The Five Levels of AOS: How Cleaning Companies Grow on One Operating System

Quick answer: The five levels of AOS are Core, Build, Growth, Scale and Leverage. Each level builds on the last, with increasing capability across the same operating system, and every level works on the same three phases and nine pillars.

Growth is usually described in revenue. Revenue matters, but it hides a more useful question: how well does the business actually run? Two cleaning companies with the same revenue can be in very different places, one running on clear priorities, standards and a weekly rhythm, the other held together by an exhausted owner. The five levels of AOS give owners a shared way to talk about that difference without changing the system they use.

The five levels of AOS at a glance

1. Core: level 1 of 5
2. Build: level 2 of 5
3. Growth: level 3 of 5
4. Scale: level 4 of 5
5. Leverage: level 5 of 5

The five levels of AOS are sequential. Each one builds on the last, with increasing capability across the same operating system. What does not change is the operating system itself: the AOS Wheel, its three phases and its nine pillars stay the same at every level.

The same nine pillars at every level

The Align Operating System organizes the work into three phases. Align covers Vision, Goal Clarity and Planning. Act covers People, Operations and Execution. Accelerate covers Data & Finance, Sales and Marketing. Leadership runs through all of it.

Owners at different levels work across the same nine pillars, with different implementation needs. That consistency is what makes AOS an operating system rather than a collection of tips: whatever level you are at, you always know where a new idea belongs and how it connects to the rest of the business.

Why your scores matter more than your stage

Owners who copy strategies built for a much larger company usually burn money and energy, because the systems underneath cannot carry the weight yet. The fix is not to guess. Use your scores to identify gaps, then choose priorities based on your goals and what needs to happen first.

That is why the AOS Diagnostic shows your pillar scores alongside your level. A low score in one pillar may matter more than it looks if other priorities depend on it, and a gap that seems urgent may be able to wait.

How to find your place in the five levels of AOS

Take the free AOS Diagnostic. It asks eighteen questions across the nine pillars and takes about ten minutes. You get an AOS Score from 0 to 100, scores for Align, Act and Accelerate, a score for every pillar, and your current level. Retake it each quarter to see which pillars moved.

Your first 30 days

1. Week 1: Take the AOS Diagnostic and review your scores for all nine pillars.
2. Week 2: List your biggest gaps and note which ones other work depends on.
3. Week 3: Choose up to three Quarterly Drivers based on your goals and what needs to happen first.
4. Week 4: Break each driver into weekly actions and review them, with your scorecard, every week.

Getting support at any of the five levels of AOS

Mastery Circle supports owners across all five AOS levels, so groups are not organized by level or company size. Members get weekly, one-hour Monday goal check-ins facilitated by Liz Trotter and GET for KPI tracking, commitments and accountability. Sales Circle adds weekly live group sales coaching for owners and salespeople, and private coaching with Liz is available by the hour.

Industry groups like ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association offer education for every kind of cleaning business; AOS helps you decide which lessons to put into practice first.

Key takeaways

• The five levels of AOS are Core, Build, Growth, Scale and Leverage.
• Each level builds on the last, with increasing capability across the same operating system.
• The same three phases and nine pillars apply at every level.
• Use your scores to identify gaps, then choose priorities based on your goals and what needs to happen first.

Next step: take the AOS Diagnostic to see your current level and your pillar scores.

Frequently asked questions

What are the five levels of AOS?

Core, Build, Growth, Scale and Leverage. AOS develops through these five levels, and each level builds on the last, with increasing capability across the same operating system.

Do the nine pillars change from level to level?

No. Owners at different levels work across the same nine pillars, with different implementation needs.

How do I find my level?

Take the free AOS Diagnostic. It scores your business across the nine pillars in about ten minutes and shows your AOS Score, your current level and your pillar scores.

Is Mastery Circle grouped by level?

No. Mastery Circle supports owners across all five AOS levels, so groups are not organized by level or company size.