40 under 40 — Chris Schwab

Chris Schwab is a Delta Chi brother who was able to take a unique remote approach to his startup journey. Think Maids, Chris’ online cleaning and maid service initially established in the Washington, D.C. area, has since expanded to serve other parts of Virginia and Maryland as well. During the early stages of his business, Chris moved to Tokyo, Japan for six months, all while continuing to operate his Think Maids service. Because of the online nature of this business, Chris found that he was able to oversee its operations from anywhere in the world, provided he had an internet connection. Using a virtual assistant of his own design to help customers pick the appropriate level of service and provide immediate feedback on their experience, Chris has created an operational model that truly allows his business to flourish anywhere.

Despite the success of both his Think Maids venture and his virtual assistant company, Inova Local, Chris lists his greatest achievement as being what he has been able to give back to his community:

“I want to say that my biggest professional achievement has been the businesses that I’ve started, my cleaning company Think Maids, and my virtual assistant company for local businesses, Inova Local. Truly though, my greatest achievement is the fruits that these businesses have born for others. See, when I start a business, I seek out local autism charities in my area and I work with them to give a percentage of our profit to them. Seeing the impact this has is the most satisfying culmination of my work that I could ever ask for.

So, what I would love to pass on to other Zetes is this: In your personal or professional career, find ways that you can have an impact on your local community, and I guarantee that the help you provide to others will shape both you and them, for the rest of your life. And take action with your own chapter to support a community or charity in your area that you believe in.

Here’s a powerful example for you – A close business partner of mine donates as much as he can to a beautiful charity called Sight Savers. And for less than $10 they can give a child who would otherwise go blind the gift of sight. So while donating $50 or $100 may not seem like much to you, it is everything to someone else.”

Speaking on the impact Zeta Psi had on both his personal and professional life, Chris notes that it was quite profound:

“When I joined Zeta Psi, I did so with people who were not yet brothers but were already very close friends. In fact, we wanted to start our own fraternity before we knew what Zeta Psi was. When we met some brothers we knew it was just a perfect fit, and we all got so excited because we knew this was the beginning of a true Brotherhood for all of us. Now, all those close friends of mine I am so proud to call my pledge brothers, and the Brotherhood as a whole, has come to mean so much to me on a deeper level every year.

Because that what it is all about really, right? It’s all about human connection. What Zeta Psi gave me in college wasn’t only the great memories and the bonding experiences that we all share, but it gave me a comfort in knowing that this is a group of people who will be with me long after I left college and long after I’ve left that stage in my life. When you’re in college and you’re so unsure of which direction you’re heading in, it’s comforting to have a brotherhood that allows you to cultivate yourself and others in a way that many others not a part of Zeta Psi won’t discover until much later in life, if ever.

My leadership role I held in my time as an active and my role as a big brother helped develop a sense of confidence in how to lead and advise others, which ultimately helped when I started my own business and had to lead others everyday. And for that head start I couldn’t be more grateful.”