From Grit to Growth: Lessons in Leadership and Success from Daigle Cleaning Systems

When Derek Foster set out to build a business, he didn’t have a blueprint—just a relentless work ethic and a determination to succeed. Now, over a decade later, Daigle Cleaning Systems has transformed from a small startup into a thriving company with an expanding footprint across New York State. The key to its success? A combination of strategic vision, strong company values, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Humble Beginnings and a Family Foundation

Foster’s journey began in 2011, just months after graduating college. Without deep pockets or extensive resources, he launched Daigle Cleaning Systems with only $1,500 on a credit card. Partnering with his mother, Michelle Daigle, the two worked tirelessly to build the company from the ground up.

“I wasn’t surprised, because at a young age, Derek was very motivated and driven. When he graduated from college, he knew he wanted to start his own business,” Michelle recalls. With experience cleaning houses while also working in banking, she played a key role in structuring the company’s operations. “His words to me were, ‘I put a business plan together.’” From that point, they steadily built their client base, refining their services and expanding their reach as opportunities arose.

Foster found inspiration in his grandfather, Wilfred Daigle, a custom home builder in the Capital Region. Working alongside his grandfather and uncle as he was growing up, he gained firsthand experience in construction and the discipline required to build something from the ground up. “Working with them, I saw what hard work was about, and the satisfaction that is felt by creating something from nothing.”

That mentality, coupled with Michelle’s background in both banking and cleaning services, laid the foundation for what would become a rapidly growing business. This background also helped Derek recognize the potential in the cleaning industry and the importance of delivering exceptional service to build lasting client relationships.

Overcoming Early Challenges

Like many young entrepreneurs, Foster faced hurdles in the early years. Stepping into a leadership role at just 22 meant managing people with far more life experience than he had. “Nothing could have prepared me for that except going through it firsthand,” he admits.

Michelle echoes the sentiment, noting that staffing has remained one of the most challenging aspects of running the business. However, Daigle Cleaning Systems has maintained a significantly lower turnover rate than the industry average, a testament to their strong company culture and investment in employee development.

Through trial and error, the team refined their approach, establishing structured hiring and training programs to ensure employees are trained properly, and align with the company’s values and service standards. Foster also had to evolve as a leader, learning that trust and delegation were just as important as hard work. “I had to learn to step back and trust my team,” he says. “With the right people in place, coaching and guidance matter more than micromanagement.” By investing in the right hires and empowering his team, he was able to shift from handling everything himself to building a scalable, well-structured organization.

Scaling Hiring, Supply Chain, and Customer Service

As Daigle Cleaning Systems expanded, managing hiring, supply chain logistics, and customer service at scale became critical.

Hiring the Right People

Foster emphasizes that finding the right team members is essential to maintaining quality service. “We don’t hire just to fill positions—we hire for culture and values,” he says. Their labor-intensive hiring process involves an initial phone screening of over 100 applicants just to find five solid candidates. Those who make it through then go through structured interviews, background checks, and training in the Daigle Cleaning Academy before stepping onto a job site. “We are lucky if we end up with two hires out of the five candidates we interview,” Foster adds.

Managing Supply Chain Challenges

While many businesses struggled with supply chain disruptions, Daigle Cleaning Systems mitigated issues by diversifying vendors. “We didn’t wait for problems to arise—we built relationships with multiple suppliers to ensure we had access to the best equipment and materials,” Foster explains. Working with multiple reliable vendors ensured they could maintain operations smoothly.

Customer Service Excellence

Maintaining high customer service standards while scaling is no small feat. Foster and his team have reinforced their commitment to responsiveness and quality control, ensuring that both employees and clients feel valued. “We treat our internal team like customers too,” he notes. “If our employees feel supported, that care translates to our external customers.”

Michelle emphasizes the importance of being hands-on and leading by example. “When we first started out, I was out on the job sites—doing apartment turnovers, post-construction cleaning—working right alongside the team. Even today, I remain hands-on,” she says. “I think you gain a lot of respect from your staff when they see you’re out there grinding right along with them.”

The Formula for Growth

In recent years, Daigle Cleaning Systems has seen steady growth. Today, the company serves clients across various industries—including manufacturing, retail, medical, and large office facilities—spanning from the Adirondacks to New York City. The team attributes this success to a few core strategies:

A Culture of Continuous Learning

“Mistakes happen, but what matters is how we respond,” Foster explains. Every error becomes an opportunity for improvement, with the team debriefing and refining processes to prevent future issues.

A Clear Vision and Strong Values

The company’s mission and core values—integrity, communication, and teamwork—guide every decision. Two years ago, they redefined their mission with input from leadership, creating a roadmap with 10-year, 3-year, and 1-year goals.

Building Strong Relationships

Customer satisfaction remains at the heart of their operations. Michelle personally checks in on job sites to ensure quality. “If you do a good job, that reputation carries,” she explains. “Every morning, I stop at several accounts to check the quality of work from the night before. If something isn’t up to my standards, I make sure it’s corrected immediately.” Their proactive approach helps maintain high standards, reinforcing their commitment to exceptional service.

Foster emphasizes that genuine relationships with clients have been a key factor in the company’s success. “Our success isn’t just about providing a service; it’s about delivering trust and consistency. Clients know they can rely on us, and that has helped us grow through word-of-mouth and referrals.” By maintaining these high standards and staying engaged in daily operations, they continue to build meaningful relationships that fuel the company’s growth.

Looking Ahead: Innovation & Expansion

As Daigle Cleaning Systems continues to grow, its focus remains on expansion, innovation, and staying true to its core values. With an increasing footprint across New York and plans for national expansion, Foster and his team are leveraging both people and technology to drive the business forward.

They’ve also diversified their offerings with Daigle Fire Solutions, which provides kitchen exhaust hood cleaning and fire code compliance services for restaurants, hotels, and industrial facilities. “It’s been a natural complement to our existing business,” Foster says, noting that having a trusted business partner, Ben Rieth, oversee operations has allowed him to remain focused on scaling their core services.

In addition to expanding their service offerings, the company is embracing automation to enhance efficiency. The integration of robotic cleaning solutions, including Scrubby, an autonomous floor-cleaning robot, and Violet, a self-mapping UV disinfection system, is reshaping their approach to commercial cleaning. These innovations free up labor hours, improve the quality of disinfection to include the air and all surfaces, and position Daigle Cleaning Systems at the forefront of industry advancements.

Beyond internal use, the company has secured distribution rights for these robotic solutions across New York and the East Coast, further establishing itself as a leader in the next generation of cleaning services. “We are implementing these technologies in several local facilities and are already seeing a positive impact,” Foster explains. “Scrubby allows us to reallocate about six hours of labor per day, freeing up our team to focus on the more detailed aspects of cleaning.”

Michelle agrees, adding, “Our staff at the facilities where we’ve deployed the robots are excited about working alongside them. They see it as an opportunity to develop new skills that will be valuable in the future.”

But while technology plays a role in their success, Foster and Michelle believe the foundation of any business still comes down to people, perseverance, and strong leadership—lessons they’ve learned firsthand over the years.

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