Road to success for former travelling salesman
Tauranga franchisee Malcolm Brown celebrated two milestones this year — his 60th birthday and 5 years with CrestClean!
Malcolm says there is much to celebrate, as it was owning a CrestClean business that enabled him to turn his life around, proving it’s never too late to make a fresh start and achieve your dreams.
“Life couldn’t be better. I have everything I want and more,” says Malcolm.
Becoming a franchisee at the age of 55 meant Malcolm could leave behind long hours on the road as a mobile salesperson and concentrate on re-building his property portfolio.
“I had been in the job for 17 years and was travelling a lot and getting home late. I hated it, absolutely hated it. And when you don’t enjoy your job anymore, it’s not worth being there,” says Malcolm.
When the opportunity presented itself to buy a CrestClean franchise, he was all ears.
“I wouldn’t say I’m obsessive, but I like things in the right order. It was something I thought ‘yeah I can do that’.”
Having left school at 16, Malcolm is no stranger to hard work. By the time he was 41, he was on a six-figure salary and owned four properties. But after a marriage break-up — although amicable — he had to start over again.
Having since re-married to Shashi, who is both a director in the business and the owner of a successful hairdressing salon, he now has a beautiful sea-view home, three investment properties and a job that he loves.
He credits his success largely to buying a CrestClean franchise, plus the side hustle of being the inwards/outwards goods dispatcher at the Crest Distribution Centre in Tauranga.
“I feel incredibly supported by CrestClean, and this has played a large part in my success with the company,” says Malcolm.
“Last year, with Covid-19, I received extensive training in pandemic cleaning and the correct use of PPE, to keep both myself and my customers safe. It was an uncertain time for many people, but it was comforting to know that I was being armed with the latest information and advice. CrestClean’s training is second to none.”
Being his own boss also means he has the freedom to structure his day to his advantage. Starting at 6am, and finishing by 3pm, he has the afternoon and early evening free for renovation work.
“Shashi and I both work hard and we’re both focused on getting ahead. That’s how we’ve got to where we are,” says Malcolm.
“If you focus on something, you can do it.”
His next life goal is to rekindle an old hobby.
“I’d like to get back into my cars. I built my first T-Bucket when I was 17. My next goal, once I’ve finished working on the house, is to build another hot rod.”
