Fiza’s healthy work-life balance reaches 15 years strong
When Fiza Rahiman was made redundant, he made the life-changing decision to use the redundancy money to buy a CrestClean franchise. 15 years later, Fiza’s investment has seen him become a successful business owner with plenty to be proud of.
“I was planning to get into a business and, for me, at that moment, it all just came together. The company I worked for was closing down and were going to pay me a redundancy. I said I’ll use the money from there to buy a business,” says Fiza.
After finding success as a franchisee, Fiza sought to expand his skill base. He became a Carpet Cleaning Trainer and an Assessor for Master Cleaners Training Institute (MCTI). In 2022, Fiza stepped into the role of Operations Supervisor for Auckland Central.
Despite his busy work schedule, Fiza says that owning a business means he has a great work-life balance.
“Even with running a franchise, being Operations Supervisor and looking after MCTI, I still get time with my family. I still get time to put into community and charity work. I still get time to go on holidays. It’s great.”
“We take regular breaks and take the kids away. We’ve been to Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. This year, we’re planning to go to Dubai.”
Reflecting on his time with CrestClean, Fiza says he loves that he’s been given the opportunity to explore the country.
“I’ve seen every corner of New Zealand with CrestClean because I travel around the country. There’s no place in New Zealand I’ve never been,” says Fiza
“I absolutely love it. I love travelling. I love to go and see new places.”
Originally from Fiji, Fiza moved to NZ in 2004. He’s built a life for himself and his family that he could have only dreamed of as a child.
“I’m living a very luxurious life. I’ve got two kids who I can spoil. That makes me proud,” says Fiza.
“I wasn’t brought up like this. I come from a very poor family and we struggled. It makes me proud that I’m making my kids happy. It keeps me going.”
After being with CrestClean for 15 years, Fiza has valuable advice for new franchisees and those considering buying a franchise.
“Just focus on the quality of work. Communication with clients is very important and they should know you by name, not as a cleaner. Once you have that going, you have a customer for life,” says Fiza.
“It’s definitely a very low-risk investment. You can’t go wrong because the support is there. That’s the beauty of Crest. If you work hard and smart, you’ll be acknowledged and they’ll take you to the next level.”
