7 On Your Side helps cleaning woman who's owed thousands
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- She is the epitome of the American dream: a very determined woman from Queens who built a thriving business from a single customer and some cleaning supplies.
But, this hard-working small business owner hit a speed bump when she says one of her clients didn't pay her for months.
Out thousands, she went to Nina Pineda and 7 On Your Side for help.
"It made me feel sad, I feel sad right now," said Thelma Cadet.
Cadet doesn't do sad. The self-made businessperson feels blessed with the success of her start-up cleaning business called Immaculate Cleaning. But now, she's sad and mad.
"They asked for me to clean and keep their business clean and that's what I give them," Cadet said.
She's owed almost $6,000 by the owner of Sound Vision Care, a popular chain of optometry stores.
Hired last May, Cadet cleaned from Manhattan to Manhasset and can't see why the eye doctor stopped paying her invoices.
"I figured he would pay, he's a doctor, he has so many locations," Cadet said. "He started being late. Instead of paying the whole bill, he would pay part of the bill."
Cadet said he owes her two and half months of pay adding up to $5,750.
She was patient and continued to clean every Saturday, because after growing Immaculate Cleaning from one client on Groupon into a company, she knows the challenges of owning a business.
"I say, OK, people run into hard times, just because you have a business doesn't mean you have all the money in the world," Cadet said.
But after Cadet called the office to complain about the doctor's credit card declining...
"He said 'ef me' the b-word," Cadet said. "Just ignore her, don't answer the calls."
That's when she made one more call.
"And I watch your news every day, I said I'm calling 7 On Your Side," Cadet said.
7 On Your Side asked Williams what the problem was and he blamed the delays on a temporary cash-flow problem, but after 7 On Your Side got involved, he set up a payment plan.
Cadet got her $5,750 and was paid in full.
"I would say if you got a problem, call Nina, she's got your back," Cadet said.
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