Family support helps Osea and Teila build their business in Blenheim
Only a few months into their franchise journey, Osea Rokubu and Teila Baleisuva are already building strong foundations for their new CrestClean business in Blenheim.
With Teila’s parents, Viliame and Losana, already owning a CrestClean franchise in Rotorua, the couple have had plenty of support and encouragement as they take their first steps into business ownership. It was actually Teila’s parents who encouraged them to consider purchasing a franchise in Blenheim, and their guidance have been invaluable.
Keen to help them get started, Viliame and Losana travelled to Blenheim just as Osea and Teila’s new chemicals and equipment arrived. They helped the couple get set up and ready for day one.
“They started mixing our chemicals for us and telling us what each is used for,” says Teila.
“It’s been great having my parents motivating us and giving us encouragement.”
Teila’s background in hotel housekeeping has given her a great foundation for her new role. She says the cleaning side of the business feels familiar, and her previous experience has helped her understand the importance of attention to detail.
One of the things she enjoys most is being able to work alongside her husband. While Osea continues to work full-time as a boat builder in Picton, he supports Teila with cleaning in the evenings.
“We’re really enjoying it. I love having my husband by my side,” she says.
Before taking on their first customer at a local school, Osea and Teila completed their induction in a medical centre, giving them valuable insight into the high standards required in healthcare environments. A few months in, they’re enjoying building relationships with staff and becoming part of the school community.
“Growing these relationships has made it especially enjoyable to clean the school,” says Teila.
Their first clean was certainly one they won’t forget. As they learned the layout of the school, found power points, and navigated their way through each building, they discovered an extra alarm that hadn’t been disabled, adding an unexpected challenge to the night. Their healthcare training also meant they were determined to be meticulous with every detail.
Keeping their sense of humour, they laughed together as they worked their way through the school, disarming alarms and becoming familiar with their new surroundings. As the clean took them well into the late night, Teila’s dad weighed in to help her clean smarter.
“When Dad heard about how long it took, the first thing he said was ‘you must have done an end of term clean!’”, she laughs.
With support from their family and Regional Manager Kirsten Hopkins, Osea and Teila have quickly learned how to work more efficiently while still maintaining the high standards they take pride in.
Life is certainly full with three young children aged 5, 3 and 1, but Osea and Teila are focused on building a strong future for their family and know this is an important chapter in their journey. When the time is right, they hope to grow their business further and create opportunities in their community by employing people who will be a great fit for their team.
For now, they’re enjoying the chance to build something of their own in Blenheim.
