When Linda Soto came to the U.S. from Colombia in 1999, she had a 1-year-old son and spoke no English. As she struggled to start a new life in a different part of the world, the conflicting schedules of her son’s daycare and her job as a file clerk at a bank didn’t help.

“Someone suggested cleaning houses because I could set my own schedule,” Linda said. “I started putting up flyers in grocery stores and, little by little, I found new houses to clean. My husband and I later had two daughters, and cleaning allowed me to be present in my kids’ lives. But it wasn’t just about making money. I love humanity, and cleaning allowed me to help families by giving them more time to do things they enjoy.”

In September of 2019, Linda founded Linda Soto Cleaning, a fully licensed, insured, and bonded residential and commercial cleaning company. She was cleaning 25-30 houses per week – until the pandemic hit. Fortunately, Linda’s new company persevered through the initial shutdowns and began to grow again until another obstacle emerged – breast cancer.

“As I was fighting cancer, I was growing the business,” Linda said. “I had a lumpectomy and went through radiation and chemotherapy, but I was building a wonderful team. Today, we have almost 30 people in the field cleaning 30 to 35 houses a day.”

Linda happily shares her success with others, offering two cleanings for breast cancer patients who are in active treatment. She also supports Hispanic women by providing mentorship, offering English classes, and sharing resources and guidance about childcare, education, and programs that help create a better future for themselves and their families.

How Chamber Enhances Business Growth Beyond Traditional Referrals

When Linda completed her breast cancer treatment, her cleaning company was growing at a fast pace. She started working with a business coach, who advised her to get involved with local chambers of commerce and networking groups.

“I started networking as much as I possibly could with a plan to evaluate each group after six months,” Linda said. “I found that the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber was by far the best investment of my time and money. Now, I focus on events that are best suited to my business.”

Linda serves on the Chamber’s Membership Committee and attends monthly Membership Orientation events, both of which provide opportunities to meet and help new members and learn how to gain more value from her own membership. She also enjoys Business After Business networking events and sponsored the most recent Women Mean Business networking event, which was sold out.

While Linda has met customers and benefitted from referrals through the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber, she finds just as much value from connecting with professionals who provide services and support for her company.

“One thing I struggled with for so many years was bookkeeping,” Linda said. “Now I have a bookkeeper who I met at a networking event. My books are in perfect shape and every month, I get a clear picture of the financial side of my business. Meeting people who can be mentors and provide expertise in different areas is so important for small businesses.”

Linda also benefits from her own approach to networking, which helps her grow as a professional, business owner, individual, and woman.

“I don’t network to sell my business,” Linda said. “I network because I want people to know that the person behind Linda Soto Cleaning is someone they can rely on and trust. Some of these connections have turned into real friendships. When I see Adriana Groza, we talk about our kids, we talk about pots and pans, and sometimes we cook together. I’m cooking with the best pans because of Adriana! These kinds of relationships mean everything to me.”

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber team would like to congratulate Linda Soto Cleaning as a successful woman-owned business, thank Linda for her contributions to the Chamber, and honor her efforts to support fellow women in their personal and professional journeys.