Valesca Rugbi
Valesca Rugbi is the President and Co-Founder of Clean Touch Group LLC, a family-owned hospitality and commercial cleaning company established in Florida in 2009. With over two decades of experience in hotel housekeeping and operations management—beginning her career in Vermont in 2002—she has helped expand the company’s footprint across Florida, Louisiana, Vermont, and North Dakota, supporting 12–16 hotels with customized housekeeping solutions and occupancy-based service models.
But her leadership story did not begin in an executive office.
It began on the floor of a hotel room in Vermont.
Originally from Brazil, Valesca studied International Business at Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (Unisinos) before immigrating to the United States. In 2002, she began her hospitality career at the ground level as a housekeeper in Vermont, learning every operational detail firsthand. She cleaned rooms. She supported teams. She learned systems. She observed leadership from the inside out.
When Clean Touch Group was established in Florida in 2009, her husband laid the foundation with a vision of delivering reliable, high-quality housekeeping services while honoring employees with respect. As the company grew, Valesca grew alongside it. Over time, she advanced into supervisory and management roles, eventually assuming operational leadership and guiding the company’s multi-state expansion.
The transition was not effortless. Language barriers, cultural adaptation, and the weight of responsibility shaped her leadership journey. She did not step into leadership because she felt fully prepared—she stepped forward because growth required it.
As operations expanded, so did her commitment to understanding the business at a deeper level. Currently pursuing studies in Accounting, Valesca returned to college to strengthen the company’s financial strategy and sharpen executive decision-making. Balancing education, business growth, and family life reflects her belief that leadership evolves through continuous learning.
Today, she oversees supervisors, regional leadership, and service teams operating across multiple states from the company’s Florida headquarters. Under her leadership, Clean Touch Group has earned a reputation for reliability, professionalism, and client satisfaction, including recognition as one of Florida’s leading cleaning service providers.
She does not lead alone. Two key women within her organization play a vital role in managing daily operations and supporting strategic expansion. Together, they maintain high standards, refine operational systems, and ensure sustainable growth. For Valesca, leadership is not about control—it is about structure, accountability, trust, and empowering capable people to rise.
Her philosophy is grounded in empathy and discipline. Hospitality housekeeping operates behind the scenes, yet it requires precision, resilience, and unwavering consistency. Guests may see clean rooms—but they do not see the systems, integrity, and teamwork that make that consistency possible.
Valesca believes confidence follows action—not the other way around. She encourages women, especially immigrant women, not to wait until they feel ready. Skills are built through movement. Authority grows through responsibility. Leadership develops through courage.
Invisible work creates visible impact.
And true leadership is built from the ground up.
• Best Company in Florida 2022
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute our success to partnership, trust, and teamwork.
Clean Touch would not be what it is without my husband’s vision and dedication. He laid the foundation of the company, and I grew alongside it. We complement each other’s strengths, and that partnership has been essential to our growth.
At the same time, success comes from the team we’ve built and the systems we’ve developed over the years. Leadership is not an individual achievement — it’s something you build together.
I truly cannot imagine running Clean Touch without him, and I’m proud of what we’ve created as partners.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was: don’t panic under pressure.
In leadership, people look to you for direction during difficult moments. If you remain calm and focused, you can assess the situation objectively and respond strategically. That mindset has helped me navigate operational challenges, multi-state growth, and complex team management.
Calm leadership builds trust.
“Problems are temporary. Panic makes them permanent.”
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women: don’t underestimate your potential, and don’t let temporary challenges define your future. Every industry has obstacles. For me, it was the language barrier. Instead of seeing it as a limitation, I treated it as something to overcome step by step.
Start where you are. Learn everything you can. Build skills. Stay consistent. Growth comes from persistence, not perfection.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in our field right now is market positioning and differentiation. The hospitality and cleaning industry is highly competitive, and many providers offer similar services. The real challenge is communicating value clearly and gaining acceptance in the market as a strategic partner, not just a service provider.
For us, marketing is not just advertising — it’s about building credibility, demonstrating reliability, and showing that we offer customizable solutions that adapt to different types of businesses. Earning trust in new markets takes time, consistency, and proven performance.
At the same time, I see opportunity. Companies are looking for dependable partners who bring structure, transparency, and operational strength. Businesses that invest in branding, relationships, and long-term reputation will continue to grow.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The two core values that guide both my professional and personal life are integrity and respect. In hospitality services, integrity is non-negotiable. Our teams operate in private spaces, and trust is fundamental to maintaining client relationships and protecting our reputation. I prioritize hiring individuals who demonstrate strong character and accountability.
Respect is equally central to my leadership philosophy. Regardless of role or title, every team member deserves dignity. A culture built on mutual respect creates loyalty, stability, and high performance.