Business ownership brings new freedom for Mike
Mike Warnes jumped at the opportunity to work for himself.
Being his own boss for the first time in his life has brought Mike a new freedom – a job he is passionate about but one that still leaves plenty of time to go surfing.
Mike’s hard work and enthusiasm saw him recently pick up the title of Tauranga Franchisee of the year.
The 49-year-old has a background as a construction worker and driving heavy machinery. He says gone are the times when he had a heavy heart at the beginning of each working day.
“Now when I get up in the morning I feel fantastic and look forward to my day,” he says. “Being my own boss is something I’ve not experience before. Sometimes I have to pinch myself.”
Mike, who lives in Mount Maunganui, jumped at the opportunity to work for himself by buying a Crest PropertyCare franchise.
Mike says property care allows him to plan his own day. “I’ve got jobs to do but I can be flexible about when I do them. I have time to fit in some surfing and get to spend time with family.
“The job keeps me fit and active and there’s that satisfaction you get from doing a great job for your customers.”
Crest PropertyCare teams provide caretaking services to building owners and schools, looking after their grounds, gardens and doing simple maintenance duties.
Mike, who also specialises in Pure Water Window Cleaning and the washing of the exterior of buildings, has had a stellar 12 months since buying his franchise. He was stunned to find out he was Tauranga Franchisee of the Year. “I certainly didn’t expect to win,” he says.
“I guess I’ve put a fair bit of effort into making this work, but you have to when you buy a business. I know there are other franchisees in Tauranga who work really hard, so getting this award came as a total surprise.”
Jan Lichtwark, CrestClean’s Tauranga Regional Manager, says Mike is an outstanding franchisee.
“He’s just so passionate about what he does and he really communicates well with his customers. His background in the building industry has been a great asset.”
Problem solving is one of his many strengths, says Jan. “He not only identifies a problem, he will always have a solution that he’s thought through.” And his “never say no” attitude is testament to Mike’s dedication to put customers first, he says. “If you ask him to do a job he’s always willing to do it.”
Mike says having a Crest PropertyCare business is incredibly rewarding. “I’ve never been happier in a job. I just wish I’d done this years ago.”
