little research on our company.

So come be our friend, our follower, a fellow tweeter, and let us know what you think in the comments section.

The Stratus Difference

Stratus Building Solutions is a fully integrated building services provider, taking care of your facility from the inside out.

Specializing in a variety of services, from floorcare to landscaping, with a solid commitment to environmental stewardship, Stratus Building Solutions continues to be the industry leader.

Please take two and a half minutes to really see the commitment Stratus makes to their commercial customers.

Stratus Building Solutions Coming to Lafayette, LA

The nation’s greenest facility services franchise, Stratus Building Solutions, is opening a new Master Franchise location in Lafayette, LA. Entrepreneur’s #1 Fastest Growing Franchise has continued its growth and success with the newest addition to the Stratus Team, Shaun Steckler.  The new office will be open at 315 S College Road, Suite 220 in Lafayette, LA, and available at (337) 376-0674.

Mr. Steckler is ready to offer green commercial cleaning services to the professional buildings in the Lafayette area. He is an experienced entrepreneur with 15 years of business experience in the advertising, medical sales and real estate investing industries. Taking cumulative knowledge from these industries lends to Mr. Steckler’s capabilities in dealing with the dual business to business and franchising world of Stratus. 

“Shaun has extensive knowledge and experience in many industries that make him a favorable person to lead the latest Stratus development,” shared Dennis Jarrett, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions. “Lafayette is a market with a lot of opportunity in regards to facility maintenance and the low cost, home-based franchise.”

Stratus President Pete Frese adds, “With the 16 different franchise plans available, combined with the training and support of the Stratus office, there is the possibility to impact the community in a large and positive way.  We are excited for the successes of Mr. Steckler.” 

 Jarrett and Frese founded Stratus Building Solutions after each worked as top corporate executives for more than ten years in commercial cleaning franchise industries.  With that experience, Stratus Building Solutions currently offers franchises in Arizona, Connecticut, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah, in addition to Louisiana. In May 2009, Stratus Building Solutions of Canada was established to serve all ten provinces in that nation.  The company’s near-term plans include expansion into Europe, South America and the Middle East.

Steckler says, “I have seen the rapid growth of the Stratus model and with the professional support and encouragement from the corporate team, I know there is a game-changing system I have brought to Lafayette.  Besides the company, my wife Marianne and my twin boys are excited to support me in this new chapter.”

Stratus Building Solutions franchise benefits include orientation and training,; customer referrals,; administrative and accounting support; pre-arranged credit lines; access to insurance and surety bonds, financing options, promotional support; and other turn-key advantages. The firm’s headquarters are located at 1976 Innerbelt Business Center Drive in St. Louis, Missouri.

For more information, please visit the website www.stratusclean.com or call Stratus Building Solutions at 314.731.2000 or toll-free at 877.731.2020. Media contact: Dennis Jarrett.

Chicago, Illinois: The Newest Addition to Fastest Growing Franchise Stratus Building Solutions

Chicago, Illinois just got a little cleaner – and greener!  Now, professional facilities in the Chicago land area have the opportunity to experience the Stratus Difference type of clean with new office operating at 555 Waters Edge, Suite 100, in Lombard, IL.  New Master Franchise Owner, Devang Kothari, will represent the Stratus brand and is already in business.

Stratus of Chicago will offer a range of professional facility maintenance services all with environmental stewardship at the forefront.  “I really enjoy Stratus’ commitment to sustainability – and combining that with the success I have witnessed, I knew it was the perfect industry for me,” says Kothari. “I have seen first-hand the lengths they go to in order to establish their green reputation, and I’m happy to be a part of that movement.”

Dennis Jarrett, co-founder and CEO of Stratus Building Solutions, said, “Stratus of Chicago is the first to open in Illinois, and we feel there is tremendous opportunity for Mr. Kothari.  His commitment to providing a quality service at a valuable price is right in line with the Stratus business model and we are excited to watch him succeed.” He continues, “The addition of Chicago to the Stratus family is key component to our national brand expansion. We feel Chicago is one of the best markets in the USA.”

Pete Frese, co-founder and President of Stratus Building Solutions, added, “Stratus Building Solutions has been looking to expand to Chicago and Mr. Kothari has the perfect blend of experience and capability.  Also, Chicago has a strong focus on environmentalism, so the Stratus Green Clean Program is a natural fit.”

The Stratus Green Clean Program features environmentally-friendly products to help sustain healthier, more productive facilities.  Included in the program is the Stratus Green Clean line of Green Seal Certified cleaning chemicals along with other proprietary products and processes.

Stratus Building Solutions offers unit franchising in 16 different building service franchise plans providing complete training, account placement, accounting support and marketing support with a start up fee as little as $1,000 down. 

By offering such a variety of programs, it’s no wonder Stratus is the #1 Fastest Growing Franchise as ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine for 2011.  Stratus Building Solutions won three “top ten” spots in Entrepreneur’s Annual Franchise 500® rankings published in the 2011 along with being awarded a place in the 2010 Inc 500-5000. Other awards include Franchise Times Fast 55, World Franchising’s 50 Top Franchises for Minorities, Black Enterprise’s Top 40 Best Franchises for African Americans, and Poder 360’s Top 25 Franchises for Hispanics.

Stratus Building Solutions franchise benefits include orientation and training, customer referrals, administrative and accounting support, pre-arranged credit lines, access to insurance and surety bonds, financing options, promotional support, and other turn-key advantages. The company’s headquarters are at 1976 Innerbelt Business Center Drive in St. Louis, Missouri.

For more information, please see the website www.stratusbuildingsolutions.com or call Stratus Building Solutions at 877.731.2020. Media contact: Dennis Jarrett, Chief Executive Officer.

My Stratus Experience

Chelsea Pulley, Executive Administrative Assistant at Stratus Building Solutions' Corporate Office, is this week's official guest blogger.

Please feel free to contact her at http://link.in/ChelseaPulley.

                        

Stratus Building Solutions is here for you, the customer, from square one.  While other companies may advertise their 24/7 dedication to customer service, they rarely follow through with it. There seem to be all sorts of qualifiers, restrictions, and excuses. When you have a question or concern regarding the facility services provided, the last thing you want is an automated voice telling you to press buttons or wait until normal business hours! Stratus breaks the mold when it comes to customer service. We believe that making you happy is the number one priority when it comes not only to a profitable business, but also to successful and long-lasting working relationships.

Another trait that sets Stratus apart from other facility service providers is the fact that Stratus maintains a clear line of communication between franchisees, clients, and the main office; this line of communication is kept functional by calls to check on satisfaction, quality audits to determine the level of clean, and meetings to discuss the facility services provided.

The Stratus office is set up to make it easier for you to communicate with us. If issues ever arise regarding quality of work, your call is directed to the Regional Director or Operations Manager, either of whom can get in contact with the franchisee to determine how to solve the problem. If you’ve got questions regarding an invoice or payment, contact the Office Administrator to have the issue straightened out or your inquiries answered. If you’d like a copy of your contract to review, contact your sales representative or the Regional Director. No matter what you need, Stratus is here for you.

Stratus is also 100% dedicated to customer satisfaction. In fact, Stratus is one of the only facility service providers in the industry to offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee; if the clean isn’t up to your standards, you don’t pay for it! We are so confident in our methods, chemicals, and structure that if we’re not performing up to your expectations, all you need to do is let us know!

Our business truly is your satisfaction. We’re here to make your lives easier and less complicated. When you’re happy, we’re happy, so it makes sense to keep you content. With a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, Green Seal Certified chemicals, and environmentally-friendly processes, we know you’ll be pleased with what we have to offer!

Call 877-731-2020 to find out what we can do for you!

Stratus Building Solutions of Cleveland Established in Summer 2011

Cleveland, Ohio is the next city in line to experience the greener kind of clean from Stratus Building Solutions. The nation’s fastest-growing international brand in the facility maintenance franchise industry has entered the Cleveland market by awarding the new Master Franchise to business partners Tom Grassi and Tim Tilton. This marks the second Stratus location in Ohio after Cincinnati.

Dennis Jarrett, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions, said, “Tom and Tim are strong leaders and fine additions to the Stratus Master Team. Tim’s industry experience combined with Tom’s extensive professional history combine to form an unstoppable combination and we are excited to watch them succeed.”

Pete Frese, President of Stratus Building Solutions, added, “Both gentleman are native to the area and excited to offer the Stratus opportunity to the community. The opening of Stratus of Cleveland is right in line with our projected growth for 2011, marking the fourth newly serviced territory this year.”

With the extreme growth Stratus has experienced since its franchising debut in 2006, it is no wonder that Stratus has been named the #1 Fastest Growing Franchise in 2011 by Entrepreneur Magazine, as well as the #1 Fastest Growing Private Company in 2011 by the St. Louis Business Journal for the second year in a row.

Tim Tilton, who has been the managing partner of Mighty Maids since 1981, shared “With the overall increasing demands in the Facility Services industry, I’m eager to share my 30 plus years experience in the industry in partnership with Stratus Building Solutions.” Tom Grassi added, “After doing extensive research, I partnered up with Tom to offer this tremendous opportunity to the Cleveland area and am ready to offer the Stratus Difference to my hometown.”

Tim Tilton & Tom Grassi

Stratus Building Solutions offers 16 different building service franchise plans providing state of the art environmentally-friendly cleaning systems, products and services along with complete office and marketing support. These include the unique Stratus Green Clean program which uses Green Seal Certified cleaning chemicals and Stratus Private Label products to service facilities with environmental stewardship at the forefront.

Jarrett and Frese founded Stratus Building Solutions after each worked as top corporate executives for more than ten years in commercial cleaning franchise industries. With that experience, Stratus Building Solutions currently offers franchises in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, in addition to Ohio. International territories include Canada, Panama and the Baltic States. The firm’s headquarters are at 1976 Innerbelt Business Center Drive in St. Louis, Missouri.

For more information, please see the website www.stratusbuildingsolutions.com or call Stratus Building Solutions at 877.731.2020. Media contact: Dennis Jarrett.