From the Ground Up: Interstar Salaam Built a Cleaning Company Rooted in Atlanta

Fifteen years ago, Interstar Salaam started Interstar Cleaning Services with nothing but hands-on experience and a willingness to learn every corner of the industry. Today, the commercial cleaning company she owns specializes in post-construction cleaning, commercial janitorial services, corrective cleaning, and large-scale facility projects — a business she says was shaped largely by her time working in Atlanta's commercial and construction environments. It was in Atlanta, Salaam explains, that she learned how much post-construction cleaning depends on more than mops and machines. Scheduling, communication, quality control, and coordination with contractors became the backbone of her approach, pushing her to think less like a service provider and more like a project manager. That shift has defined her trajectory ever since. Now based in Columbia, South Carolina, Salaam continues to serve clients in both markets, and Atlanta remains central to her business identity. She's currently working toward a Project Management Professional certification, part of a long-term plan to move beyond day-to-day field operations and take on a more active role overseeing larger commercial, construction, and government contracts. Salaam says her biggest inspiration is growth itself — reflecting on how far the company has come while staying focused on the next level. Every delay, setback, and difficult project, she says, has taught her something that shaped her as a business owner. Her goal for Interstar isn't just scale, but reputation: a company respected for professionalism, communication, accountability, and results, capable of operating across multiple markets without losing the attention to detail that built its foundation. She hopes her story resonates with other entrepreneurs, too — a reminder that growth rarely moves in a straight line, and that consistent, unglamorous work can position you for opportunities far bigger than where you started. As Interstar Cleaning Services expands into larger commercial and government projects, Salaam says the focus remains the same as it was fifteen years ago: doing the work right, and building something built to last.