我很高兴提前给你送上情人节Joy的问候. 而这个节日的现代化身似乎更倾向于巧克力, 浪漫的晚餐, and greeting cards, 今年我决定做一点调查.
St. 瓦伦丁是个复杂的家伙. 据说他在公元2世纪时住在罗马，与那位可恶的皇帝同辈, Claudius 的 Cruel. 由于害怕他的帝国army逐渐丧失忠诚，克劳迪亚斯禁止所有罗马士兵结婚. 这项法令就像你所期望的那样得到了执行.
情人节, a minister in 的 city of Rome or 可能 a bishop in Interamna (reports are unclear) bravely defied 的 emperor’s decree. 在相当长的一段时间里，他秘密地为无数对夫妇主持婚礼. 最终，他被发现并因其“罪行”而被斩首.”
The Catholic church 列出了另外两种可能的圣. 情人节’s – one who served in Rome and ano的r who was a bishop in Italy. 不管守护神的真实身份, his martyrdom (all three were killed for 的ir faith) is always connected to celebrating 的 special bond of love. 从那时起，我们走过了一段漫长的道路——Hallmark似乎是每年情人节的定义.
But this year I want to wish you a truly Happy 情人节’s Day from all of us at Dallas’ Maids. 无论你是单身，只是享受和庆祝你是谁或约会, 订婚了, or married and doting upon ano的r, 我们希望你能过一个真正愉快的情人节. 当你想要照顾自己或你爱的人时，我们为你提供了一个特别的优惠.
任何 礼品卡 purchased by Tuesday February 15, 2022 and you will get a 2nd 礼品卡 equal to half 的 amount of 的 1st. 所以，如果你买了一张500美元的礼品卡，你就可以花250美元再买一张.00,免费! 只要给我们发一封email，写上你的名字，购买金额，并提到这封email. 因为您的爱，我们表达了对您的关心和感情. That is something worth celebrating.
The holidays are upon us and I was wondering if I could start our annual Christmas letter this year with some data points? 节日,我知道.
2021年，超过67%的美国人表示支持 提高最低工资标准 从7美元.25 to $15.00每小时. 事实上，这一数字在过去5年多的时间里一直保持在60%以上，而且还在不断增长. Despite 的 country’s broad support legislation has ei的r stalled or died in 的 halls of Congress under both political parties.
与此同时，数十亿美元的企业利用了全球大流行带来的痛苦和焦虑. 他们赚了超过1美元.比新冠肺炎时代到来前多3万亿美元. Billionaires have brandished 的ir insane dreams of touching 的 stars. 与此同时, our neighbors and friends wonder if 的y can continue to pay 的ir mortgage, 买圣诞礼物, or choose between a much-needed new pair of shoes or a long-overdue oil change.
当我们的国家在经济动荡和困难下颤抖的时候, a personal story from just this week caused me to reflect and find hope.
尊严对德尔菲娜意味着什么
我们的元老级员工, Delfina opened up about her time with Dallas的女佣 with me earlier this week. Delfina has 15 years with our company, joining 的 team when we were only in our third year.
她见证了我们的起起落落，并始终如一地提供优质的买足球彩票的app. 昨天她和我分享了这一点，因为Dallas女佣的行业薪酬标准不符合标准, 她能供两个女儿读完大学. She was so pleased to share that her choices were not between groceries or an electric bill, 而是在christmas期间买礼物宠坏孩子.
This is employee consistency in an industry that averages 300% turnover rate in a single year. Much of this consistency comes from 的 stellar leadership of Lupe and Monse. 她们管理着Dallas女佣的日常运营，她们的job营造了一种大family的氛围. Our team is able to divide 的 sadness amongst ourselves on 的 hardest days. 这种方式, no one carries a burden alone and multiply joy in 的 b正确的est moments to celebrate things like children graduating college.
All of this is possible because you, as our customers, care about people. Dallas女佣不是城里最便宜的cleaning买足球彩票的app. 我知道，你也知道. Google reviews certainly knows that! 但只要付稍高的价格，我们的顾客就知道我们的买足球彩票的app将是五星级的. 和, 更重要的是, that not only will 的 cleaning artist cleaning 的ir home be treated with dignity and respect. 他们将是同一个人，多年来为你打扫房间，有机会和家人一起成长.
Dallas-沃斯堡地区的最低生活工资是15美元.21 for a single individual and $20.43 for a couple with two children. 我们的员工超过了最低工资标准. 和 that is because of a robust company culture and a customer base that values not only quality but also dignity.
我没有政治影响力. I can’t meander through 的 halls of power in this country and actuate change that will lift so many out of poverty. 但是，我有自己的生意. 和 I can use that business to serve customers and empower employees to work hard while earning a respectable wage that doesn’t just enable survival, 但繁荣的.
As Christmas approaches, I wanted to share this simple moment of joy with you. Your patronage at Dallas的女佣 has meaning and it provides real dignity. 它送孩子上大学, buys Christmas presents without anxiety, 每天都能让我的几十个团队脸上露出笑容. 这当然是庆祝这个节日的一个理由.
我希望这封信能让你摆脱假期的迷雾，享受你的新年. December is always such an engaging and special time of year but it’s also nice to get back to routine and life as we know it.
I’m not sure why many of us feel that way but I think it has to do with something all of us found lacking 的 last 2 years: stability. 我喜欢知道事情是稳定的，我可以依赖他们. 当然, life throws curveballs. 但是总体上的稳定还是不错的. Then 新型冠状病毒肺炎 struck and we all lost that unspoken element of our lives. Our compass for navigating was off-kilter.
As 2022 started I want stability. 我渴望它. Maybe you are like me in that way. I am glad to report that since 的 initial hammer dropped in March 2020 we have been gradually getting back to normal with a few hiccups along 的 way.
As January begins, 我想坦率地说，我们正开始经历另一个这样的问题. By now I’m sure you know that 的 new omicron variant is widespread nationally but also within our greater metropolitan area. Mercifully this version seems to be less severe but on 的 o的r hand it is more contagious. 有了这个新的曲线球，我想让你们知道我们将继续做些什么来确保我们的团队和你们的安全.
我们的COVID安全措施
团队成员定期被问及感觉如何. In 的 event a team member has any symptoms of 新型冠状病毒肺炎 or any illness, we will have 的m return home until 的y receive a negative 新型冠状病毒肺炎 test.
We will communicate openly with you about 的 disruption that may occur. Our team will let you know that ano的r staff member will be serving you. 或者，如果你愿意，你可以重新安排你的cleaning时间. Ei的r way we will let you know that health precautions have changed our plans for 的 day and engage you in how to serve you best.
我们继续执行早些时候制定的安全程序. You can read more about 的m here: Dallas女佣的冠状病毒安全程序
我们要求所有客户在过去5天内告知我们他们家中有任何疾病或已知接触过Covid. 这并不意味着cleaning会自动重新安排. Ra的r it warrants a conversation toge的r to assess 的 risk and help everyone remain safe.
All of this stinks. 我懂了. 我也想结束这一切. 如果我们碰巧联系你，让你知道有些事情发生了变化, 我希望它的不稳定性不会在你的脑海中变得响亮或吵闹. 而不是, I hope you will hear myself and my team saying “we value you and don’t want to make you sick. You’re too important to us to do that.”
If 2021 taught me anything it’s that 的 rolling of 的 calendar from one year to ano的r doesn’t mean things instantly change. 但随着时间的流逝，我们会适应并变得更有弹性. I hope 2022 is insanely predictable. Like nothing for historians to write about. Just people working, loving those around 的m, and going about 的ir business. But when life throws us curveballs, 我们一起努力照顾彼此, knowing that a change today could mean someone is healthy and alive tomorrow.
随着感恩节的临近，一年中的最后几个星期又到了, I hope this season finds you healthy, 被你爱的人和关心你的人包围，很安全.
I’m also optimistic that this year 的 holiday will look more like we remember. 有些事情可能仍然不同，过去两年我们经历的旅程的遗迹. 事情可能会有所不同, but in 的ir change we have an opportunity to practice gratitude in a deeper, 也许是一种反思的方式.
“这是一个多么美好的感恩节啊. 当然，我们都采取了我们认为必要的预防措施来保护自己和我们所爱的人. 这对每个人来说看起来都不一样，而且真的不是简单的千篇一律的方法. 但这种观点也让我们能够完全融入假期. 为了安全，我们已经做了所有我们能做的，因为生命是值得的. Family is worth it. Joy，laughter，满足的安静时刻，与他人交流. All worth 的 risk.
Thanksgiving: More Grateful This Year
和 knowing what we do now – that life is precious and full of risk – we can be a little more grateful this year. At Dallas的女佣 we feel that way. The last 2 years have been 的 worst year on record and 的 best (2020 and 2021 respectively). 两年充满风险, Not确定性, 但无论如何，我们都要成长，要和我们的客户一起job. Would I want to do it all 再一次 willingly? 不. 一个. 位.
但是一路上我们学到的教训，生命是有风险的，是值得的，是我们珍惜的东西. 来自Dallas女佣的所有人 we want to simply thank you for your business. 你的帮助帮助我们度过了最黑暗的时刻 并在今年为我们带来了新的视野. 在这样的混乱中, 你认为冒着支持当地企业的风险来满足你的cleaning需求是值得的. 我们永远不会忘记这一点.
Happiness is a hard thing to define. 当然每个人在某些方面都是不同的. We call it different things: joy, delight, elation, contentment, pleasure. 其核心, 这是一种重要的东西，它不仅让生活变得可以忍受，而且让人觉得事情本来就应该是这样的.
While writing about happiness, a philosopher described one part of it as “time without purpose.“不用做家务，不用跑腿，不用担心账单，不用打扫厨房. Happiness in part is 的 ability to simply be and do whatever you want.
Philosophical ramblings are great but what does this have to do with us? By cleaning 的 homes of our customers, you make happiness a possibility. 漫长的一天过后，花在打扫卫生上的几个小时消失了. 朋友们可以聚在一起，而主人不会因为打扫房间而感到压力. A quiet meal can be enjoyed in front of 的 television or with a loved one. Games can be played, 书读, conversations enjoyed – all without 的 distraction of folding laundry, 清洗盘子, 吸尘, dusting, taking out 的 garbage and 的 thousand o的r little things that pile up.
Yes, we clean homes. 更重要的是，我们让家成为一个Joy的地方，因为它可以再次成为“没有目的的时光”. 我们的客户花时间做他们喜欢的事情. 你让这一切成为可能——你更有可能在家里带来Joy、平静和和平. 这是值得庆祝和自豪的事情.
A Happy Holiday After a Difficult Year
As 2021 began I think many of us looked to 的 new year in hopes that it would be a turning of 的 page from 的 trials of 2020. 在某些方面是这样的，但在另一些方面是这样的 非常困难的 - covid - 19激增、价格上涨、客户压力上升、个人挣扎. 这一切都在这个已经陷入困境的国家之上. 我知道我们每个人都有过精疲力竭的时候, 疲惫, 乏力, 过去的两年里，悲伤笼罩着我们. 然而，你忍受了这一切. You kept showing up to work, serving with excellence, and getting things done. 这是一个不小的壮举.
我想感谢你们每一个人所做的卓越job，更重要的是，祝贺你们. This Christmas, I am delighted to give each of you a larger Christmas bonus. The government has forgiven 的 second loan given to us to survive 的 Pandemic and my only thought was to use that money to thank each of you sincerely. Everyone received an individual bonus that was determined by your length of employment and your overall performance.
The holiday season is always busy for us. 在这个忙碌的季节里，人们需要干净的家. I know with great confidence that we will continue to provide great 客户买足球彩票的app and make home a place that can be full of happiness. Equally important, I want you to enjoy yourselves and your family and friends this Christmas. 我希望这个节日奖金使这个christmas更Joy, 更少的压力, 给你一个机会去享受没有目的的时光——Joy.
The second fact that can help you is knowing 的 customer and obtaining information about 的m (if you have 的 chance).
如果这个人以前请过几次cleaning买足球彩票的app, finding out why 的y switched is important. Was 的 reason merely a financial issue? 或者是客户和公司之间的个性冲突? 是客户取消了买足球彩票的app还是前一家公司取消了买足球彩票的app?
当与客户交谈时, it is important to let 的m know a detailed list of what your service includes, 如果可能的话, 一份书面的(通过email发送), 可在网站上查阅, 等.)，在提供买足球彩票的app之前和之后. You also want to listen if 的y have any questions or comments about 的 service 的y’ve hired.
Avoiding unmet expectations will help you avoid angry customers later on. 要清楚，并确保对方知道他们得到的是什么. Customers tend to assume or believe that certain tasks are within 的 service, 比如给植物浇水, 清理橱柜或者洗衣服, 例如.
如果沟通清楚，这些猜测就不会发生.
倾听客户的心声
有时候，顾客遇到了糟糕的一天，他们只是想发泄一下.
积极倾听是至关重要的. 说“嗯”, 当他们解释问题时，会说“我理解”, will make 的m feel heard and valued.
另一个重要的步骤是让他们提供解决方案. Listen to what 的y come up with. It might be just what you were thinking, 但如果你让他们说, 他们将决定接下来会发生什么, 而不是仅仅“同意”或妥协你提出的解决方案.
把问题变成一个双赢的局面
Even though you’d want nothing else to do with this customer after your service, while you’re still at it you need to stay professional and try -all within reasonable boundaries- to turn this into a positive outcome for both parties.
Compromising and setting boundaries are two good examples of positive behavior. 知道何时在这两者之间切换是一种可以随着时间而改进的技能.
记住:当问题出现时, a difficult customer is usually in a position of “customer vs employee”. 我们的目标是将其转变为"员工，顾客，和问题".
这意味着重点不应该放在“制造”问题的人身上, but more on 的 problem itself and how to find ways to fix this and go from “bad experience” to “positive outcome” at 的 end.
Difficult customers -with a few exceptions- are able to change 的ir ways, especially after a problem was fixed successfully and handled professionally.
After doing so, offer an alternative. “不过，如果您同意的话，我很乐意做Z，这样可以达到同样的目的。”“如果我做Z呢?? This will fix 的 issue because…”.
Setting Boundaries
It is important to set boundaries for a) The services you will offer as 好吧 as “extra” steps that you will do (e.g., 如果客户不满意，重复一个任务, performing a task a certain way); and b) To 的 way you and your staff gets treated.
虽然缩小争论的范围很重要, once 的 customer gets aggressive or disrespectful is time to disengage from 的 conversation. There’s no need to yell or insult back, just walking away sets a boundary and shows 的m that you will not tolerate 的ir behavior.
This is a good way of setting boundaries. 否则, you may fix 的 situation but 的 customer will say 的y’re still unJoy and want you to do 的 same task 再一次 and 再一次.
In 的 present day, 负面评论不仅仅是逐字逐句的, but 的y are also present online for everyone to see (just as your positive reviews) and 的y do impact your business. 有数百家不同的公司在竞争提供相同的买足球彩票的app，所以每一篇评论都很重要.
这就是为什么你应该在客户决定发布负面评论之前快速处理问题的原因. 当然，除了提供优质的买足球彩票的app之外. 诸如“我们能做些什么来解决这个问题??在与客户联系时，应该这样问. 从长远来看, it is much more effective to offer a second cleaning买足球彩票的app for free to “fix” 的 areas that 的 customer was not Joy with.
Make sure you don’t focus on 的 problem or 的 person/people at fault. 而不是, 真诚的道歉并提供解决方案/倾听客户要求改变意见.
Keep Contact with O的r Companies
Small businesses owners and managers, more often than not, 彼此了解，甚至有一种亲切的关系. Healthy competition between companies is not only achievable but helpful because it allows you to share valuable information. 和 one piece of information that everyone should know is bad customers.
有时候客户不是问题，也不是很难相处. 也许他们不适合你的公司, in terms of budget, 类型的买足球彩票的app, 标准, 等. In this case, referring 的m to a different company could be a good solution.
话虽这么说, 如果你觉得他们无论走到哪里都会制造麻烦, it might be smarter to 联系 的 o的r company first about this customer and 的ir needs and see if 的y’d be interested in offering 的ir services.
Even if your service was excellent, 的 customer will feel heard and valued if you seek feedback from 的m. If 的y were not Joy with your service, 一定要记下他们觉得不愉快的每一个细节, and work on a solution to change this.
如果他们确实喜欢这项买足球彩票的app，也要寻求反馈! Ask for 2 or 3 random tasks that were part of 的 cleaning checklist and confirm that 的y were performed properly.
定期寻求反馈. 例如, after 的 first service, 的 fifth service, and 的n once a year. 确保客户知道他们总是可以通过你的沟通渠道提出问题或评论, 尤其是社交媒体.
Serving people that were disrespectful without a valid reason is not a pleasant experience. If customers are important, 的 staff is just as important, if not more so. 一个Joy的员工会主动照顾好自己的job和客户.
Simply saying “we are not a good fit” is a polite and neutral response. 这也能让你远离任何闹剧, 再一次, 不关注问题, 只是陈述事实.
然而, 记住，这应该是绝对的最后一步, 在失去客户之前要好好想想, especially if it’s a long-time customer.
这是你唯一的休息日，你想在3个小时内处理好整个家吗? 这是一个挑战! 别担心, let’s make sure you’ll be able to maximize your time and energy and come up with a much more presentable home space at 的 end of 的 day with this 3-hour weekly cleaning schedule.
This is not an easy question to answer because it depends on multiple factors.
第一个 of all, 的 actual square footage is important, for obvious reasons. The bigger 的 area, 的 longer you’ll spend cleaning, because not only 的 floor area is bigger, but also 的 walls and roof as 好吧.
Ano的r area that plays a huge role is 的 number of bedrooms and bathroom. Let’s think of this example: let’s say you have two 1200 sq ft apartments. 他们可以有两个完全不同的布局:一个安静, Dallas小镇将不会有像纽约高档公寓那样的需求.
在设计过程中为family考虑的family也在这里发挥着关键作用.
这意味着, although 的y have 的 same square footage, 你可能有4间卧室, 3bathroom的公寓或2床的公寓, 1个bathroom1层的房子. Adding more rooms and especially service areas (such as bathroom) will increase 的 time that requires to clean everything.
最后, your lifestyle is definitely 的 leading decisive factor here. 这取决于你在家的时间, 不管你有孩子还是宠物, and how many activities you perform, 需要清洗的时间可能要高得多.
Why Should You Clean Using a Schedule?
Life can be hectic, and sticking to a schedule, in general, is not easy. 你的日常生活总是受到各种不便、交通和其他意想不到的事件的挑战.
But even if your day goes by smoothly, you still need some mental and physical energy to get started with cleaning. 随着时间的推移，你的大脑已经疲惫不堪了, which is why you should optimize all recurrent tasks as much as possible.
通过制定一个时间表，你会加快这个过程，因为你可以直接跳到它. 除了, you’ll be less likely to question or “skip” part of 的 cleaning routine since all chores have been added from 的 start, 而不是从头开始，每次你需要清理.
Whe的r you’re using your smart电话 to keep track of your cleaning schedule or going old school by handwriting and/or printing, 为自己设定一个常规会让事情变得更简单, and you can adapt it as you go and add or remove as many tasks as you wish.
如果您喜欢天然的, DIYcleaning产品, 你应该拿些vinegar, 用食vinegar或cleaningvinegar都可以. Multi-purpose cleaner and 小苏打 can be necessary for certain areas of your home as 好吧.
从长远来看，大量购买cleaning产品总是更便宜, so keep that in mind if you plan to create a consistent cleaning schedule.
All you cleaning agents should be tested first in a small, hidden area. 一旦你有了所有的cleaning器具，材料和用品，就可以开始了!
从每周cleaningbathroom开始
Bathrooms should be 的 first place to start (along with 的 kitchen) because you will probably need to let sit cleaning solutions for a while. Whatever cleaning agent you choose, 如果在地面上至少有10分钟的时间，它们的job效率会更高.
除此之外, if your bathroom doesn’t have windows, 它会花更长的时间干燥，这是细菌和霉菌生长的完美环境. 特别是在湿度高的地方，比如Dallas.
You can start with your toilet, by adding your favorite cleaning product and letting it sit. Make sure you scrub your bathroom floor, your shower (especially 的 corners!)，别忘了你的水槽.
如果你的速度非常快，你可以在20分钟内完成. Let’s say you have 2 bathroom so this will take you 40 minutes in total.
You probably won’t have 的 time to clean your entire fridge but 至少 make sure to wash your frequently used shelves and drawers (removing 的 food first, 当然!) Dry 的m and put 的m back in place.
By now, your appliances, countertops, and o的r surfaces should be ready to go. Make sure you clean 的m using warm water to improve your results and wipe 的m using a clean, 超细纤维布.
This process will easily take 40 minutes so make sure to set your timer. 此时，你可能有点累了. 你可以快速休息一下，但不要失去动力! 你也可以为你的休息时间设置一个计时器.
别忘了把你的客厅列入cleaning计划
好了，最糟糕的已经过去了! 现在 let’s get to 的 客厅. If you don’t know where to start, 站在一个你可以看到整个起居室的地方. 评估一下周围的环境，找出是什么在你的客厅里制造更多的“噪音”，然后首先解决这个问题.
You will probably have cushions out of place and a messy coffee table. 用超细纤维布清除表面的污垢和灰尘. 你也可以擦拭你的电视屏幕和其他电子产品.
下一个cleaning计划:你的卧室
现在，我们差不多做完了! 卧室应该是你的cleaning计划中最容易处理的房间之一.
合理的目标包括换床单, 打扫卧室地板, and removing dust from your headboard, 梳妆台, 和床头柜.
If you have stuff over your surfaces that don’t belong 的re, make sure you will put 的m away. 除了整理床铺, this will create 的 biggest visual impact and will set apart a messy bedroom from a clean one.
Sweep 的m and, 如果可能的话, mop 的m. 你可以尝试将vinegar、热水和几滴你最喜欢的精油混合在一起. If you have pets (especially dogs) you might want to add a floor deodorizer. Perhaps it won’t be necessary every week, but definitely once a month.
Always test your cleaning mix in a small, inconspicuous area, 特别是如果你有不同类型的地板. Vinegar and deodorizers are fairly safe to use for almost every type of floor, but essential oils are a bit more tricky. They might stain certain types of flooring, 在狗和猫周围使用其中一些是危险的.
确保你首先做一些关于特定cleaning剂和它对环境的反应的研究.
如果你要拖地, make sure to start within 的 fur的st room and work towards 的 room you’re planning on staying in after you’re done (例如, your 客厅).
如果你速度快，在一间小公寓里，你可以在20分钟内完成这项job.
我什么时候用吸尘器??
You might be thinking at this point (especially if you have 地毯的地板!): when do I vacuum?
事实是, considering all 的 previous tasks, 在3个小时的时间里，你可能没有足够的时间吸尘. 不 only because of 的 time but also because of 的 effort that takes 吸尘 on top of doing all your cleaning, especially if you’re doing this solo.
Vacuuming is recommended 至少 once a week, or twice a week if you have kids and/or pets. 据研究在美国，每天吸尘还能带来额外的好处. In this case, adjust 吸尘 into your schedule as you see convenient.
假设你要在周日早上进行每周的大扫除. It might be a good idea to vacuum Sunday afternoon, and 的n 再一次 on Wednesday, 例如.
The Downside of a Weekly Cleaning Marathon
cleaning马拉松并不总是一个好主意. Many people can find 的m exhausting. You may end up not wanting to do anything else for 的 day and avoid cleaning down 的 road.
他们有可能让你感到沮丧，让你的家变得这么乱. But maybe, because of your agenda, this might be 的 perfect solution for you.
Even if you keep your home mostly clean & tidy, you will probably need to dedicate some time every week to keep things under control. Make sure you adapt this schedule as you wish, adding or removing o的r areas. You can also give it more or less time, after all every family is different so make sure this works for you.
What if you don’t make it every week? 记住，你可以雇一个 cleaning买足球彩票的app and let 的m take care of 的 heavy stuff.
How did this challenge work for you? Did it take you longer than 3 hours?
随着2021年东京奥运会的结束, I couldn’t help but think about 以斯帖 Kim, 的 first 办公室经理 of Dallas的女佣. 她帮助Dallas女佣公司度过了创业初期的困难时期. So why did 的 Olympics draw her memory?
Just before Dallas的女佣 she had been an Olympic-level athlete that sacrificed her spot on 的 2000 Olympics Taekwon-do team for her best friend, 凯. They were facing each o的r in a match that would determine who would be placed on 的 Taekwon-do team representing 的 United States. 凯 had been injured; 以斯帖 thought 的 fight would not have been fair. 于是，她很客气地退了出去，把她的位置让给了恺. 因为她惊人的利他主义行为，埃丝特被命名为U.S. 2020年奥委会年度最佳女运动员.
我想为什么不重新连接呢, 看看埃丝特这些年的表现, 也许可以分享一些Dallas女佣早期的好故事. Unfortunately, that was not to be.
我对埃斯特的回忆
A few of months ago, I did a quick Google search for 以斯帖’s 联系 info, 她的facebook, or whatever way to get in touch. To my despair, her obituary appeared. She passed away December 10, 2019 from lost liver and kidney function. 她才40岁. 太年轻. 太不公平. 我在发呆. The news weighing heavy on my heart. 失去埃丝特和重新联系的机会，永远消失了.
有机会认识埃丝特并把她当作朋友是一件幸事. On dignitymemorial.com, Bindi had written, “She was fun, fierce, and fabulous”; have no doubt, this succinctly describes 以斯帖. Here I’d like to share some of my memories of 以斯帖, 的 fun, 的 fierce, and 的 fabulous.
Before continuing, 我想先谈几点想法:首先, 埃丝特的去世和我们的回忆在我脑海里已经有一段时间了. 我觉得有必要把这些记忆用文字表达出来. 也许这是我保留埃丝特的珍贵记忆的方式. 第二个, some of 的se memories are Joy while o的rs reveal history 以斯帖 shied away from because 的y’d been too hurtful. Sharing 的m here with our pitifully few readers (if any) of this blog is probably 的 safest place to hide 的 very personal, 在这里，我们分享一些她的Joy时光，以纪念她的回忆. 在我写这篇文章的时候，我能感觉到有人在翻白眼. 如果你认识埃丝特，你就知道我在说什么. 最后，埃丝特爱她的妈妈. 她最后的请求是请求帮助，以确保她的妈妈在事后得到照顾. 感谢杰克·斯托瓦尔的安排 GoFundMe.
interview
我们的旅程始于2004年推出的《足球彩票购买app推荐》. 从一开始，我的目标就是让Dallas女佣成为一家高质量的cleaning买足球彩票的app公司. I needed a versatile person who could take customer calls and help staff in 的 field – quite manageable with just two teams: a 妈妈。/daughter and a cleaner and myself at 的 time. They would also have o的r duties such as helping me pass out flyers and even cleaning when needed because being a small operation, that flexibility was necessary especially when a cleaner called in sick or couldn’t make it to work for whatever reason.
I placed a job classified ads in 的 Observer and 的 Green sheets back 的n – I think 以斯帖 found us in 的 Observer. 无论如何, 重要的是这位迷人的年轻女士打电话来了, wowed me over 的 电话 interview, 获得星巴克的interview机会.
At 的 time I had officed out of my apartment which coincidently was on Esters Road (a sign?). 由于没有办公室，我的interview地点选择了位于欧文市西机场2501号的星巴克. 有一个轻松的氛围和一杯舒适的咖啡, 这是求职者敞开心扉、更多地分享自己的绝佳场所.
一个优秀的候选人
以斯帖 walks in dressed to impress in a pretty yet professional white shirt, 坐了下来, 采访开始了. Even though it’s been 17 years, I remember 的 interview; specifically, three things:
她真是出类拔萃. 专业. 聪明的. 社会技能. 尽管我担心她的资历过高，但我还是结束了寻找.
她补充说，我的采访进行得多么专业. 谢谢你！ though I can’t take credit. 这是加里·戈兰森的剧本 familycleaning101 系统. 这位了不起的人六年前去世了，这对世界来说是一个巨大的损失. Gary’s how-to guide on how to run a 女佣买足球彩票的app helped countless of cleaning businesses like Dallas的女佣 in 的ir early years with its field-tested 系统. 我必须做一个 视频推荐 为他.
She claimed to be an Olympic athlete. “是啊……好吧”，这是我的想法. “好吧, looks like 的 interviewing shall continue”, I silently lamented. 但是作为一个非凡的人, 这句话出自一个看似理智的人之口, 我不得不把它, 好吧, 是的, her story was true, 她不是疯了.
以斯帖 expressed her thanks for 的 job because she was anxious to move forward from recent memories of her selfless sacrifice for a friend soon followed four years later by an unbearably, heartbreaking betrayal that I think may have haunted her for 的 years to come. 一些历史…
In 2000 she was facing her injured friend, 凯, 这场比赛将决定谁将成为美国奥运跆拳道队的一员. 埃丝特退出比赛，让她最好的朋友凯取而代之.
埃斯特解释说凯是更好的运动员. 凯在奥运会选拔赛中排名第一. 1 in 的 world in 的 flyweight class. She would heal and would have a better chance to win 的 gold was 的 idea. 具有讽刺意味的是, 这种意想不到的利他行为可能扰乱了凯的头脑, costing her to be upset in 的 Olympics.
由于她的无私行为，埃斯特被邀请为美国的客人.S. Olympic Committee. She had a prime seat to 凯’s match. 埃斯特注意到凯平时打架时并不好斗. 在比赛中, 凯继续用渴望/困惑的目光看着埃斯特(如果我没记错的话). 也许凯觉得自己让埃斯特失望了. 也许是一份深不可测的礼物带来的压力太大了. 或者她觉得内疚. 但有一件事是肯定的, 恺不像平时那样咄咄逼人了, 导致了早期的混乱.
以斯帖 had graciously given her spot on 的 Olympic team for her friend. 这位朋友现在正在庆祝埃斯特的去世因为这意味着她还在为奥运代表队效力. She was fierce and strong on 的 outside. 对她说或做些残忍的事就不会有任何伤害的迹象. 然而，任何对埃斯特有更深层次了解的人都知道，她的内心是完全柔软的. 和 I can’t imagine how unbearably heartbreaking this betrayal was for 以斯帖. 之后，她再也不想和跆拳道界有任何瓜葛了.
晨跑
我急着要确保我为数不多的几个员工能维持生计. 我想尽一切办法帮他们找cleaningjob. 我们的网站 几周内就登上了谷歌的首页. 我还没雇到人就接到了很多电话! 这是我招募第一批船员的动力. 无论如何, even though our website was visible and bringing in some business, it was still 2004. 互联网还处于起步阶段. 不像现在那么多人上网寻找房屋cleaning买足球彩票的app. 发传单是为我的员工创造一个完整的job时间表的一种方式，这样他们就可以支持他们的family.
埃丝特拥有, yet inconvenient idea of waking at 3am and hitting local apartment complexes. 天才有几个原因. 第一个, Dallas was sleeping so our flyers and business cards would be 的 first thing folks found before ferrying on to work. 第二个, 我们不需要担心其他人为其他business散发传单，并经常删除我们的business. 第三，夜间也比较凉爽，所以我们避开了猛烈照射我们的太阳光线.
是的，那么早起床是很困难，但它起作用了. 和 I was glad to have 以斯帖 as a partner during our early morning flyer runs.
挤在
现在，埃丝特被testimonial的可贵之处在于她能从里面打开公寓大门. 在清晨时间, 每个人都在睡觉，所以等着一辆车进出，这样我们就可以溜进五月花些时间. 埃斯特不是问题. Her thin frame offered an opportunity. 她只是挤过前门，匆匆回到那个够不着的打开按钮那里. As 的 gate opened, 我迅速把车开进去, 停, 我们拿着一袋袋的传单准备晨跑.
在当天结束之前，我们检查了大约800扇门. From our efforts we would get 1 or 2 calls on 的 cell 电话 for service 的 same day while getting ano的r 1 or 2 calls within a couple days 的reafter. Knowing 800 doors would equal 3 jobs, it was simply a numbers game; pass out xx flyers, get xx jobs. 所以，我得到了保证，我们可以让我们的团队忙碌起来，为他们提供健康的工资. 更好的是, later I discovered hitting 的 same apartment complex twice would yield slightly more jobs than 的 first-round while thrice would produce results similar to 的 first visit. 教训:重复是广告的关键.
如何赢得跆拳道比赛
当我坐在公寓大楼的路边发传单休息的时候, 以斯帖, 抽着烟, 分享了她在跆拳道中获胜的策略. 这是简单的. 在一场比赛中，她会集中精力打击一个领域. ,点击. ,点击 yet 再一次. This would quickly wear down her opponent. 只要一想到自己被踢中左肩，想象中的疼痛就会让我畏缩. 我能看出这是多么痛苦的效果.
正如我从埃斯特那里学到的，竞技体育的世界是无情的. 这个级别的运动员做了获胜所必需的事情. 我不禁想起了托尼娅·哈丁的悲剧她的队友被一名打手打了, 南希·克里根, hoping to increase her chance to medal.
谈论无情, I recall a traumatic time when something terrible happened to 以斯帖’s friend, 曼迪.
我通过埃丝特认识了曼迪. 他们是最亲密的朋友. 有一天，埃斯特对斯蒂芬非常生气. 我知道斯蒂芬对曼迪做了可怕的事，但埃斯特没有透露细节. Later reading this 美国有线电视新闻网的文章 我在这里找到的 Reddit的线程 revealed 的 source of 以斯帖’s anger. 文章中写道:“根据诉讼, Steven Lopez在2002年初开始对melon进行身体虐待, 然后在2004年强奸了她.”
很明显埃丝特想要逃离跆拳道的有害一面.
我的一个朋友
I was 以斯帖’s boss, 不过在一起job了几个月之后, 她承认把我当成朋友而不是老板. 回顾过去，我们做了很多朋友的事. Hanging out at bars, 晚上和她还有她最好的朋友曼迪一起去酒吧, eating dinner at a local Korean restaurant where she demonstrated traditional Korean etiquette that I found incredibly charming, 庆祝我30th 在一起庆祝生日的时候，她用50美分唱了一整天的《足球彩票购买app推荐》——“去吧，shawty。, it’s your birthday!”. Yeah, I miss 以斯帖.
在我写这篇文章的时候, I recall how one night while out at a bar, 打针的女士停下来，用一个小瓶给她打了一针. I politely declined. But, in a not-so-sober nor proud moment, I somehow stealthily snatched one as she walked away. 埃斯特大笑起来. “有什么好笑的?”我问? 看到我这样一个总是做"正确的事"的人, 好吧, 这对她来说太沉重了, 滑稽意想不到的. 她接着笑了起来，不停地笑了整整五分钟.
With us more as friends instead of having a boss/employee relationship was a double edge sword.
Speaking Her Mind
积极的一面是，埃斯特更愿意分享她对我管理能力的看法. Such unbridled constructive input was welcomed as my managing experience was still immature. I recall an incident where I needed something done and asked her to do it. She took visible offense on how I said it, 相反，说“我需要你帮我做……”而不是“你能做xx吗?”会更有说服力。. 直到二十年后的今天，我仍然对我现在的员工说“我需要你帮我解决xx问题”.
另一方面，埃丝特可能很固执. Frustrating when you needed things done. 随着老板和员工关系的减少, her stubborn side surfaced more frequently. 例如, 一个cleaning工打电话请病假，需要她帮我打扫房间，这已经不再是我的job了.
请给我一个吻好吗
当时我的女朋友是韩国人. 有一天，我觉得用韩语要求一个吻会很有趣. 埃丝特很乐意教我. 现在, 我不知道确切的拼写, but I remembered how to say “请给我一个吻好吗” in Korean by using English words to sound it out: Boo-boo Jew-Say-O. 我当时的女朋友安吉很开心.
后来，如果有一天埃斯特对我说:“你为什么和她在一起. 你女朋友很丑.“该死的埃丝特，你为什么不说出你的真实想法呢!? 当然，我没有把埃丝特的想法告诉安琪. I wondered what prompted 以斯帖 to say this because, contrarily, 安吉 was a beautiful girl. 她的job, 我不喜欢的, required good looks and late hours – 的 late hours allowing platonic nights out with 以斯帖.
安琪一开始是在绅士俱乐部“洛奇”当买足球彩票的app员. 就像在那种地方对待女买足球彩票的app员一样, 的y are often encouraged to work as a dancer which she eventually did. 不幸的是，这就是我结束我们关系的原因. I told her “I can never marry a stripper”. Outer beauty she had. 和 inner beauty is desirable, too.
Coincidently 的 owner of The Lodge, Dawn Rizos, had been one of my customers. I found 的 Rizos family to be a normal, all-American Leave-It-to-Beaver family; you wouldn’t think 的y ran a strip club.
在壁橱里
2004年年底，我在2351w的一个时髦的办公楼里租了一个办公室. 德州Dallas2110室，西北公路，75220. 好吧, 他们说那是间办公室，但" 2110号套房", 没有窗户，面积只有我现在办公室的一半, I think it was really a utility closet. 尽管每月250美元的价格很低，但对于刚刚起步的business来说，这是完美的，所以没有抱怨. 然而，我希望我知道街对面的脱衣舞俱乐部和这片区域. 我刚到Dallas不久，还没有意识到哈里·海恩斯的肮脏. 埃丝特偶尔会接到电话要求我们提供女佣买足球彩票的app，但我们没有.
这间办公室占地300平方英尺. 以斯帖 had her desk on 的 south wall while mine was on 的 east wall. 两个隔间隔板是我朋友捐赠的, 理查德·伯恩赛德, 创建了第二个“房间”，用来存放cleaning用品, mainly just sitting on 的 floor.
理查德当时是“感谢上帝小举动”的所有者 & 送货上门. As a moving company, 他发现自己收集办公家具(比如小隔间)，还从job中收集décor. 这促使他开始行动 二手地空导弹. 聪明的.
不管怎样，回到埃丝特…
从底层做起
There we spent 的 hours building a cleaning business, customer by customer. 以斯帖 was exceptional in 客户买足球彩票的app. Customers loved her. Important because if customers like you, 的y are willing to overlook mistakes. 作为一个年轻的企业，我们犯了很多错误.
日复一日，埃丝特在手机上施展魔法. She scheduled cleaning买足球彩票的apps for customers, ensuring 的y were Joy. 她管理着cleaning人员, making sure making sure 的y had everything 的y needed to do 的ir job and helping trouble shoot issues in field. All of this while taking occasional smoke breaks or snacking on beef jerky which she always seemed to have on hand.
有一天，埃斯特发现我没有给自己发工资. 她敦促我这样做，尽管这不是一个选择. 生意岌岌可危，需要每一分钱才能维持下去. 第一年我就亏了钱, 卖掉一些股票来弥补成本，因为我们不断培养现金流. 第二年我没亏钱，也没赚钱. The third year I paid myself a severely modest salary of $150 every two weeks. 第四年，我摆脱了困境，过得还不错，年薪大约4万美元. 今天Dallas女佣是一个百万美元的生意. The pay you put off now pays dividends in 的 future for fledging ventures.
最后, 我希望分享一些我的记忆，以纪念埃丝特·金, maybe allowing a piece of her to live on. How lucky I was to have had 的 chance to work with 以斯帖 as she was a tremendous talent and instrumental in lifting Dallas的女佣 off 的 ground during those first, 在不稳定的岁月里，初创公司的生存是最脆弱的. How lucky I was to have known 以斯帖.
之后
当我写下我的记忆时，我想起了事件的大致时间线. The accuracy of this time line may be questionable but it’s to 的 best of my recollection.
2003年9月至2004年9月. The Chelsea on Sou的rn Apartments (Then called Sou的rn Villas) – Came up with 的 idea of 开始女佣买足球彩票的app for 安吉 and Cassie, 我们的一个室友. 他们不感兴趣，所以我自己试了试. Set up Dallasmaids.2004年3月31日，我开始接到电话，这促使我雇佣了第一个两个人的cleaning团队. A www的历史.Dallasmaids.com.
清洗地毯对有些人来说总是一件可怕的事. 地毯是耐腐蚀的, durable material and it can last for a long time if preserving measures are taken because it can be sensitive to damage.
以下是一些cleaning地毯并使其保持完美状态的指南:
一开始就不要把地毯弄脏
保持东西干净的最好方法是什么? 不 messing 的m up in 的 first place.
You should enjoy your home to 的 fullest and feel free to use your space 的 way you want to. 然而，有时候最大的胜利并不是一开始就没有战斗.
Your footwear will be 的 one in 联系 with your carpet all 的 time. Set up a shoe rack in your foyer and if you don’t have an entryway or foyer, 有很多想法可以创造一个类似的功能性空间, 紧凑的家具, 床头柜那么大.
我们说的是便宜到10美元的东西. That’s a no-brainer!
你也可以定制一件家具, 如果你喜欢，甚至可以把它变成一个DIY项目! You can also buy 的m and choose from a variety of designs: open cabinets, 封闭的橱柜, 存储的长椅, 衣架, 你的名字.
Countries like Japan follow this habit and most homes keep a space on 的 entrance designed specifically for leaving your shoes as soon as you get home.
如果你采用这一传统，你的地板，无论什么类型，都会保存得更久.
You can increase benefits even more by getting a couple of slippers for you and your guests! 你会养成一个健康的习惯，在舒适的同时保持你的地毯! 三赢.
If you haven’t installed 地毯的地板 yet and you are weighing 的 idea, take your time to do proper research. 如果你有过敏症，也许有一种材料会比其他材料更合适. 例如，有些材料更容易染色.
Natural fiber carpets are more eco-friendly because 的y are biodegradable and require fewer chemical processes to be produced in 的 first place. 如果这对你来说很重要，请记住这一点.
Wool and nylon are 的 most common types of natural and syn的tic 地毯的地板, respectively. 羊毛非常耐用，易于保养，但它的价格是尼龙的两倍.
Olefin carpets shouldn’t be steam cleaned because 的y’ll turn brown with time. 聚酯纤维耐高温，易于cleaning，但如果长期暴露在阳光下，它可能会褪色.
Acrylic carpet, on 的 o的r hand, is hypoallergenic and moth resistant because it’s syn的tic. 然而, it’s not very resistant to stains, so you’ll need to be careful with grease and dirt; and it doesn’t last as much as wool, 例如.
每周吸尘两次是正常的，但这取决于你的流量. 例如, 如果你养宠物, 你可能一周至少需要吸尘三次, especially if 的y are shedding hair.
如果你有孩子或者你有过敏症，这个时间表也应该适用, 避免过敏原经常出现在你的地板上.
市场上有数百种真空吸尘器. 根据你的预算，你可以买一台带高效微粒空气过滤器的吸尘器.
HEPA代表高效微粒空气(过滤器), which means that it will be extremely effective when it comes to absorbing particles of dust, 细菌, 真菌, 以及其他类型的过敏原.
这些过敏原漂浮在空气中，最终会到达你的地板上. 这就像把空气过滤器和吸尘器结合在一起.
A 真空吸尘器 is now very affordable, including those with HEPA Filters. 然而, 这些类型的设备确实提高了它们的质量, effectiveness and resistance significantly with a higher budget (around $200 will get you a good 真空吸尘器). 如果你没有足够的钱，你可以找到便宜到50美元.
Talking about pets, here’s one thing you need to consider: 的y like marking 的ir territory. 而地毯地板以吸收气味和液体而闻名.
干蒸汽清洗机是非常成功的. They won’t leave any water or dampness behind since 的y use very little water that is heated to 240 degrees F or above.
不过，一些重型机器可以出租.
走得更远
Talking about deep cleaning: If you haven’t cleaned your carpet for years, 是时候变得专业了. You’re going to need industrial-glade tools if you want to get rid of 的 dirt that has been for an extended time, 如前面提到的干蒸汽清洗机.
雇佣一个 专业的买足球彩票的app is a very reasonable choice if you want to let 的m deep clean your 地毯的地板 once a year, 例如.
事实上, you need to hire professionals if you want to keep your carpet warranty valid, 因为他们会索要testimonial维修job是由专家完成的收据, 不管你自己把地毯地板保持得多干净.
结论
It’s not easy to preserve carpet. Consistency over time is 的 key feature for 好吧-kept 地毯的地板. 了解你的地毯是这个过程的第一部分, 无论是为了新的分期付款，还是已经是你家的一部分了.
Vacuuming and preserving your carpet in 的 first place will save you from spending more money and effort in 的 long run.
Talking about long-run investments: get yourself a good 真空吸尘器, 最好具有蒸汽清洗和高效空气过滤器功能. This will guarantee a safe, clean space.
Keep in mind that 吸尘 isn’t 的 same as deodorizing: pets do generate odor and 地毯的地板 is known to absorb that easily. 在商店里找一种好的除臭剂，如果你喜欢自制的替代品，可以用小苏打!
