Some founders grow through flash. Others grow through fundamentals. In this episode of Breaking Bread, we sit down with a business owner who proves what GoodBread teaches every day: consistent structure and small, deliberate moves compound into success.

GoodBread Co-Founder and CEO Noa Simons joins Ray Bennett, founder of R&B Cleaning in Buffalo, for a grounded, generous conversation about what it takes to build a steady, profitable service business. Ray’s story is a blueprint for any entrepreneur searching for real-world small business advice: start small, write your plan down, protect your time, and surround yourself with mentors who help you learn.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’m juggling everything – am I even doing this right?”, Ray’s journey will feel like a breath of clarity.

TL;DR: Small Business Tips You Can Apply Today

Stop improvising your operations. In this episode, founder Ray Bennett breaks down the simple habits behind his steady growth:

  • Write everything down.
  • Work a simple plan daily.
  • Use financing as a cash-flow engine.
  • Protect owner time for sales.
  • Treat relationships like business assets.


Ray’s bottom line: clarity compounds. Once your plan is on paper, decisions stop feeling heavy.

➡️ Listen to the full episode: Breaking Bread: Small Business Advice, Mentors and Lessons from Buffalo’s First Loan Story (featuring Ray Bennett of R&B Cleaning)

Ray’s Path to Ownership

Ray grew up on Buffalo’s East Side – second-oldest in a large family, often the peacemaker, and always the one who quietly stepped forward when something needed doing. He tried college, including a stint at ITT Tech, but ultimately decided he’d rather bet on himself.

A friend introduced him to the commercial cleaning industry and shared insights he’d picked up from a local operator named Emerson. Years later, Ray crossed paths with Emerson at a business center. That chance meeting turned into a long-term mentorship. Emerson became the voice in Ray’s ear – steady, practical, and experienced. The kind of mentor every small business owner wishes they had.

The Startup Math

Ray entered his franchise system for about $15,000, putting down roughly a third upfront and financing the balance. He saved $5,000, trusted his preparation, and stepped fully into business ownership.

He placed this bet on himself, carefully, with both eyes on the numbers.

Where R&B Cleaning Is Today

R&B Cleaning serves commercial clients – dealerships, offices, and facilities where clean surfaces and reliable standards matter.

Ray’s current footprint:

  • East Aurora: ~7 accounts with a local manager
  • Batavia: ~6 accounts managed by Ray plus one team member
  • Buffalo: rebuilding the book with support from GoodBread

The work is clean, simple, and recurring – the kind of foundation small service businesses thrive on.

The Capital Unlock

Despite consistent revenue, Ray heard “no” from traditional lenders. The unlock came from community trust.

Mauricio Canton-Diaz from the Buffalo Purchasing Initiative met Ray during a Buffalo State marketing course. He saw Ray’s discipline, his humility, his systems, and he introduced him to GoodBread.

GoodBread underwrote Ray and provided his first loan, which he used to purchase additional franchise accounts. Ray’s framing is as strategic as it gets in small business finance:

Invest now to lock in recurring revenue. Let renewals and retention turn the initial buy-in into compounding monthly cash flow.

With performance and structure in place, Ray aims to climb into larger facilities and multi-site commercial contracts – the exact ladder GoodBread is building for Buffalo’s small business owners.

Five Operator Habits You Can Steal (and Apply Today)

These habits are small but forceful – exactly the kind of practical small business tips GoodBread loves.

1. Put the Plan on Paper, Daily

Appointments. Payroll. Workers comp. Taxes. Follow-ups.
 Paper beats memory – every time.

“Do not just do it. Go in with a plan.”

Writing creates structure. Structure reduces rework. And rework destroys margins. If you want confidence, start with clarity.

2. Treat Account Purchases Like a Cash-Flow Engine

In Ray’s franchise model, each purchased account is an investment that generates recurring revenue. Before you sign anything, model the whole picture:

  • Note payments
  • Supplies
  • Labor
  • Taxes
  • Realistic churn

Small business owners often underestimate their true monthly profit. Ray does the math first.

3. Buy Time So You Can Sell

Owner time is revenue time.
Hire hands so the owner can think, strategize, and sell.

Ray delegates Buffalo coverage so he can focus on paperwork, pipeline, and expansion. If you cannot point to two blocks per week dedicated to sales, you don’t have a growth plan – you have hope.

4. Obsess Over Service Quality

Consistent quality protects your recurring revenue. Ray uses checklists, weekly manager reviews, and proactive client communication.

It’s the cheapest retention tool you will ever invest in.

5. Stay Compliant to Stay in Business

Ray is cleaning up past filings with an accountant and building a compliance ritual:

  • Quarterly tax review
  • Workers comp updated
  • Payroll accurate
  • Mail opened and filed weekly


Small business advice rarely feels glamorous. But compliance is survival.

Bonus: Relationships Are Force Multipliers

Ray will tell you plainly: he didn’t grow alone.

  • Emerson gave practical wisdom.
  • Mauricio connected him to capital.
  • GoodBread stepped in when banks wouldn’t.


“We need each other. If I can help you grow your business, and you can help me grow mine, we are both winning.”

This is small business mentorship in its purest form.

What’s Next for Ray

  • Expand R&B Cleaning’s Buffalo footprint

  • Develop managers to take on territory

  • Strengthen systems for compliance and quality

  • Build long-term financial planning, including retirement

Ray’s plan is simple: structure first, growth next.

The GoodBread Takeaway

If one message echoes through Ray’s whole story, it’s this:

Clarity is empowering.
 Simple habits – written plans, clean numbers, consistent service – compound into confidence and control.

When you know your costs, your calendar, and your next move, you’re not just running a small business.
 You’re steering one.

Join the Conversation

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