Sunny and Prabhjot trade city chaos for quieter life in Taranaki
When Sunny Kumar arrived in New Zealand in 2016, he spent three years settling into life in Rotorua before moving to Auckland. But after marrying Prabhjot in early 2024, the couple started thinking about what they wanted their future to look like.
Life in Auckland was busy and fast-paced, and they were ready for a change. They wanted more space, more time together and, most importantly, the chance to build something of their own.
“Auckland can get very crowded and chaotic,” says Sunny. “So we decided to move somewhere nice and quiet – somewhere we can start our own thing, rather than be someone’s employee.”
The idea of running their own business had been in the back of Sunny’s mind for years. While living in Rotorua, he had watched his friend Siddesh Dhepe build a successful CrestClean franchise. When Sunny and Prabhjot started looking at their options, he got in touch with Taranaki Regional Manager Naresh Mani to find out more.
Naresh invited the couple in for a chat, talking them through what running a CrestClean franchise could look like and how it could fit with the life they wanted to build. By late 2024, Sunny and Prabhjot had decided to make the move to New Plymouth.
To help get settled, Sunny initially took a job at a local timber manufacturing plant, putting his machinery certificate to good use. At the same time, Naresh and Radhna continued to support the couple as they worked towards becoming business owners.
In December 2024, Sunny bought his CrestClean franchise, determined to give it his all from day one. He started with a modest turnover and put his energy into looking after his customers and providing great service. Within just five months, he had doubled the size of his business.
That growth gave Sunny the confidence to leave his job at the timber plant and put all his time into the franchise. He says having Naresh there to support and guide him along the way made a big difference as he settled into life as a business owner.
“He was very supportive and clear about what we needed to do,” says Sunny.
There was even more to celebrate around the same time. Sunny and Prabhjot welcomed their baby daughter, Bhavreet, giving them another reason to build a future they could be proud of.
Being his own boss has meant Sunny can work around his family and be there for those important early moments with his daughter. The growth of the business has also put the couple in a position where buying their first home next year is now a realistic goal.
Sunny has also recently taken on the role of Regional Induction Trainer for Taranaki, helping new franchisees get started and sharing what he has learned along the way.
“We are proud to have Sunny and Prabhjot as part of the Taranaki region,” says Naresh.
“We look forward to seeing their continued success and are always delighted to welcome families like theirs to Taranaki, helping them build successful businesses and rewarding futures.”
