Entrepreneur Credits Books, $100 Bookmark Hack for Building Six-Figure Window Cleaning Business
An entrepreneur who built a six-figure window cleaning business after being told he’d be best suited to manage a restaurant credits self-education through reading and a unique motivational tactic for his success.
Kyle Ray, founder of Geek Window Cleaning serving Houston and Austin, turned a side hustle into a thriving business by leveraging books to gain business knowledge. “I didn’t do great in school, and I was basically told, the best you can hope for is to be a manager of a restaurant,” Ray said. “That’s just been an internal driver — like, ‘I’m going to prove this person wrong.’ And that still drives me really hard today.” It took approximately seven years of balancing service jobs with building his company before he could dedicate himself to Geek Window Cleaning full-time.
Ray employs a unique method to ensure he finishes the books he starts: he places a $100 bill inside as a bookmark, allowing himself to spend the money upon completion. “My hack for reading is I put a $100 bill as my bookmark, and when I’m finished reading the book, I get to spend it,” he explained. “It’s a good motivator.” He often saves the reward from multiple books to splurge on experiences with his wife. His recommended reading list includes titles like “Drive” by Daniel Pink and “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown, resources that are increasingly important as small businesses navigate a competitive landscape.
Ray now incorporates reading into his employee development program, requiring team members to finish specific books as part of their advancement. “We’re not a window cleaning company; we’re a training facility that develops people,” Ray stated. “My main goal is to make anybody who comes to work with us really successful.” He is currently anticipating the release of Phil Gilbert’s “Irresistible Change” in late 2025 and believes continuous learning is vital for any business owner. Entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic growth, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Ray and his team plan to continue prioritizing employee development and expanding their services, building on the foundation of knowledge gained through consistent self-education.
