When Steve and Nel launched their window and gutter cleaning business, Atkinson Team Clean in August 2022, it wasn’t just about a change of career — it was a family decision driven by purpose and values.

Previously running a house cleaning service, they made the switch after finding out they were expecting their first child. “We knew we wanted work that would allow us to homeschool and spend quality time with our kids,” says Nel. “We also do voluntary work in our community, so having flexibility was essential for both our family and our lifestyle.”

They split responsibilities naturally: Steve takes care of the hands-on cleaning, while Nel handles admin, marketing and customer support. “We love working together — it just made sense.”

What makes their business stand out? “It’s more than just window cleaning to us. This is a family business built for our children. Where commercial businesses often prioritise money and stock, we prioritise people and value family.” That message resonates. Most of their customers have come through Facebook, attracted to their honest, down-to-earth approach and the personal touch that comes from a family-run service.

In December 2023, everything changed when a friend from Hummingbirds Window Cleaning introduced them to Squeegee. “We were blown away,” Nel recalls. “I used to spend a whole day organising schedules from spreadsheets — tracking addresses, frequencies, prices, gutter cleans, skips due to weather… It was a lot. Even though I’m naturally organised, the workload left too much room for human error.” Squeegee removed the chaos. “Now, everything is in one place. Payments, schedules, customer communications — it’s all quick and seamless. What used to take a full workday now takes 30 minutes. We can be flexible, professional and efficient.”

In just under three years, they’ve nearly reached full capacity for what their family needs — and they’re looking to expand into more areas around the Lakes while still staying local. “We absolutely love Squeegee. It’s been invaluable for our business. The setup was easy — the team uploaded our customers for us — and anytime we needed help, one kind phone call and it’s all sorted. The customer service is brilliant. Squeegee has helped us run a more efficient, higher-standard business than we ever could have on our own.”