GALION, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Natalie Thomas has “answered the call.” The Galion native decided to pursue her lifelong passion, so four years ago she gave up her teaching job and opened her own cleaning company. It’s called “Answering The Call.”
“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, but I said if teaching doesn’t work out, I want to start a cleaning company,” said Thomas, a 2001 Galion graduate and mother of three. “I really feel I was called to clean.”
Thomas, 42, has never been afraid to get her hands dirty. As a middle school student, she regularly cleaned for her grandmother, then continued cleaning homes to earn money through high school and college.
After graduating from Ohio State, she landed a teaching job with the Ontario Local Schools. But after a 12-year stint, she said, she felt compelled to walk away and, with her husband Mike’s blessing, made the career switch.
In May 2020, Thomas announced the opening of Answering The Call on her Facebook page. “It took off like fire. Within three months, I had 20 clients. What was even more crazy is the first couple of years my clients were mostly strangers.”
By August of that year, she had to hire six part-time employees to keep up with residential customers in Galion and Bucyrus. Meanwhile, she concentrated on the commercial side of the business, often putting in 60-hour work weeks.
Today, Answering The Call has grown to a team of 15 technicians who, in addition to routine cleaning, tackle first-time deep cleans – dusting, sweeping, mopping, plus baseboards, door frames, and washing all the windows inside the home.
Services can be provided monthly, biweekly, or weekly, Thomas said, with the company furnishing all the cleaning supplies and equipment. “We Care” packages are also offered for elderly clients and those with disabilities.
“We Care” services, Thomas said, include washing dishes, doing laundry, changing bed sheets, preparing meals, and even running errands for clients who are not able to drive.
Job quotes, Thomas said, are free and always done in person. “We really like that small-town feel, which is why I’ll never get rid of in-person quotes. I feel that’s really important, building that relationship with our clients.”
Answering The Call also employs a quality specialist, who does spot checks and meets weekly with technicians, Thomas said. “She makes sure our standard of clean is met. Her role is really important.”
Thomas, who does the scheduling and wears many hats nowadays, attributes the company’s success so far to word of mouth, favorable Facebook posts, and managing a solid team of dedicated professionals.
“Business is definitely better than I expected. It’s crazy how much it’s grown, and the retention of our clients too. I think that speaks a lot,” she said. “I just love it. It’s just a passion of mine.”
The business can be reached at 419-560-2513 or online at answeringthecall@gmail.com.