Imagine juggling all your college classes in high school, playing not one but two sports, and running your own business. For his 17-year-old from Pilot Mountain, it's a reality. Grace His Leftwich started her own window cleaning business at that age. It has continued to grow over the past four years. “I pretty much have to live my life according to a schedule,” Leftwich said. With a few sprays and swipes, my windows looked sparkling clean. “You can wash down a five-story window that's on the ground,” she said. “A lot of people have supported me in running a business at such a young age. In fact, I started my own business at the age of 17. “It's great to have your own money,” Leftwich said. said. “And I don't have to nag my parents about money, which is good.” “Washing Windows with Grace” was written four years ago, when Grace was just 13 years old and infected with the coronavirus. It started in the middle of a pandemic. “But my sports and school schedule prevented me from getting a traditional job,” she said. “So I needed to take control of my time. Many people think of window cleaning as perhaps a quick chore around the house, but Grace's job is much more than that. It's a pretty long process,” Leftwich said. “But I think they like it that way because it works and it cleans people's windows.” As for how Grace came up with this particular business, well, her My parents were involved in it. “I was the one who trained her and told her what to do,” said Grace's father, Lance Leftwich. “But little by little, I retreated. And now she handles everything herself. “Sometimes it's impressive, but I don't understand how she accomplishes so many things. “Hmm,” he said. “She works non-stop from the time she wakes up until she goes to bed, usually around 10 or 11 p.m.,” Grace added. “It can be overwhelming.” “Especially because I play two sports right now and I'm trying to do that.” Aside from her busy job, Grace also attends East Surry High School. She is an honors student who has taken all her college classes. She also juggles softball and volleyball. Her typical day starts at 5:30 a.m. and creates estimates in between her classes and sports events. “And then she goes home and sits down and makes sure everything is in place today was good,'' Grace said. “And I make sure to respond to clients, etc., and catch up on school work.” She has established quite a reputation for herself. “Regular clients, I probably have 150 to 200,” she said. “And I think we have about 250 to 300 new customers. She wants to encourage people her age and thinks that teenagers who have dreams of starting a business should just go for it. “It's my own horn, but I think it's pretty smart,'' she said. “Do it while you're young. If you want to start your own business, go ahead and do it.” “The sky's the limit, really,” her father added. “She's impressive. I always tell her I want to be like her when I grow up.” Grace attended Liberty University in Lynchburg, where she majored in entrepreneurship and minored in finance. intend to do something. As for her window cleaning business, she cleans both residential and commercial buildings. Grace won her first place in a competition called “YESurry” in Business 2023. The competition is open to new and/or existing entrepreneurs. You can learn more about her and even book your window cleaning with her by clicking here.
Imagine juggling all your college classes in high school, playing not one but two sports, and running your own business.
For a 17-year-old Pilot Mountain boy, that's reality.
Grace Leftwich started her own window cleaning business when she was just 13 years old.
It has continued to grow over the past four years.
“I feel like I pretty much have to follow a schedule book,” Leftwich said.
Leftwich uses several sprays and swipes to make the windows sparkle.
“We can wash up to five stories of windows off the ground,” she said. “Many people support me as I am young and running a business.”
In fact, she started her own business at the age of 17.
“It's great to have your own money,” Leftwich said. “And it's good because I don't have to beg his parents for money.”
Window Cleaning with Grace began four years ago, when Grace was just 13 years old, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“But my sports and school schedule prevented me from getting a traditional job,” she said. “So I had to take control of my time.”
Most of us think of window washing as a simple chore around the house, but Grace's business goes far beyond that.
“It's a pretty long process,” Leftwich said. “But I think they like it because it works and it cleans people's windows.”
How Grace came up with this particular business was that her parents were involved in it.
Grace's father, Lance Leftwich, worked as a window cleaner with his brother.
“I'm the one who trained Grace and taught her what to do,” said Lance Leftwich, Grace's father. “But little by little, we retreated.”
And now she handles everything herself.
“It's impressive at times, but I don't know how she gets so much done,” he said. “From the time she wakes up until she goes to bed, it's usually around 10 or 11 p.m.”
“It can be overwhelming,” Grace added. “Especially because I play two sports right now and I'm trying to do that.”
Aside from her job, Grace also attends East Surry High School.
She is an honors student who has taken all her college classes. She sometimes juggles both softball and volleyball.
Her typical day starts at 5:30 a.m. and creates estimates between classes and sporting events.
“Then I go home and sit down and make sure everything is going well for the day,” Grace said. “And I make sure I respond to clients and everything else and keep up with my school work.”
She has established quite a reputation.
“We probably have 150 to 200 regular customers,” she said. “And I think we'll have about 250 to 300 new customers.”
She wants to encourage others her age and believes that teens with dreams of starting a business should just go for it.
“I don't want to toot myself, but I think this is pretty smart,” she said. “You should do it while you're young. If you want to start your own business, go ahead and do it.”
“The sky is the limit, really,” the father added. “She's impressive. I always tell her that she wants to be like her when she grows up.”
Grace plans to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, majoring in entrepreneurship and minoring in finance.
When it comes to window cleaning jobs, we clean both residential and commercial buildings.
Grace won first place in a competition called “YESurry” for her business in 2023.
This competition is open to new and/or existing entrepreneurs.
Click here to learn more about her and to schedule a window cleaning appointment.