Frequently Asked Questions
The Model and the Role
What is a Stratus Clean master franchise?
A Stratus Clean master franchise gives you the exclusive rights to build and run a network of commercial cleaning franchises across an entire region. As a Master Franchisor you hold the rights within a defined territory to award unit franchises and to obtain commercial cleaning contracts. As you win those contracts, you assign them to the owners who have purchased a unit franchise, and they perform the work. You earn from the growth of the whole network rather than from any single cleaning job. It is an executive-style business model, not a hands-on janitorial franchise. Founded in 2006, Stratus Clean today spans roughly 100+ master territories and 5,500+ unit franchisees across the U.S. and Canada.
What is the difference between buying a master franchise and a unit franchise?
A unit franchisee performs the commercial cleaning; a master franchisee builds and supports the network of unit franchisees. Unit owners are independent business owners who purchased a Stratus Clean franchise and deliver the recurring janitorial work. The master owns exclusive rights to a region, awards those unit franchises, secures the cleaning contracts, and earns from franchise fees, royalties, and the growth of every unit in the territory. In effect, the master becomes a franchisor. The two roles call for different skills and different investment levels, and Stratus Clean recruits for them separately.
Who secures the cleaning contract, the master franchisee or the unit franchisee?
The Stratus Clean master franchisee obtains the commercial cleaning contract and then assigns it to a unit franchisee in the network. This is the mechanic that makes the master model work. Rather than asking new unit owners to find their own customers, the master brings the business development capability, wins the account, and assigns a paying contract to the unit owner who services it. It is a central reason unit franchisees join the system, and it is what drives the master's roughly 90% recurring revenue: janitorial contracts recur daily and weekly rather than being one-off sales.
Do Stratus Clean master franchisees do any of the cleaning themselves?
No. Stratus Clean does not expect or want master franchisees to do the cleaning. The work is performed by independent unit franchisees who have purchased a Stratus Clean franchise. The master's role is business development and network leadership: awarding unit franchises, securing and assigning cleaning contracts, and helping the owners in the territory build their businesses. This is the most common misunderstanding about the opportunity. If you want a hands-on cleaning business, the unit franchise is the right fit. The master franchise is an executive role, and you become a franchisor, not a cleaner.
Can I run a Stratus Clean master franchise semi-absentee or as a passive investment?
No. A Stratus Clean master franchise is an executive-style business that you own and run, not a passive or semi-absentee investment. The model depends on the owner personally driving business development: meeting prospective unit franchisees, calling on commercial accounts, and supporting the owners already in the network. Those relationships are the asset, and Stratus looks for owners with a genuine passion for working with people and helping them succeed. The role does operate mainly on weekdays with a minimal number of employees, so it fits a professional schedule, but it requires your active involvement.
How many employees does a master franchisee need?
Very few. A defining feature of the Stratus Clean master model is a streamlined operation with a minimal number of employees, which helps keep labor costs low. Your network is made up of independent unit franchisees, not staff on your payroll. As the model is usually described inside the system: the master does not have employees, the master has franchisees, and the job is to deliver value for them and help them succeed. That removes the hiring, scheduling, and turnover burden that defines most service businesses.
Is a Stratus Clean master franchise a full-time business, and what are the hours?
Yes, it is a full-time business, and it operates mainly on weekdays. Because the cleaning is performed by unit franchisees, the master franchisee is not running evening or weekend service shifts. Your time goes where an executive's time goes: meeting prospective unit owners, calling on commercial accounts, supporting your network, and planning territory growth. The combination of a weekday schedule, a minimal-employee operation, and roughly 90% recurring revenue is one of the main reasons candidates from corporate and executive backgrounds choose this model.
What does a Stratus Clean master franchisee actually do day to day?
A master franchisee spends the day on business development and network leadership: working with candidates for unit franchises, calling on commercial cleaning prospects, securing contracts and assigning them to unit owners, supporting the owners already in the territory, and setting growth strategy for the region. It is a relationship business built on people skills. You can see a fuller picture on our Day in the Life page.
Investment, Fees, and Revenue
How much does it cost to start a commercial cleaning franchise?
It depends on which model you buy. Unit franchises, where you or your crew perform the cleaning, have low startup costs, which is one reason commercial cleaning attracts first-time business owners. A master franchise is a substantially larger investment, because you are buying exclusive regional rights and becoming a franchisor rather than a service provider. For a Stratus Clean master franchise, the total investment is typically $275,000 to $300,000 all in: a master license fee averaging approximately $125,000, plus roughly $150,000 in working capital to run the business while you build the network. Because territories are sized by population, the license fee varies by market. Item 7 of the Stratus Clean Franchise Disclosure Document is the authoritative source for total investment information, and we provide it during the discovery process.
What does the investment include?
Your investment covers the exclusive rights to a protected territory plus the system behind it. That includes the right to award unit franchises and secure commercial cleaning contracts in your region, and the full onboarding program: pre-opening training, one week at corporate headquarters, two weeks on-site in your territory, and a dedicated onboarding coach. It also brings training across marketing, accounting, sales, operations, and product management; software and technology integration including the proprietary StratusConnect operations app; the national insurance program; development and sales programs including National Accounts; marketing and operations support; and finance and business management support. Item 7 of the FDD sets out the investment in full.
What are the financial qualifications to become a master franchisee?
Stratus Clean master franchise candidates should have a net worth of $250,000 or more and approximately $125,000 to $150,000 in liquid capital. The liquid requirement matters because the business needs working capital while you build the network. Veterans are actively welcomed. Territory size and market can affect the specifics, so qualification is part of the discovery conversation rather than a fixed formula.
Is financing available for a Stratus Clean master franchise?
Funding is one of the topics we work through with qualified candidates during the discovery process, alongside FDD review and conversations with existing master franchisees. Because the right structure depends on your personal financial position, we discuss options directly rather than publishing terms. Worth noting from the other side of the model: finance fees are one of a master franchisee's nine revenue streams, earned from financing unit franchise purchases within your own territory. To talk through funding, contact Rob Lancit, VP of Franchise Development.
Are veterans welcome, and is there a veteran program?
Yes, veterans are actively welcomed into the Stratus Clean master franchise system. The qualities that make a strong master franchisee map closely to military experience: leadership, discipline, comfort building and supporting a team, and a willingness to execute a proven system. No commercial cleaning background is required, and successful masters come from a wide range of prior careers.
What ongoing fees does a master franchisee pay to Stratus Clean?
The complete fee schedule, including amounts, timing, and what each fee covers, is disclosed in the Stratus Clean Franchise Disclosure Document, which we share early in the discovery process specifically so candidates can review the economics in full before deciding. Item 6 covers ongoing fees and Item 7 covers your estimated initial investment. We encourage every candidate to review both with their own attorney and accountant.
What are the 9 revenue streams for a Stratus Clean master franchisee?
Stratus Clean master franchisees earn from nine revenue streams, where most franchise systems have only three to seven, and roughly 90% of that revenue is recurring. The nine are:
- Franchise fees, from selling unit franchises within your territory
- Finance fees, from financing unit franchise purchases
- Contract sales, from securing commercial cleaning contracts
- Special services, one-off jobs including floor care, carpet cleaning, window and pressure washing, and post-construction cleanup
- Admin fees, administrative fees within the system
- Insurance revenue, through the national insurance program
- Royalties, ongoing royalties on unit franchisee revenue
- Transfer fees, when a unit franchise changes hands
- Supply sales, markups on Stratus Clean products and cleaning supplies
The recurring janitorial contracts are what drive the roughly 90% figure. Buildings need cleaning every week, in every economy.
How much do commercial cleaning franchise owners make?
Income depends heavily on which model you own and how the business is built. A unit franchisee earns from the accounts they service. A master franchisee earns from nine revenue streams across an entire region, roughly 90% of it recurring, which is a fundamentally different economic structure. For Stratus Clean master franchises specifically, earnings vary by owner and by territory, and any financial performance representation appears in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. As context for the strength of the model rather than as a representation of what an individual master earns: franchised regions averaged $3.4 million in unit volume in 2025, the average of the top five performing regions was $9.5 million, the top region does approximately $15 million annually, and system-wide sales reached $238 million. Calculation and further explanation of these figures appear in Item 19. Individual results may differ. See Item 7 for total investment information.
What is the FDD, and which items should I read first?
The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is the document a franchisor provides to prospective franchisees, covering standardized items about the company, the agreement, and the economics. For a Stratus Clean master franchise, three matter most at the start: Item 7 covers your total investment, Item 6 covers ongoing fees, and Item 19 covers financial performance, which is the only place earnings information is properly presented. We share the FDD during the discovery process, and we recommend reviewing it with a franchise attorney and an accountant.
What does the first year as a master franchisee look like?
The first year is about building the foundation of the network: completing onboarding, awarding your first unit franchises, and securing the commercial cleaning contracts to assign to them. Onboarding runs roughly three weeks, with pre-opening training, one week at corporate headquarters, and two weeks on-site in your own territory, guided by a dedicated coach who continues working with you afterward. From there the work is business development, and the pace reflects your territory and your effort. Because roughly 90% of revenue is recurring, early contracts compound: what you secure in year one continues paying in year three.
Territory
How are Stratus Clean master territories defined and sized?
Stratus Clean master territories are sized by population and can be a full state or a cluster of counties. The territory is your Designated Market Area (DMA), and within it you hold the rights to award unit franchises and secure commercial cleaning contracts. Sizing on population keeps the opportunity comparable across very different geographies, so a statewide territory in a less dense state and a metro territory in a dense one can represent similar potential. The commercial cleaning customer base is broad by nature, spanning schools, medical offices, shopping centers, warehouses, and gyms, across cities, suburbs, and smaller towns.
Is my Stratus Clean territory exclusive and protected?
Yes. Stratus Clean master franchisees secure an exclusive territory and are the sole focus of the brand within their Designated Market Area. No other Stratus Clean master operates there, and the network you build inside that territory is yours to grow. Territory protection is a core part of the model and a reason candidates choose it over opportunities where regional boundaries are informal. The specific grant and its boundaries are set out in the franchise agreement.
What Stratus Clean master territories are available right now?
Exclusive master territories remain open across the U.S. and Canada. Statewide opportunities include Alaska, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Open metro markets include Brooklyn, Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse, Raleigh/Durham, Greensboro/Winston-Salem, Wilmington, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, El Paso, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, Tucson, Little Rock, Hartford, Savannah, and many more. Availability changes as territories are awarded, so check the current list on our Available Territories page or contact us about a specific market.
Can I own more than one Stratus Clean master territory?
Expanding beyond a first territory is a natural path for owners who have built a strong network, and because the model is executive rather than operational, the systems, relationships, and methodology you develop in one region transfer directly to the next. Additional territories depend on your performance in your existing region and on availability in the market you want. If regional scale is part of your goal, it is worth raising early in the discovery process.
Is the Stratus Clean master franchise available in Canada?
Yes. Stratus Clean operates across the United States and Canada, and Canadian master territories are available, including Kelowna in British Columbia, London and Kingston in Ontario, the province of Manitoba, New Brunswick and PEI, and Newfoundland. The model works the same way in both countries: exclusive regional rights, awarding unit franchises, and securing commercial cleaning contracts to assign to them. Canadian candidates can reach Rob Lancit, VP of Franchise Development, at (604) 833-0911.
The Process
What is the Stratus Clean discovery process?
Stratus Clean uses a six-step process that lets you learn about the opportunity at your own pace and make a fully informed decision. Across those steps you review the business model, receive and review the Franchise Disclosure Document, talk with the corporate team, and speak directly with existing franchisees about their experience. Nothing is rushed. It starts with a conversation with Rob Lancit, VP of Franchise Development.
How long does it take to go from first conversation to opening my territory?
The discovery process moves at your pace: you complete FDD review, speak with the corporate team and with existing master franchisees, and do your own due diligence with an attorney and accountant before making any commitment. After signing, onboarding runs roughly three weeks, with pre-opening training, one week at corporate headquarters, and two weeks on-site in your own territory. Business development begins from there.
Can I speak with existing Stratus Clean master franchisees before I decide?
Yes, and we encourage it. Speaking directly with existing franchisees is a built-in part of the Stratus Clean discovery process, not something you have to request. You can ask what the first year was really like and what they would do differently. In independent Franchise Business Review research, 86% of Stratus Clean masters said they would do it again, one of the highest marks in franchising. As Michael Seiler of Stratus Clean of Southeast Louisiana puts it: "Would I do it over? Probably three more times."
What happens after I sign the franchise agreement?
Onboarding begins. You complete pre-opening training, spend one week at Stratus Clean corporate headquarters, then two weeks on-site in your own territory, guided by a dedicated onboarding coach who continues working with you afterward. Training covers marketing, accounting, sales, operations, and product management, and you are set up on the StratusConnect operations app, the national insurance program, and the development and sales programs including National Accounts. Full detail is on our Training and Support page.
Training, Support, and Systems
How does Stratus Clean help me recruit unit franchisees?
Recruiting, training, and supporting unit franchisees is the core of the master model, so Stratus Clean trains you on exactly how to do it: where to find candidates, how to engage them, and how to help them build successful businesses once they join. You are working with an established brand in an industry that remains fragmented, which is a real advantage when most competitors are unbranded local operators. You can also finance unit franchise purchases, which is both a recruiting tool and one of your nine revenue streams. The methodology has been tested over 20+ years and across 5,500+ unit franchises, and it is backed by a leadership team with 150+ years of combined franchising experience.
What is the Stratus Clean National Accounts program?
The National Accounts program is one of the development and sales programs Stratus Clean provides to help master franchisees grow, supporting masters in pursuing larger commercial cleaning business than they could readily reach alone. It sits alongside the other corporate programs behind every master: the national insurance program, the proprietary StratusConnect operations app, marketing and operations support, finance and business management support, and access to the 90+ master franchisee network, where owners share what is working in their territories.
Brand and Credibility
Is Stratus Clean the same company as Stratus Building Solutions?
Yes. It is the same company, founded in 2006, with the same master franchise model, the same Green Seal certified proprietary products, and the same system of roughly 100+ master territories and 5,500+ unit franchisees across the U.S. and Canada. If you have encountered the brand under its former name in franchise directories or older coverage, you are looking at the same organization, leadership, and support commitments.
What does Green Seal certified mean, and why does it matter?
Green Seal is an independent, third-party certification for environmental standards, and Stratus Clean's proprietary cleaning products carry it. That distinction matters: the products have been evaluated against an outside standard rather than simply described as green by the company selling them. Stratus Clean is the nation's leading green commercial cleaning franchise, and demand for eco-conscious cleaning continues to rise across the customer base, from schools and medical offices to shopping centers, warehouses, and gyms. For a master franchisee, third-party certification is a credential you bring to every contract conversation.
How big is Stratus Clean?
Stratus Clean is the fourth largest commercial cleaning franchise in North America. Founded in 2006, the system spans roughly 100+ master territories and 5,500+ unit franchisees across the United States and Canada, with $238 million in system-wide sales and average unit volume of $3.4 million in 2025 franchised regions. (Those figures are explained in Item 19 of the FDD, individual results may differ, and they describe system performance rather than individual master earnings.) The leadership team brings 150+ years of combined franchising experience to a methodology tested over 20+ years.
What awards and rankings has Stratus Clean received?
Stratus Clean holds some of the strongest third-party recognition in the category:
- #1 Fastest-Growing Franchise on Entrepreneur's list for four consecutive years, including 2026
- #1 Commercial Cleaning Franchise on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, ranked #21 overall in 2026
- #228 on the Franchise Times Top 400
- Franchise Business Review Top Franchises Award winner (2025), with 86% of master franchisees saying they would do it again
- Global Franchise Awards 2024 finalist
- Member of the International Franchise Association (IFA) and ISSA
Is Stratus Clean a good franchise to own?
By the measure that matters most, owner satisfaction, Stratus Clean rates among the strongest in franchising: 86% of master franchisees told independent researcher Franchise Business Review they would do it again, one of the highest marks in the industry, and Stratus is an FBR Top Franchises Award winner for 2025. Entrepreneur has ranked it the #1 fastest-growing franchise four years running and the #1 commercial cleaning franchise on its Franchise 500. Owners consistently point to the corporate relationship, and nearly all say they wish they had found the opportunity sooner. As David Smith of Stratus Clean of Nashville, TN puts it: "My experience with Stratus has been excellent, and I would do it over again."
How does Stratus Clean compare to other commercial cleaning master franchises?
Several commercial cleaning brands offer regional or master-level opportunities, so the comparison worth making is on specifics rather than category. Stratus Clean's differentiators are nine revenue streams where most systems have three to seven; roughly 90% recurring revenue; Green Seal certified proprietary products, verified by an independent third party rather than self-declared; the #1 commercial cleaning ranking on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and four consecutive years as #1 fastest-growing; position as the fourth largest commercial cleaning franchise in North America; and 86% of master owners saying they would do it again in independent Franchise Business Review research. We encourage candidates to compare Item 6, Item 7, and Item 19 across any FDDs they are considering and to make validation calls to existing owners in each system. That comparison is how most of our masters decided.
Fit and Exit
Do I need cleaning experience to own a commercial cleaning franchise?
It depends on which kind you own. With a unit franchise, you or your crew perform the cleaning, so hands-on service work is the job, though franchisors train you on it and most unit owners start without industry background. With a master franchise you do no cleaning at all: the master holds exclusive rights to a region, awards unit franchises, secures commercial cleaning contracts, and assigns them to the unit owners who do the work. It is an executive role, and no prior cleaning experience is required or expected. Industry expertise is not needed to thrive. Successful Stratus Clean masters come from diverse industries including education, sales, insurance, engineering, and retail, and many arrive from C-suite or entrepreneurial backgrounds. Stratus teaches the how, across marketing, accounting, sales, operations, and product management. What you bring is the people skills to speak with and support your unit franchisees. Full detail is on our Training and Support page.
Do I need a sales background to succeed as a master franchisee?
A strong sales background helps, and so does management experience, because the master role is fundamentally business development: awarding unit franchises and securing commercial cleaning contracts are both relationship-driven sales activities. Candidates who have sold and managed tend to ramp fastest. What matters just as much is a winning mindset, strong people skills, and a genuine passion for working with people and helping them succeed. Stratus teaches the how of selling and running the franchise; you bring the ability to build the relationships.
Who is not a good fit for a Stratus Clean master franchise?
This is not the right opportunity if you want a hands-on cleaning business, because masters do not clean and the unit franchise is the better fit there. It is not right if you want a passive investment, since the model depends on the owner driving business development. It is not right if you are uncomfortable with relationship selling and recruiting, because that is the daily work. And it is not right if the investment would stretch you past the $250,000 net worth and $125,000 to $150,000 liquid guidelines, since working capital matters while the territory is being built. Being direct about fit early is why the discovery process is structured the way it is.
Can I sell my Stratus Clean master franchise later?
Transfer and resale terms for a master franchise are set out in the franchise agreement and the Franchise Disclosure Document, and we walk candidates through them during the discovery process. What is worth knowing about the underlying business: because roughly 90% of revenue is recurring and janitorial contracts renew, a mature territory is a business with durable, predictable revenue. On the unit side, transfer fees when a unit franchise changes hands are one of a master's nine revenue streams.
