For immigrant women entrepreneurs, turning perceived limitations into scalable, impactful business success is a rare achievement—but that is exactly the journey of Jamaican-born Ingrid Murray, CEO of New York-based Prospect Cleaning Service Inc.
What began as a small, modest commercial cleaning startup has evolved into a multimillion-dollar enterprise serving high-profile clients across New York’s public and private sectors. Under Murray’s leadership, the firm has earned a spot on the prestigious Inc 5000 ranking of America’s fastest-growing private companies, carving out a respected reputation in the often underrecognized commercial cleaning and building maintenance industry. The company’s steady growth has been fueled by Murray’s signature ability to spot opportunity where others see roadblocks, paired with a commitment to operational excellence and intentional strategic expansion. Today, Prospect Cleaning Service delivers a full suite of commercial cleaning, facility maintenance, and environmental services across the entire New York region.
The defining turning point for the company came amid the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, when businesses across the country fought to stay afloat. Just as lockdowns and public health restrictions shut down most of the company’s existing client contracts—costing Murray 90% of her revenue almost overnight—the entrepreneur made a high-stakes bet that would redefine her business. With no guarantee of a return, she invested her company’s last remaining capital in specialized medical-grade sanitization equipment, a move that even her late husband initially viewed as unreasonably risky. The gamble paid off dramatically: Prospect Cleaning Service soon secured major public sector contracts that placed it at the center of New York’s critical pandemic sanitization response. The firm was tapped by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to manage deep cleaning, disinfection, and sanitization services for Metro-North and Harlem Line stations across multiple upstate New York counties, and also provided round-the-clock cleaning services at Grand Central Terminal, one of the busiest transportation hubs in the nation.
Murray’s business success, however, is rooted in a personal story shaped by migration, early responsibility, faith, loss, and the unique systemic barriers Caribbean women face when building professional careers. Growing up in Jamaica, Murray carried adult responsibility from her early teens: after her mother immigrated to the U.S. to build a new life for the family, 14-year-old Murray stepped into the role of primary caregiver for her younger brother. Like many Caribbean women, she learned early that she would always be the person others relied on—a lesson that shaped her adaptive, solution-focused leadership style today.
“Growing up in Jamaica, I always envisioned a life of impact. I knew I wanted to create change and rise beyond the limitations I saw around me,” Murray shared. “A lot of people doubted me early on, so I became determined to show the world who I truly was — not who others assumed I would become. I used to say all the time, ‘When I go to America, I’m going to be rich.’ But it was never only about money. It was about proving to myself that my environment did not define my future.”
Unlike popular narratives that frame success as mere positive visualization, Murray’s approach to achievement blends faith with deliberate, disciplined work. “For me, manifestation is about aligning my vision with what God has already designed for my life. It’s not simply wishing for something and waiting for it to appear. It requires discipline, faith, hard work and obedience,” she explained. “Without God, I would be nothing. Every success I have belongs to Him.”
Even after building a nationally recognized company, Murray remains candid about the persistent barriers that hold back many Caribbean women entrepreneurs. “Fear of failure is one of the biggest obstacles. There’s also a lack of support, and often a lack of self-worth that develops from years of being underestimated or overlooked,” she noted. For her own part, Murray learned to push past doubt and criticism by focusing on execution: “Not everyone will understand your vision. Sometimes you have to keep building anyway.”
Today, Murray frames success as something that must extend beyond personal achievement. Through targeted mentorship, philanthropic work, and outreach to aspiring women entrepreneurs, she has made it her mission to help other women recognize and activate their own potential. “Growing up without support or people believing in you can be deeply traumatic. Sometimes all it takes is one person truly listening to you, hearing your vision and reminding you that your life has value,” she said.
Looking ahead, Murray plans to continue expanding her business and her impact, positioning herself as a gateway for the next generation of diverse leaders. “I am manifesting expansion — more businesses, new opportunities and becoming a gateway for future leaders who need guidance, wisdom and insight,” she said.