Discover the highlights of ISSA Show North America 2026 by watching a Sneak Peek video featuring ISSA Show Director Ed Nichols.
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Jeff Cross
ISSA Media Director
Jeff Cross is the ISSA media director, with publications that include Cleaning & Maintenance Management, ISSA Today, and Cleanfax magazines. He is the previous owner of a successful cleaning and restoration firm. He also works as a trainer and consultant for business owners, managers, and front-line technicians. He can be reached at [email protected].
Articles by Jeff Cross
Hiring Without an HR Department
Business and Management
For cleaning companies without a dedicated HR department, the answer begins with refusing to accept poor hiring results as simply part of doing business.
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Accountability Isn’t Punishment—It’s Clarity
Business and Management
The word accountability shows up in the news whenever something goes wrong. Someone must be held accountable, and everyone listening knows what that means.
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Growing Faster but Making Less? Here’s Why
Business and Management
Contractors talk about revenue because it's easy to see and easy to say. A company describes itself by what it billed last year, whether that's $1 million or $10 million, and the number becomes shorthand for success.
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Your Employees Are Using AI. But Are They Still Thinking?
Business and Management
In this episode, we examine the hidden risks of AI overreliance, why some experts warn of declining human judgment, and what business leaders can do to ensure AI remains a powerful tool without weakening the skills that drive innovation and sound decision-making.
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AI in Hiring: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What Employers Need to Know
Business and Management
Whether you're hiring your next technician, supervisor, or office administrator, this conversation offers practical guidance without the hype.
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In this episode, Jeff Cross speaks with Jim Flieler of Charlotte Products and Sanjaya Abeysinghe, CTO of Optisolve, about why labor—not supplies—is the true cost driver in facility cleaning.
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AI Mistakes: The Risks, Costs, and Realities
Business and Management
Dean Mercado discusses the biggest AI mistakes service business owners are making in 2026.
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The Startup Window: Where New Cleaning Accounts Are Won or Lost
Business and Management
Jeff Carmon explains why new account startups matter more than some owners realize, where they most often break down, and what strong handoffs, communication, and early execution look like in practice.
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Out-Recruiting the Giants: A Cleaning Company’s Edge in the Labor War
Business and Management
Wells Ye of EmployJoy.ai works to provide solutions to what cleaning business owners and facility operations can do about it.
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Stop the Information Dump: Why Clearer Proposals Win More Cleaning Contracts
Business and Management
If you want to improve close rates, strengthen communication, and stand out from competitors, this discussion offers practical insight for cleaning and restoration professionals alike.
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From the Lab to the Reprocessing Floor: How Enzymatic Detergents Get Tested, Chosen, and Trusted
Products
Hear how Ingredients + Specialties from Univar Solutions and Novonesis are helping organizations improve detergent development through technical expertise, ingredient support, and customized solutions.
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