Hazen Walmsley
Owner of JHJ Window Cleaning
Age: 25
Location: Johnstown
Tell us about yourself, your history and how you came to be where you are now.
I grew up in Wyoming and lived there for a year after I graduated from high school, then I moved to Fort Collins when a friend needed a roommate. This roommate and I worked for his grandpa for a little over a year, doing metalwork fabrication. Then his grandpa passed away, and we had to scramble to find work. While scrambling, I came across an OK-paying position as a window cleaner. I quickly moved up the ladder there into management, but I didn’t love the company structure and decided to open my own business in May 2023.
Explain your career, achievements and professional highlights.
For about two years, I was in charge of all the onsite crews at the window cleaning company I worked for. This primarily meant I organized their schedules, answered questions and handled issues the teams ran into. After leaving the company, I started my own business, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a standard job. JHJ Window Cleaning was a top-rated company for the year 2025 in my industry, and I am now in the process of growing my team and business even more.
In what ways do you give back to the community?
I primarily focus on keeping my business easy to work with for the retired community. I understand that most of them have set budgets every month, and they might not be able to move around as easily as they once did to keep their house clean and functional. At JHJ Window Cleaning, we aim to be personable and understanding so that the process of scheduling and having work done is as easy as possible for them.
What do you consider your biggest accomplishment or challenge you’ve overcome, either professionally or personally?
The most difficult challenge I’ve come across so far is growing large enough to hire an employee. Once you have another person, you have to ensure their financial well-being, and you start to learn a lot of the more difficult aspects of employment. The taxes and insurance required are a huge cost that sneaks up on you.
Where do you see yourself in five years? In 10 years?
In five years, and hopefully also in 10, I aim to have a full calendar to provide an abundance of stability, not only for my family but also for the families of my employees. We’ll likely have kids by then, and I want them to have a much more comfortable childhood than I did.
What piece(s) of advice would you give to your younger self?
You are correct that college isn’t necessary to succeed, but you still need to stay focused and driven in what you do. Growth and success come with discipline, so keep your head up and ask for help with areas that you feel uncomfortable in.
Tell us something unique about you.
I can quickly pick up most sports and hobbies. Because of this, I’ve learned all sorts of things, from how to play pickleball and other racquet sports to trading card games like Magic: The Gathering.
What are the challenges of owning a window cleaning business in Northern Colorado?
The primary challenge of owning a window cleaning business in Northern Colorado is the competition for the market. There are tons of companies out here providing a similar service, so it can be difficult ensuring that we stand out enough to entice people to want to hire us. We aim to create a personable relationship with our clients, which gives us an edge over the larger companies that have a high turnover rate and inconsistent teams being sent to residents’ homes.
How do you navigate the volume of work as a one- to two-person crew?
If you’re not the first company to answer the phone from a potential client or give them a call back, then you likely lose the lead in this area. Since I have an amazing helper, I’m always able to make it to the phone, even while working onsite. The volume of work gets a lot easier with an additional person. I’m sure it will become more difficult as we scale, but it isn’t super difficult to navigate at the moment since we have a good system and structure in place.
