By Victoria Campisi, Staff Writer

Salt Lake, Provo and St. George, UT – January 9, 2025 – When Kelly Hendrix joined Merry Maids in 2011, she wasn’t planning to become a franchise owner; she was simply looking for part-time work while helping put her husband through nursing school. Starting in the call center, she quickly discovered there was far more to the business than she imagined.

Over the next several years, Hendrix moved into sales, then management and eventually took the leap into ownership. In partnership with a supportive former franchise owner, she and her husband spent a decade building the equity needed to purchase their own territories. Today, they operate three Merry Maids locations in Salt Lake City, Provo and St. George, serving communities across Utah with a commitment to quality, trust, and compassion.

“I was mesmerized by everything that went into getting a team into a house to clean — customer calls, setting up in-home estimates, dispatching teams,” Hendrix told ESTATENVY during a recent interview. “It wasn’t just cleaning; it was like a math story problem every day.”

Hendrix stays active in her community, offering free cleanings through Cleaning for a Reason to people going through cancer treatment and supporting local events like Tough Enough to Wear Pink. She says it’s not just about growing the business — it’s about connecting with people and giving back.

A transcript of Hendix’s interview with ESTATENVY has been provided below.

It has been edited for brevity, clarity and style.

ESTATENVY: Tell me a little bit about yourself. What led you to open a Merry Maids franchise?

Kelly Hendrix: I really wasn’t looking to open one. That wasn’t the goal initially. I’ve been with Merry Maids for almost 15 years. I started in August 2011. My youngest was starting first grade, and I was starting my first day with Merry Maids.

I was looking for something part-time. We were working to put my husband through nursing school. I had a couple of different jobs, younger kids, and I thought of Merry Maids. I had used Merry Maids when I was doing mortgage work and loved them. They did a fantastic job. Back then, they used a cinnamon deodorizer, and I loved coming into a clean home.

When I saw they were looking for help in a call center for a franchise owner with multiple locations, I thought I could do that. I wasn’t thinking about cleaning — just a way to make extra money and help put my husband through school. My husband thought it was hilarious, asking if they were going to teach me to clean. Cleaning wasn’t my strength, but I loved having a clean house.

I was mesmerized by everything that went into getting a team into a house to clean — customer calls, setting up in-home estimates, dispatching teams. It wasn’t just cleaning; it was like a story problem every day. My background was in finance, and I had lived through the recession, so this was a completely new world for me.

When Brad [Dionne] purchased the local Meridian location, he asked if I’d like to become his salesperson. I loved it. I drove around to people’s homes, seeing their most personal spaces. Some clients couldn’t physically clean, some were going through tragedies, and others were just busy. Everyone had a different reason for needing us.

I drove a company bug with eyelashes on it and saw five to seven potential clients a day. Some signed on, some didn’t, and that was fine. I felt part of a team because everyone worked together to get the jobs done.

After that, I had the opportunity to manage the location. That showed me how hard the teams work every day — it’s tough but satisfying. About 10 years ago, Brad decided to sell his locations and asked if I’d be interested in a couple of them. He mentioned Utah. I lived in Idaho, my family was in Idaho, and it was a hard decision. My husband and I decided to try something different.

Brad was a great business owner and came up with a plan for us to purchase with equity. It took 10 years to complete. When we moved to Utah, my youngest was in third or fourth grade and my oldest in seventh. Now they’re 23 and 19. Two years ago, we finally purchased the location. It’s been a journey — it definitely wasn’t overnight.

ESTATENVY: What kind of involvement do you have with your local community?

Hendrix: We’ve done a few different things with the communities. We have three locations — Salt Lake, Provo and St. George. Each area has its own unique community. When I first got to Utah, I was just trying to learn about the area. It was like going into a whole different world from Idaho.

At the time, my husband had just started his job as a mental health nurse with Valley Behavioral Health. They work a lot with the homeless, so we started something called Feeling Good Friday. We would make lunches for the homeless downtown. The team would set up an assembly line, make sandwiches, add chips and little notes, and deliver them once a month.

We’ve worked with the Humane Society, offering a 40-pound bag of dog food for every two hours of booked cleaning — our Dog Days of Summer promotion in August.

We wanted something ongoing in all locations, so Cleaning for a Reason became a great partner. This program provides cleaning for people going through cancer — often breast cancer — who are unable to clean their homes. Many still have families and need help with basic chores while they focus on their health.

We’ve also partnered with Strawberry Days and their Tough Enough to Wear Pink event. One night of the rodeo, everyone wears pink, and donations are made to Strawberry Days, which in turn gives us a check to help those in need. While it started with breast cancer patients, we’ve also helped prostate cancer survivors.

Most of our community focus has been on Cleaning for a Reason and Tough Enough to Wear Pink.

ESTATENVY: What are the benefits of a Merry Maids on the consumer side?

Hendrix: There are many. For one, you’re hiring the OG — the first of its kind, starting in 1979. They know what they’re doing. Our teams are trained to clean specific ways using specific products approved by Merry Maids.

It’s also the licensing, bonding and insurance we carry. We don’t set out to break anything, but if something happens, a reputable company like ours takes care of it. If you’re unhappy with the cleaning, we come back — our work is 100% guaranteed. Mistakes happen; we’re human. But we make sure you’re happy at the end of the day.

ESTATENVY: How does Merry Maids stand out from other cleaning services in the area?

Hendrix: There are a lot of different companies out there. Now with the internet, YouTube, Instagram — so many things pop up. What sets us apart is having years of experience, knowing how to clean and how to prepare before going into a customer’s home.

The licensing and bonding are important, but so is the laundry. We separate all towels to avoid cross-contamination — kitchen towels never mix with bathroom towels. We use disinfectant and send out fresh towels every morning. Teams aren’t reusing towels from someone else’s house. I don’t know what other companies do, but I’ve heard from new employees that they were previously given a set number of towels to clean themselves. We take that responsibility out of their hands and ensure it’s done properly. After COVID, disinfecting became even more important, and we take it very seriously.

ESTATENVY: Anything else you want to add about your community or about Merry Maids serving your three territories? How long have these locations been in Utah?

Hendrix: The St. George location has been on and off for about 20 years, and the area has grown a lot in the last five years. The Salt Lake and Provo locations have been here at least 25 years, maybe longer, with different owners. Merry Maids has a system and specific standards all owners are required to follow, so operations are similar across locations.

The Utah areas have been a staple for a long time, but I feel like we could do more here. Southern Utah is newer to me — I’ve owned this location for two years. My husband and I might move here someday since winters are rough up north. We still do Cleaning for a Reason here, but I’d like to find other ways to give back.

ESTATENVY: What’s your plan for the next five to ten years?

Hendrix: This afternoon I have a plan — five years is harder to think about. My son Kobe, who is 23, is interested in continuing in the business. I want to help him understand what I’ve learned, from the ground up.

Building strong teams in each location is very important. Everyone has a different reason for working here — some are in school, some are figuring out their path, and some have stayed for years. I want to strengthen the business, help local communities and maybe partner with companies for bigger projects.

In five to ten years, I’d like to take a day off — maybe Fridays — if my son takes over more. For now, I’m in a Merry Maids office almost every day, restocking and handling operations.

ESTATENVY: If someone were interested in learning more about your Merry Maids locations, where could they find that information?

Hendrix: Go to merrymaids.com. It will ask for your location, and you can choose from the dropdown. We’re also on Instagram and Facebook. You can call 801-466-5353 for the Salt Lake location, which connects to all three locations. All calls go there so we can provide information for every area.

ESTATENVY: Anything else you want to leave the viewers with?

Hendrix: If you have concerns about going with a company, we’re not a big-box operation. We’re local people living in your community, just following a strong blueprint from Merry Maids. Give us a shot — I think you’ll be very pleased.

ESTATENVY: Kelly, it has been phenomenal talking with you. I appreciate your time.

Hendrix: Thank you so much.

Watch the full interview here.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://estatenvy.com/merrymaids. 

Original Source: https://estatenvy.com/merry-maids-owner-kelly-hendrix-utah-community-3518#stories