Three years of hard work puts Miril and Veena on the property ladder
Moving into their first home in February was a milestone that Hamilton franchisees Miril Thayyil and Veena Venugopal once wondered if they would ever reach.
The couple now live in Te Awamutu in a brand-new subdivision that only opened last year. Miril says the location is handy to everything, and there’s another reason the neighbourhood already feels like home – his brother bought the house right next door.
“It’s a beautiful house,” says Miril.
For a long time, Miril and Veena had been searching for a home they could afford. At times, it felt like it might never happen. Then they came across a house and land package in the new subdivision and knew they had found what they were looking for.
Their CrestClean journey had played an important part in making it possible.
Before moving to New Zealand, Miril worked as a registered nurse in Singapore. After arriving here with Veena and their family, they both spent time working in a restaurant before Veena took a job as a healthcare assistant.
Trying to balance work and family life was challenging, particularly with unpredictable shift hours.
Miril started looking for another option and began considering a CrestClean franchise.
A friend who was already a CrestClean franchisee had plenty of good things to say about the business, which gave Miril confidence that it was worth pursuing.
“They told me CrestClean is very good and they’ve achieved a lot with their franchise,” he says.
Miril and Veena purchased their franchise in 2023.
Like any new business, there was plenty to learn. Miril had to find his feet, particularly when it came to communicating with customers, but CrestClean’s training and the support of Regional Manager Nivitesh Kumar and Quality Assurance Co-ordinator Ginny Lucas helped him become a confident business owner. And today, he has a long list of happy customers.
“They give me great support. My customers are all very happy!” he says.
One of the biggest changes has been what the franchise has allowed Miril and Veena to achieve financially. When they arrived in New Zealand, they had no savings. Within three years of buying their franchise, they had built up enough for a sizeable deposit on their first home.
Miril says Nivitesh also helped by giving him extra sites, allowing him to increase his income and build his savings more quickly.
“I didn’t have any savings when I came to New Zealand. Nivitesh gave me extra work which helped me with my savings. Very quickly, I was able to buy this home,” says Miril.
“It’s a big achievement.”
Now, with a home of their own, more income and a business that gives him greater flexibility, Miril feels he has found something that works for his family. What he enjoys most is the independence of being his own boss.
“There is no one to control me,” he says.
Congratulations, Miril and Veena. We’re looking forward to seeing what you achieve next!
