Carol Silveira is living the American dream. Originally from Brazil, she immigrated to the U.S. in 2006 at the age of 24 to join her mother and brother in Nashville. Arriving with a law degree from her country, she went back to college to obtain a business degree.
In 2008, she and her husband, Paulo Silveira, founded Benchmark Maid, a very successful cleaning company servicing Brentwood, Franklin, and the surrounding communities. “When I arrived, I was cleaning houses with my mom, and what inspired me to open this business was the fact that I liked bringing solutions to people's lives,” she says. “It stemmed from a deep commitment to helping others.”
Carol provides this help in a variety of ways. “It’s not only about cleaning homes but giving people the ability to spend more quality time with their loved ones and focus on what truly matters in their lives,” she says.
Benchmark provides deep cleanings, weekly and bi-weekly cleanings, or whatever it is that home and business owners need. “We always follow a detailed cleaning checklist to ensure consistency throughout each house, but clients can also customize their cleaning to focus only on those areas that they want us to clean.”
With its long-standing reputation and satisfaction guarantee, some of her customers have been with Benchmark Maid since it opened. “Benchmark uses efficient and detailed cleaning methods to make sure that every space has the cleaning that it needs and is done to the highest standards,” says Carol. “This is why we have over 300 positive reviews on Angie's List.”
The company also offers home organization. “We can organize closets, pantries, kitchen cabinets, kids’ playrooms, and even garages,” she says.
Its teams of cleaning personnel are all vetted and carefully trained, and Carol ensures that she is empowering them with financial security and growth opportunities. “We normally pay more than other companies because we want our ladies to be happy and to be able to provide for their families. I’m a business and life coach, so I'm always training them so they build valuable skills for long-term success.”
Benchmark Maid is also a proud sponsor of their older son’s football team at Brentwood High School. “We have always sponsored other schools, but sponsoring my son’s school is something that called my heart, and we couldn’t be happier,” says Carol.
She also uses her role as a business owner to seek out opportunities to help families and individuals who are facing challenging circumstances, whether it’s a death in the family or a cancer diagnosis. Benchmark will provide free cleaning services to make their lives just a little bit easier.
“We also support our church by cleaning it free of charge,” she says. “This is what brings me joy. This is a business, of course, but it's not only about making money. I love knowing that our services allow busy families, professionals, and other individuals to pursue their passions and enjoy their homes stress-free.”
Carol and Paulo are also big believers in supporting other local businesses. “We collaborate with other small businesses and service providers and always try to work with local businesses as much as possible, whether it’s the bakery we go to, our exterminator, or the person who comes to clean our gutters,” she says.
Another way Carol is empowering others is by sharing her journey and knowledge. “I'm coauthor of a book called Business on Heels that inspires immigrants like me. We're going to launch the book at SeaWorld in Orlando on May 29.”
She is also working on her own book. “It’s a story of my life called Rescued to Rescue: How God Turned My Pain Into a Mission. We're going to launch it in Portuguese in Brazil in September, and I am planning on launching it here in English in October.”
For more information, check out their website.
“It’s not only about cleaning homes but giving people the ability to spend more quality time with their loved ones and focus on what truly matters in their lives,” she says.