Clean Up

The business Lynne Dowd runs ostensibly cleans offices, but it's also an entrepreneur-infused job placement center.

Dowd, furthermore, plans to expand the cleaning operation outside of its current domain, which is Manatee and Sarasota counties. She intends to open an office in Tampa by June, and other Gulf Coast locations could follow soon after.

As it is, the company, Cleaning Butlers International, is on a surprising growth surge, considering the lackluster local office market that's led to a glut of vacancies. The firm had $1.1 million in 2011 revenues, up 47% from $750,000 in 2010. Dowd, founder and president, projects the Lakewood Ranch-based firm will surpass $1.5 million in 2012 sales.