For Angela Baker, cleaning has never been a chore. Growing up, she would watch and learn as her mother cleaned apartments in between new tenants, and in 2018 – after years of working for a larger cleaning company – Angela launched her own business.

“Making homes the way a client wants and seeing how happy it makes them – I value that,” the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh entrepreneur said. “Just taking what I’ve learned from my mom and bringing that into my life is something I never thought would happen.”

Today, Green Pine Indigenous Cleaning Services provides residential, commercial, and post-construction cleaning services rooted in the values of respect, relationship, reciprocity, and responsibility. Angela sources her eco-friendly products from another Indigenous business, and has a nine-member, majority-Indigenous team of cleaners with the aim of hiring more.

“Just being a part of my community again – I was away for so long and having the opportunity to have this business and hire people in my community is something that I also value. Getting the right team together and becoming like family is so important to me.”

Over the years, demand for Green Pine Indigenous Cleaning Services has grown from single-family households to projects as large as Sen̓áḵw. Angela said she hopes to continue growing, securing larger post-construction contracts in the future.

Asked if she has any advice for other aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs, she emphasized the importance of doing one’s homework.

“Make a list of a bunch of questions that you can ask a bigger company. Look at prices. Look at the numbers. Read your contracts.”

Is your home or business in need of some spring cleaning? Angela and the Green Pine Indigenous Cleaning Services team are available for hire. Visit indigenouscleaning.ca for details or email info@indigenouscleaning.ca.