💰 Ever wonder what it takes to get real venture capital in the cleaning industry? In this episode of Hard Refresh, co-hosts Karina Neff and Caden Hutchens sit down with Brian Snow, Managing Partner at Impala Ventures, to break down how VC firms assess janitorial tech—and why most startups fumble before they’re funded.

From AI-powered cleaning sensors to robotic scrubbers, this episode reveals what investors are actually looking for, why grit matters more than pitch decks, and how the next decade of cleaning tech will be shaped by capital, culture, and clarity.

In This Episode:

🔹 Quick Control:

• CLX returns June 24 — Topic: Robotics 🤖

• Join our live Hard Refresh podcast + workshop at ISSA Business Growth Strategies (June 10–11, Chicago)👉 Register here

💥 Use code BGS10! for 10% off

• Upcoming July 15 webinar led by Gerald from BrightGo

🔹 Clear Cache:

• Inside Impala Ventures: how a family office targets built environment tech

• Why “janitorial tech” still struggles to scale—and how to fix it

• The truth about unicorn founders and the myth of instant funding

• What makes or breaks a startup founder (hint: it’s not the slide deck)

• How AI, robotics, and sensor-driven models are changing the game for frontline work

• Why your customers won’t pay for tech—so bake it into your service

• The hidden power of synergizing your portfolio and turning clients into investors

🎯 Whether you're a service provider exploring tech, a startup eyeing BSCs, or just curious about how VCs think—this episode is your playbook for making smarter innovation bets.

🎧 Subscribe & Follow Hard Refresh on Spotify, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platform to stay ahead of the curve.

Connect with Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansnow/
Connect with Karina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karina-neff-01b0782a/
Connect with Caden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caden-hutchens/

💻 As AI accelerates software development, more cleaning industry leaders are asking: Should we build our own software or buy off the shelf? In this episode, co-hosts Karina Neff and Caden Hutchens sit down with Ryan Ferons, Software Architect at Pioneer and the mind behind their proprietary platform Cora, to unpack the real pros and cons of building in-house.

Whether you’re drowning in spreadsheets, dreaming of custom tools, or struggling to get your team to use the tech you already have—this conversation will ground your thinking.

In This Episode:

🔹 Quick Control:

• Recap of Roasted by AI and More Software, More Problems with George Boutsalis

• Upcoming: Funded or Fumbled with Brian Snow

• CLX Virtual Series returns June 24 (Topic: Robotics 🤖)

• 🧠 Don’t miss our live podcast + workshop at the ISSA Business Growth Strategies event in Chicago – June 10–11

👉 Register here

💥 Use code BGS10! for 10% off

🔹 Clear Cache:

• The Build vs. Buy dilemma: cost, timeline, team dynamics, and cultural readiness

• Lessons from 8+ years and over $1M invested into Pioneer’s internal software journey

• What AI can (and can’t) do for software builders today• Why most companies should exhaust off-the-shelf options before going custom

• How to think about software ROI: acquisition, retention, and expansion

🎯 Whether you're a tech tinkerer, scaling operator, or just software-curious, this episode will give you a sobering but strategic lens to evaluate your next big tech move.

🎧 Subscribe & Follow Hard Refresh on Spotify, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platform to stay ahead of the curve.

Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-ferons-92a04516/
Connect with Karina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karina-neff-01b0782a/
Connect with Caden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caden-hutchens/

💡 In this episode of Hard Refresh, hosts Karina Neff and Caden Hutchens sit down with George Boutsalis, President of Impact Cleaning Services, to explore the double-edged sword of software overload in the cleaning industry. George shares his family-run business journey, his evolution in tech strategy, and why sometimes, less really is more.

Whether you’re leading a cleaning operation or navigating acomplex tech stack, this episode will challenge your assumptions about “best in breed” vs. “all-in-one” and how to align your systems with growth.

In This Episode:

🔹 Quick Control:

• Preview of next week’s episode Funded or Fumbled with Brian Snow from Impala Ventures

• Upcoming What Are You Doing? Growth Workshop at the ISSA Business Growth Series in Chicago (June 10–11)

🔹 Clear Cache:

• “More Software, More Problems” – how George built a tech stack from scratch and why he's now rethinking it• The challenge of data silos and duplicative systems across cleaning operations

• Why communication—not structure—might be the key to a successful family business

👀 Plus, a hilarious round of Two Truths and a Lie involving vacuum tattoos, multilingual myths, and getting fired twice (by your dad no less).

🎧 Hard Refresh delivers sharp takes, honest insights, and tech-first strategies straight from the ISSA Tech & Innovation Committee.

🔗 Subscribe & Follow on Spotify,YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Connect with George: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeboutsalis/

Connect with Karina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karina-neff-01b0782a/

Connect with Caden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caden-hutchens/