Aaron Seyedian started Well-Paid Maids in the D.C. area in 2017. Get to know what inspired Aaron, his proudest accomplishments and more.
1. What inspired you to start Well-Paid Maids?
I wanted to get involved in the Fight for $15 minimum wage campaign. I saw business lobbyists claiming it would hurt businesses. I thought that running an explicitly living-wage business as a living case study could be useful to the movement.
2. Why is paying a living wage so important?
Too many people can’t get by. They suffer, their kids suffer, and we all suffer, ultimately. If we can help guarantee a basic standard of living for everyone, we are going to have a stronger society that we all benefit from.
3. In the past seven years, what are your proudest accomplishments?
- Building our management team. We hire management from within, so everyone started as a cleaner. It’s satisfying watching people grow.
- Navigating COVID while staying true to our values. Everyone got a $500 layoff bonus to help float them until unemployment kicked in. We also did a GoFundMe that raised over $50,000 from our wonderful and supportive customers. We kept the business closed while things were at the worst and put people over profit.
- Helping win policies we support. We’ve been consistent supporters of a higher minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, salary transparency, a domestic workers bill of rights, and more.