How one of Australia's most popular TikTok stars overcame a crippling alcohol addiction and started a thriving business after a heartbreaking four-word message from her kids
- A woman changed her life after giving up alcohol
- Kacie Stephens rose to fame on TikTok during Covid
- A mother of four runs a thriving business, The Big Clean
A mother of four who developed a crippling alcohol addiction has revealed how her life changed and she started a thriving business after quitting drinking when her kids told her 'you're no fun'.
Melbourne -based Kacie Stephens now runs her own cleaning company, The Big Clean Co , which rose to fame on TikTok at the height of the Covid pandemic.
He has over half a million followers and employs 25 people, but it hasn't always been easy.
The 37-year-old said she had never been a "healthy drinker" since she started when she was 15, but the problem gradually worsened in her 20s, before drinking a bottle of wine six nights a week.
His addiction didn't always feel like a "serious problem" because he "didn't drink all day," he said.
"I drank wine at night. It's an easy trap to fall into, you don't have to drink all day for it to continue to be a problem," the mother explained.
"I think it's important for people to realize that addicts don't always look like what they look like in pictures and on TV.
"I couldn't wait until dinner to pour myself that glass of wine; On some evenings he even drank this 'cheeky wine' long beforehand. That was often the best part of my day.
But after a "series of events" that her kids told her were "not fun," Kacie quit drinking. He recently celebrated six years of sobriety.
It took six months for him to stop drinking entirely, which showed him the problem was more serious than he originally thought.
"There's no standard," Kacie said when asked about the amount of "too much" alcohol.
"Any amount that a person drinks against their will (or their better judgment) is too much.
"For me it was like drinking six nights a week and on that night I didn't, I figured this day off means I'm in control."
Drinking wine in the evening was once Kacie's "me time", but that has been replaced by playing with her children, reading books, going outdoors, being with her horses and her thriving business.
Kacie became a single mother of four children under the age of 11 shortly after sobering up after splitting from her partner Kris.
He founded Big Clean Co in 2017 to promote GumTree after he "had no idea what to do."
"I woke up one morning with the idea of starting a cleaning business," he said.
The business took off during the Covid shutdown when his business went viral on TikTok.
The pandemic has brought the rise of "CleanTok," a moniker alongside TikTok, where cleaning enthusiasts and professionals share their tips and tricks.
"My 14-year-old daughter was on TikTok, she introduced me," laughed the mom.
He explained that everyone was stuck at home not working, which is why making cleaning videos became a fun hobby.
The mother noticed that there were serious problems in the industry while vacationing in an Airbnb rental.
She wanted extra help at the end of her stay but was having trouble finding a reliable housekeeper.
"I've seen that a lot of cleaners are underpaid and so naturally underperform," he said.
Kacie takes pride in running a cleaning business that treats employees and customers with respect.
She said that "almost all" cleaners who come to Big Clean Co "were never paid well" before they were hired.
Kacie now manages a team of 25 cleaners and has her own cleaning product, For All .
After three years apart , Kacie and Kris live happily ever after as a family.
On his journey he learned above all: "Alcohol robs us of the energy for tomorrow".
"I have a passion and a drive that just wasn't there when I was drinking every day," he said.
«J'ai de l'énergie pour m'adapter à ma journée et je me couche le soir pour dormir en sachant que je ne vais pas me réveiller le lendemain matin avec le coeur dans la gorge, un mal de tête lancinant et souhaitant déjà spend the day
"I put a lot of energy into maintaining the vision of a perfect family on Insta while I was miserable behind closed doors. I think back to those years and it feels heavy compared to the ease I live with now.
"Now everything I do is about connection, whether it's with my family and friends, my clients, my co-workers, or as bad as it sounds, even just being in touch on the internet with the people I meet follow the pages of The Big Clean Co. Talking about my sobriety has led me to many deeper connections.
She believes honesty and openness are the reasons so many people follow The Big Clean Co on social media.
"Actually, it's not just cleaning tips, my personality is there too. I always let people know that those perfect Insta videos aren't what people's homes look like every day," Kacie said.
"Most of us: we are messy. We have no more time. Our kids don't get up and we don't bother scolding them, so things stay grounded. I created the site during lockdown to make life a little easier.
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