You built a commercial cleaning company in Madison the hard way — winning accounts one walkthrough at a time, training crews who show up at 9 p.m. after the offices empty out, and keeping quality high enough that a State Street property manager or an East Washington tech tenant renews without a second thought. Investera Holdings is a Michigan family-operated company that buys janitorial and commercial cleaning businesses and keeps them running. We are not a broker looking for a listing and not a passive fund parking capital — we are operators who step in, install a dedicated general manager, and run the company you spent years building. Our own portfolio includes CT Cleaners and Optimal Facility Services, so we speak the language of route density, supply carts, and 2 a.m. callbacks.
Why Madison owners are thinking about selling now
Madison’s cleaning demand is anchored by institutions that never really close. UW-Madison and the UW Health hospital system, the State Capitol and dozens of agency buildings on the Square, Epic’s Verona campus, American Family Insurance on the east side, and the biotech tenants filling University Research Park all generate steady, contract-based janitorial work. As the Cap East District along East Washington keeps converting old industrial blocks into offices and apartments, the base of buildings that need nightly service only grows.
At the same time, many of the owners who built those account books are ready to slow down. Labor is the hardest part of this business in a tight Dane County market, where cleaning crews compete for the same workers as warehouses and food service. If you have spent fifteen or twenty years covering call-offs yourself and answering the phone on Sunday nights, the value you have created can quietly erode the moment you burn out. Selling to an operator who already runs cleaning companies protects both your customers and the crews who depend on you.
Who we buy in the Madison area
We are a fit for established Madison cleaning companies with real contracts and a team that already does the work — not a one-person operation that disappears the moment you step away.
- Recurring janitorial contracts with commercial, medical, or institutional accounts
- Roughly $500K+ in revenue or SDE (close is fine)
- Supervisors and crews who can run nightly routes without you
- A solid reputation with Madison-area property and facilities managers
- An owner open to a clean handoff or staying on through transition
If most of that sounds like your company, a conversation is worth your time — even if you are still a year or two from deciding.
What makes selling to Investera different
No broker fees. We buy directly, so there is no listing commission skimming five or six figures off your proceeds and no middleman controlling the timeline.
A confidential process. Your crews, your customers, and your competitors hear nothing until you are ready — first conversations stay private and move at your pace.
Creative deal structures. Cash at close, a seller note over time, an earnout, or a period where you stay on payroll — we shape the deal around what you need, not a rigid template.
Operators, not a fund. A passive fund would hand you to a manager and a spreadsheet; we install our own general manager and actually run the company after closing.
How the process works
The first step is a private phone call, not a data room. If it looks like a fit, we sign a mutual NDA, review a few years of financials and your contract list, and give you an honest read on value early instead of dragging you through months of uncertainty. From there we handle diligence quietly, agree on structure, and close on a timeline that works for your accounts and your team.
We will take care of what you built
After closing, we do not strip the company for parts. We keep the name your customers trust, retain your supervisors and cleaners, and put a dedicated general manager in charge so nightly quality holds while you step back. The same crews service the same East Side offices and West Side clinics the Monday after we close — the difference your customers notice is that the phone still gets answered and the work still gets done.
Learn more about what we buy, see how we acquire commercial cleaning & janitorial businesses, or read about Investera Holdings.
Frequently asked questions
How much is my commercial cleaning business worth in Madison?
Most healthy janitorial companies trade in a range of roughly 2.5 to 4 times SDE (seller’s discretionary earnings), with your contract mix, account stickiness, and how well the business runs without you pushing where you land. It is a range, not a guarantee — we give you an honest, specific read once we see your numbers.
Will my crews and customers find out you’re looking?
No. We treat confidentiality as part of the deal. Early talks are private, we sign a mutual NDA before reviewing anything sensitive, and your accounts and employees are not told until you decide the timing is right.
Are there any broker fees or commissions?
None. Because we are the buyer and not a broker or intermediary, there is no listing commission and no success fee taken out of your proceeds.
Can I stay involved after the sale?
If you want to. Some owners hand off cleanly over a few weeks; others stay on for a season or two to introduce accounts and mentor the new general manager. We are flexible on your role.
How long does a sale usually take?
From first conversation to close is often a couple of months, depending on your records and how quickly you want to move. We can go faster or slower to fit your life and your contracts.
What areas around Madison do you buy in?
We look at cleaning companies across Dane County — Madison itself plus Fitchburg, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Verona, and Monona, along with the surrounding communities those crews already serve.
Start a confidential conversation
If you have thought about selling — this year or someday — start with a private, no-pressure conversation. Tell us about your accounts and your team, and we will tell you honestly whether Investera is the right home for what you built. No broker, no fees, no obligation — just a direct talk with the people who would actually run your Madison cleaning company.