CrestClean business brings family closer together
The family that CrestCleans together, stays together!
Since owning a CrestClean franchise, the Aberde family in Tauranga are spending more time together than ever, and they couldn’t be happier.
Noy and his oldest son Jude, 25, are directors, while wife Yasmin and their middle son, Josh, 19, also work in the business. Their youngest son Joseph, 13, is still at school, but is also reaping the rewards by getting more time with his mum and dad now that they are working better hours.
A production manager for 30 years, Noy says the decision to buy a CrestClean business was driven by a desire to achieve a better work-life balance.
Originally from the Philippines, Noy previously worked long hours as a factory manager, leaving home early in the morning and returning late at night. At the height of his career, he was responsible for managing 200 staff.
When he and his family moved to New Zealand in 2017, he scaled back his role, managing a factory with 35 fulltime staff, but after four years he decided it was time to apply his considerable business experience to his own venture.
“After running successful businesses for other people all my life, I decided it was time to have my own,” says Noy.
With Jude having studied marketing, he was the perfect business partner.
“I said ‘You’ve got a degree, so why don’t we start a business together?’.”
Noy says he has grown the business applying what he calls the ‘4M Approach’ — man, machine, method and materials.
“You have all these things in CrestClean, it’s how you manage them. It’s been great that my boys have been able to see me in action and learn from my experience and abilities. We are happy that we have time together as a family, we are really enjoying it,” says Noy.
“Family time is really important to us. Now I can take my son to school — I haven’t done that my whole life — and we take turns picking him up in the afternoons. I said, ‘No-one’s going to put him on the bus… it’s part of our family values.
“That’s why this business is working for us. This is not about me, this is about the family, that’s why I moved out of the factory.”
Yasmin, a registered nurse, also changed careers to commit to the business fulltime, while Josh, who is an engineering student, fits in the work around his studies.
“It’s a decision that we all really enjoy. It’s not like working, it’s fun,” says Yasmin.
Jude says when it comes to getting the job done, the family has a natural rhythm.
“We have this unspoken thing that we complement each other’s skills without actually talking about it because it’s just natural. We’re so used to being around each other that we know where our strengths and weaknesses lie.”
A self-confessed “night owl”, Jude says the hours suit him as he has a lot of hobbies that he is able to enjoy during the day, including playing the drums.
“This is the only job that gives me that freedom. I can play around with my schedule and I love that. There aren’t a lot of jobs where you can do that. Whatever I want to do, if I want to take up a new hobby, I’ve got time for it, and that’s cool.”
CrestClean’s Tauranga Regional Manager Jan Lichtwark says the Aberde family has grown a successful business in a short space of time, providing a quality service and forming strong relationships with their customers.
“Noy’s background means he is very methodical in his approach with a high level of attention to detail,” says Jan.
“It’s great to see them succeeding not only in business, but in life. The family time they have gained through owning a franchise is invaluable.”
