Driven Dunedin student balances business ownership and full-time study
Meet Ryan Deo, an inspiring 19-year-old student from Dunedin. In September 2023, he carved his own path to success by becoming a CrestClean franchise owner. Alongside running his business, Ryan is also studying to become a civil engineer at Otago Polytechnic.
Ryan was inspired to become a CrestClean franchise owner by family members in Dunedin who are successful franchisees themselves. After earning a scholarship to cover his fees as a full-time student, Ryan and his parents were ready to join the CrestClean family.
“I was waiting to get the scholarship so I can pay for my school fees and save up to put money into buying the franchise,” says Ryan.
Ryan thrives on keeping busy. He hits the books during the day, tackles his cleaning jobs in the evenings and works both days on the weekend at Bunnings. With an impressive work ethic, Ryan navigates his busy schedule with ease.
“I go to school three and half days and I also have a part time job at Bunnings. I do weekend work there, which I love,” says Ryan.
“I’ve also got CrestClean, which is every evening. So, I’m busy seven days a week.”
Ryan and his parents have created a strong cleaning team with customers ranging from kindergartens and schools to office buildings. Ryan’s parents also balance full-time jobs with evening cleaning work as the family works together to grow the business and reach their goals.
In just six months as franchise owners, Ryan and his parents have almost doubled their turnover. With a natural talent for business, Ryan came into the franchise with both short-term and long-term goals and he’s well on his way to achieving all of them.
For Ryan, age is no barrier to ambition.
“My goal is to reach $200k turnover by the end of the year and I plan to grow my turnover every year,” he says.
Having secured a position in Fulton Hogan’s graduate programme, Ryan has a bright future ahead of him. He plans to keep his CrestClean franchise running alongside his engineering career.
“I like how flexible it is. I will definitely keep this even after my studies,” says Ryan.
“And maybe I could get my parents working full-time for the business. That’s the plan for next year.”
Ryan has a positivity and professionalism far beyond his years. He’s dedicated to customer satisfaction, ensuring all cleaning tasks are completed to a high standard. In his six months with CrestClean, Ryan has seen the opportunities that come with owning a franchise.
While ambitious business growth is a priority for Ryan, he remains committed to quality. No matter how big his business gets, his focus remains on delivering exceptional cleaning services.
“I want to grow, but in a sustainable way so I’m not compromising on the cleaning standard,” he says.
Ryan’s unwavering dedication and clear vision for the future makes him an inspiration to aspiring young entrepreneurs. With plenty of support behind him, there is no limit to what he can achieve.
“I like the team support we have down here in Dunedin. It’s been really great, especially with starting with no knowledge,” he says.
“Everyone is only a call away and they’re always there to help you.”
