By: Azhar Hussaini
In an industry where women make up the majority of the workforce but remain rare in leadership, two Brazilian women are rewriting the script. Vera Souza and Danielle Wolford, co-founders of MyDuty Cleaning Services, are proving that women can not only clean but also lead one of the most competitive sectors.
From Grit and Growth
Vera Souza and Danielle Wolford, two Brazilian migrants, one with a loyal client base and the other with a strong background in business administration and finance, decided they didn’t just want to work in the industry; they wanted to lead it, to build something of their own, and to become CEOs. This vision led to the birth of MyDuty Cleaning Services, a company built on the principle:
“Brazilian culture prizes cleanliness and care. That’s why at MyDuty, we bring not just efficiency but attention to detail into every space we clean. We make cleaning our duty, so you can focus on yours.”
A Business Built on Integrity, Excellence, and Empowerment
From their headquarters in Australia, MyDuty has expanded to serve Sydney, Newcastle, and surrounding regions, offering a full suite of commercial cleaning services designed to meet and exceed client expectations. The company’s focus is simple yet powerful: deliver spaces that look great, smell amazing, and feel genuinely cared for.
But what truly sets MyDuty apart is its culture. The company proudly operates with a women-led leadership team and a mission to uplift others, especially women and migrants, through fair work, professional development, and respect.
“We know what it feels like to start from the bottom,” says Vera. “That’s why we make sure every cleaner who joins us feels valued, respected, and seen as part of something bigger.”
In countries like the U.S. or Australia, the cleaning industry can be more system-driven, focused on checklists, efficiency, and compliance. Brazilian cleaners tend to blend that with sensory quality, often going beyond the checklist in a very efficient way.
“That difference, detail, heart, and presentation is MyDuty’s advantage,” said Danielle.
Meet the Founders
Many Brazilian migrants start in cleaning jobs overseas, and they bring high work standards and often grow into trusted contractors, managers, or entrepreneurs.
Danielle Wolford, co-owner, holds a Business Administration degree, with postgraduate studies at the Harvard Extension School (USA). Before venturing into entrepreneurship, Danielle built an impressive corporate career, spending a decade at Bank of America and another ten years in Australia’s financial sector. Now based in Sydney with her husband and their two children, she combines her business expertise with a passion for empowering others.
Vera Souza, on the other hand, embodies the heart of MyDuty’s mission. Arriving in Australia as a cleaner, she worked tirelessly to master every aspect of the job (from hands-on service delivery to customer management and operations). Today, as CEO, Vera leads her team with empathy and experience, showing that leadership built from the ground up can be both humble and transformative.
Market Opportunity
The commercial cleaning industry in Australia has significant momentum behind it. According to IBISWorld, the commercial cleaning services industry in Australia is estimated to reach A$20.1 billion in 2025. (static.ibisworld.com) IBISWorld reports the five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) at about 6.7% over the period leading to 2025. (static.ibisworld.com)
Globally, the broader cleaning services market was estimated to be USD 415.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 616.98 billion by 2030 (CAGR ~6.9%). (Grand View Research)
In Latin America, the contract cleaning services market (which covers part of the same space) is projected to reach USD 61.7 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of ~5.6% from 2025-30. (Grand View Research).
Challenging the Norms: Competition and Tender Barriers
One of the biggest hurdles for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the commercial cleaning sector is the tender and contract environment. Large national and international companies dominate many tender processes for big commercial clients and government contracts, and the overwhelming majority of these are led by men.
For women-led, migrant-owned businesses like MyDuty, this presents a challenge, but their success to date shows how savvy leadership, strong service quality, and niche positioning can break through those barriers.
In industries like cleaning or facilities management, where service quality and adaptability matter, women-led businesses often excel in empathy, communication, and attention to detail, qualities that translate directly into higher client satisfaction and retention.
In fact, research by McKinsey & Company found that companies with diverse leadership teams are 35% more likely to outperform financially.
So, when women win tenders, entire supply chains become more agile, creative, and resilient.
Why MyDuty is Built to Win
Large corporations dominate most tenders due to their scale, not necessarily their service quality.
Yet smaller, women-owned businesses tend to be more flexible, client-focused, and hands-on with quality control. They build real relationships instead of transactional ones, adapt faster to feedback, and often offer more transparent pricing because they rely on long-term trust rather than volume.
By opening tenders to women-led SMEs, governments and corporations diversify their supplier base and reduce dependency on a few large players, increasing competition and innovation.
“In Brazilian households, cleanliness and presentation are cultural values, not just chores. Growing up in Brazil, most people are taught from an early age that a clean home reflects pride, respect, and care not just for oneself, but for guests and family,” Danielle said.
That mindset transfers naturally into professional cleaning. Many Brazilian workers bring that personal pride and attention to small details, things like scent, shine, fabric care, and order into their work environments abroad. Cleaning isn’t just about removing dirt; it’s about making spaces feel good, fresh, and inviting, a kind of “aesthetic cleaning” approach that’s intuitive in Brazilian culture.
This cultural nuance helps explain why Brazilian and Latina cleaners and domestic workers in countries like Australia, the U.S., and Europe are often highly sought after by private clients and agencies.
Looking Ahead
When women see other women winning contracts, leading companies, and being recognised in traditionally male sectors, it reshapes what leadership looks like.
It sends a message that success isn’t defined by who’s already in the room; it’s about who deserves a seat at the table.
This visibility inspires the next generation of women, from cleaners to consultants, from students to CEOs, to believe that they too can lead, hire, and scale.
With a strong foundation and a loyal client base, MyDuty Cleaning Services is poised for continued growth.
What began as a simple cleaning job has evolved into a mission-driven enterprise that is redefining leadership, ownership, and service.
“Empowering women through tenders isn’t just a social cause; it’s a strategic investment in performance, innovation, and long-term economic growth,” Danielle mentioned.
“When more women win tenders, everyone wins—clients, communities, industries, and economies,” concluded Vera.
In industries like commercial cleaning, women already make up the majority of the workforce, yet less than 1% of tender-holding business owners are women, which shows not only a skill gap but also a structural gap.
For them, giving more women-led businesses access to contracts could help the industry begin to reflect its actual workforce, creating fairer conditions, improving morale, and increasing leadership decisions that reflect on-the-ground realities.
As Vera Souza of MyDuty Cleaning Services often says:
“Women already know this industry better than anyone; we’ve been building it with our hands. Now it’s time we lead it with our minds.”
Women-led companies are not asking for handouts. They’re asking for equal opportunity to compete on merit, to be seen, trusted, and evaluated fairly.
The cleaning, facilities, and service sectors are built on precision, reliability, and human care, and women bring all three in abundance. Creating more equal opportunities for women-led businesses to thrive could contribute to better service, more sustainable industries, and progress toward true equality.
