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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | M a y 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 9 C o r n e r O f f i c e Fresh off TV debut, pro cleaner Sadie Marshall sees growth opportunity in crime scenes By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich I t's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it. ose are words that Sadie Marshall and her extreme cleaning crew live by. Marshall is the founder and owner of Sadie's Pro Cleaning, a biohazard cleaning company based at 1175 State St. in New Haven — with additional offices in Hamden and southwest Florida — that tackles so much more than a dirty house. Established in 2018, Sadie's Pro Cleaning initially offered basic residential/commercial cleaning services. At the same time, Marshall had always been fascinated by crime scene cleaning, and went to school to become certified in that field. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Marshall lost most of her clients who were "too afraid" to allow anybody into their homes. at became the perfect time for Marshall to put her biohazard training and certification to work. She decided to convert the traditional cleaning model into a biohazard trauma and crime scene cleaning business. With a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Marshall took a risk that paid off. Sadie's Pro Cleaning specializes in everything from crime scene clean ups and critter infestations to decomposing bodies and drug decontamination. e business, she said, is unique in that the market is not saturated with competition. Aer all, how many people have what it takes to clean blood-splattered floors, maggot-infested carpets or mounds of animal feces? e 24/7 company has grown from one employee to more than 100, thanks to Marshall's phone constantly ringing for jobs from property owners, municipalities, homeowners and police. No job is too big or too dirty for Marshall, 43, whose personality is as fiery as her flowing red hair. She recalled as a child being sent to her bedroom pretty oen for timeout. While there, she said she found feverishly cleaning her space from top to bottom was a soothing and satisfying experience. But never did Marshall imagine she'd one day be cleaning up things that'd make most people run the other way. National spotlight Well before COVID hit, Marshall earned her trauma and crime scene certification and license from e Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) in New Jersey. She was the first — and at the time only — IICRC-certified firm for trauma and crime scene cleanup in Connecticut. e field has since grown to nine IICRC-certified firms in the state, according to the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification. Marshall got acclimated to cleaning stuff like brain matter and bone fragments from mock crime scenes during hands-on training at a facility in Orlando. e company is also licensed for biomedical transport, and follows strict Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Environmental Protection Agency federal guidelines. Marshall and her crew made the national spotlight last year when the business was featured on the A&E television series called "Dirty Rotten Cleaners." Cameras followed Marshall's crew and two others as they tackled some of the filthiest, bug- and mold-infested houses across Florida and transformed them back into like-new condition. Working in extreme situations is all in a day's work for Marshall. "Crime scene cleaning is like any other job," she said. "It's always shocking to see these tragic scenes, but in the back of my mind I have to compose myself in order to console the families. e most important part of this job is being strong so we can help these people. I'm like a surgeon. I see gore, blood and body fluids every day." Tyvek suits and respirators have become Marshall's best friends. "Every time I put on that Tyvek suit, I feel like a superhero and know I was born to do this," said Marshall. "Our brand is bold and we take pride in our jobs and it shows." While Marshall said she couldn't reveal her annual revenues, she likened her salary on par with what doctors and lawyers make. A recent crime scene job paid more than $64,000. Marshall is currently filming a YouTube series, and hopes to grab Netflix's attention, too. "We want to give our viewers a behind-the-scenes view of crime scene cleaning," she said. "is isn't just a job for us, this is our passion and we love helping people." 'Jump off the cliff' When she's not cleaning, Marshall loves giving back to the community, doling out diapers, clothes and basic hygiene essentials just because she can. Her life growing up wasn't always easy, she said, and as a single mom of five kids, ranging in age from 6 to 22, Marshall says she will stop at nothing to ensure they are well-provided for. "You can't be afraid, … jump off the cliff, you can fly because you have wings built into your back, trust God," she said. New Haven businesswoman Vee Andusei, who owns construction firm VASE Management, and Karen Dubois- Walton, executive director of Elm City Communities and the New Haven Housing Authority, lauded Marshall. Both have been mentors to Marshall, who used a business development program through the New Haven Housing Authority to help kick-start her business. "Sadie is an amazing entrepreneur, with such grit and resilience," said Andusei. "She definitely does some amazing, five-star-rated work." Dubois-Walton agreed. "It's been a joy to watch Sadie soar," she said. "Using our resident-owned business program she took her idea and grew it into a successful business highlighted on national TV. We are extremely satisfied with the professional service she provided. Cleanup aer a tragic situation requires more than the technical knowledge, which her team has. It requires sensitivity, responsiveness and exceptional customer service. I hope when other residents consider our programs, they'll look at the example of Sadie and know that they, too, can chase their dream, and if they work as hard as Sadie, we'll be reading about them, too." n Sadie's Pro Cleaning employee Kyrie Thompson (left), a biohazard technician, and biohazard technician/ supervisor Aaron Hebron (right) with company owner Sadie Marshall (center). PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Sadie Marshall Sadie's Pro Cleaning Founder & Owner Education: Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, New Jersey Age: 43

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