Ten years in business – Anjani and Rakeshwar celebrate the decision that transformed their lives
For Anjani and Rakeshwar Gounder, becoming CrestClean franchise owners was a decision that changed their lives. This year, the South Auckland couple are celebrating 10 years in business – a milestone many business owners don’t reach.
When Anjani arrived in New Zealand in 2009 on a work permit, she started working part-time for another CrestClean franchisee. It was during this time that she was inspired to one day own a franchise of her own.
She later moved into a role as a checkout manager, while Rakeshwar worked as a chef. His overnight shifts meant they had very little time together, and they knew they needed a change.
In 2015, they decided to take the next step and purchase their own CrestClean franchise. Leaving their full-time jobs felt like a risk, but they knew they couldn’t do both and saw CrestClean as the way forward.
Looking back, Anjani remembers the early days as a time of learning and hard work, but the rewards quickly paid off.
“It was very new to us in the beginning, but we pulled through,” says Anjani.
“We love our job. There’s no one to boss us around and we work on own time.”
As the business grew, Anjani loved getting to know her customers and building strong relationships. Many have been with them since day one, and she says providing great service has always been their priority.
“Our customers are very happy with us. They say they never want to change,” she laughs.
Today, Anjani and Rakeshwar are joined by their two sons and daughter-in-law, creating a successful family cleaning team. Their life looks very different from before they joined CrestClean. They have purchased two properties, travelled extensively, and enjoyed being able to provide more opportunities for their children.
“It’s all happened thanks to our CrestClean business. We couldn’t have done any of this otherwise,” says Anjani.
One of the biggest changes for Anjani is the freedom and security the business has provided. She says, there’s simply “no struggle” anymore.
After 10 years as franchise owners, Anjani’s advice to anyone starting out is to never give up. She says it takes time to get used to the physical side of the work, but staying committed, being professional, and always putting customers first has helped them build a successful business and strong customer relationships.
While they are proud of everything they have achieved, Anjani and Rakeshwar are still focused on growing. With a new contract at A2 Milk in Pōkeno, they are looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
South Auckland Regional Managers Viky and Nilly Narayan are delighted to see Anjani and Rakeshwar celebrate 10 years with CrestClean. They describe the couple as hardworking franchise owners who have put in the effort and deserve the success they have achieved. Anjani says the support from Viky has played an important role in their journey.
“He’s a great regional manager. Any problem, he will solve it.”
