Emilia’s Cleaning Service: Brazil to business owner, one woman’s journey to living the American Dream

WHITESBORO - Emilia Silva is a Brazilian mother, wife and businesswoman. After moving to the United States and starting over almost a decade ago, she built Emilia’s Cleaning Service from the ground up through hard work and perseverance. Silva’s team does their best everyday to make life a little easier during today’s busy world by transforming homes into more welcoming places for families to gather, create memories and spend quality time together.

Silva moved to the U.S. in 2017 with her husband and son. Coming from Brazil, it was difficult learning to speak a whole different language and adjusting to a new way of life. Previously, Silva had been working a good job for a large company, so she was worried about leaving it all behind to move to a new place and start from scratch. She contemplated going back home multiple times, but with her family’s support and encouragement, she decided to start her own cleaning business. 

Silva was emotional and filled with hope that everything would work out when she landed her very first client in Collinsville. Silva says that she didn’t just gain a client - she gained a friend that day whom she will carry in her heart forever. That first opportunity opened many doors for her and set the foundation for the future of her business. 

When the pandemic arrived, she feared everything would come to a stop, but it was during that challenging time when clients appreciated her services even more. Silva learned many valuable lessons from building and running her business alone to what it has grown into today. Now, she has a team of 19 people, for whom she is immensely grateful. She’s thankful for God and her family as she says none of it would have been possible without the dedicated and loving support from them. 

Silva has a lot of gratitude for her employees and for the community. At Emilia’s Cleaning Service, the goal is not only to grow as a business, but to demonstrate gratitude by giving back to the community that has given so much to her. Silva is proud to be a member of Cleaning for a Reason, a program that allows Silva and her team to provide cleaning services to cancer patients undergoing treatment. Through this program, she is able to bring relief, comfort, hope and care to someone during a critically challenging time in their life. 

She also proudly supports local sports programs in Collinsville and Whitesboro, as she believes that success is only meaningful when used to strengthen the community and help others succeed. 

Emilia’s Cleaning Service is proud to serve the community as a team through unity and love for what they do, paying attention to the unique needs of every family and client to create a more comfortable space for them to enjoy.