What does it take to turn a college side hustle into a portfolio of multi-million dollar businesses?

For Todd Mendenhall, it started with a mop and a mindset. In this episode, Todd shares how grit, focus, and knowing your lane helped him build, scale, and sell companies—while staying grounded in values that outlast any market cycle.

In this candid conversation, entrepreneur Todd Mendenhall opens up about the journey from founding a janitorial business during college to launching and exiting multiple companies across industries like recycling, logistics, and real estate. He shares lessons learned through tough markets, the power of mentorship, and how treating real estate as a standalone business helped him build long-term wealth. Todd also emphasizes why relationships, humility, and plain old common sense are often more powerful than flashy strategies. Whether you’re building from scratch or scaling what you’ve started, Todd’s wisdom is a blueprint worth studying.

5 Fresh Takeaways:

• Start with a disciplined focus—like Todd did with janitorial services—and you can build the cash flow and confidence to expand into bigger ventures.

• Understanding market cycles allowed Todd to invest wisely, even when others pulled back.

• Separating the real estate from his operating companies gave Todd leverage, tax benefits, and long-term control.

• Todd credits key mentors for helping him avoid costly mistakes and fast-track his growth.

• In a world chasing complexity, Todd’s approach is rooted in fundamentals: hard work, smart timing, and knowing when to say no.

About Todd Mendenhall:

Todd Mendenhall is a lifelong entrepreneur based in Des Moines, Iowa. He started Cleaning Connection, Inc. while still a student at Drake University, growing it into a successful commercial cleaning company serving Iowa and Nebraska. He later co-founded Earthwise Disposal, which he sold to Waste Management in 2018, and Mid-America Recycling, Iowa’s largest recycling facility. With decades of experience in construction, logistics, and real estate, Todd has built a reputation for smart growth, integrity, and community-minded leadership. His work continues to shape industries while inspiring the next generation of business builders.

Contact Info:

Email | ToddM@cleaningconnection.net