Myanmar sisters off to strong start in business together
When sisters Jeny, Biak and Alice left Myanmar and moved to New Zealand in 2023, they were looking forward to a fresh start in Nelson and the opportunity to build a future together. Just three years on, they’ve taken a big step forward, becoming CrestClean franchise owners and are already off to a strong start.
Their path into business ownership didn’t happen overnight. Twelve months ago, the sisters first met with Regional Manager Kirsten Hopkins to explore the idea of buying a franchise. At the time, they weren’t quite ready yet — the youngest, Jeny, was still under 21, none of them had full driver licences, and they were still building work experience in New Zealand.
Instead of giving up on the idea, they decided to prepare properly. All three went out and found part-time and jobs to gain experience and focused on getting their full driver licences sorted. It was a year of learning, growing, and getting ready for the opportunity they really wanted.
When they came back this year, they were ready to go.
Now, just over a month into their franchise, the sisters say everything is going well and they’re enjoying the experience of working for themselves.
“So far, so good,” says Biak.
The sisters work together every day, servicing their sites as a team and supporting each other as they learn the ropes of business ownership. While they still have more training ahead, they’re already building confidence and enjoying the routine of running their franchise.
A big part of their journey so far has been the support from Nelson franchise owner and trainer Karl Parker, who helped guide them through their initial training.
“He was very kind and patient,” says Biak. “We really enjoyed learning from him.”
Karl says he also enjoyed training the sisters and is looking forward to seeing their business grow over time.
Alongside running the franchise, Biak is also studying English, and the flexibility of the business means she can study during the day and work in the evenings — something that has made balancing both much easier.
The sisters already have plans to grow their franchise over the next year as they become more confident and experienced. They also say they’ve felt well supported by Regional Manager Kirsten Hopkins throughout the process.
“Kirsten always supports us. If we don’t know something, we just ask her and she always replies quickly,” says Biak.
From Myanmar to Nelson, the three sisters are embracing life in New Zealand and building a business they can grow together.
