They say in life that lucky breaks often come from something you could not have imagined.
Matt Brown’s change of fortune came after he broke his leg in a workplace accident. It was while recuperating at his Nelson home that he chanced upon an advert for CrestClean franchises – and it set him on a path that would be life changing.
“I was lying in bed that first week after the accident and that’s when I just happened to see an advert about opportunities in Nelson with CrestClean,” he says. “I had a good read and thought, ‘well, there’s no harm in looking into it’.”
Curious to find out more, Matt set up a meeting with CrestClean’s Nelson Regional Manager Barbara de Vries, and after talking it over with his wife Amiria he decided to purchase a cleaning franchise.
For Matt the new start meant he didn’t have to go back to the sawmill where he had the accident. He began his CrestClean training immediately after he got back on his feet. “My accident was like a blessing in disguise in a way,” he says.
Matt says the appeal to be his own boss with a CrestClean franchise was a big factor in his decision to join. In the past he’d worked long days in various industries. He’d once worked as a deep-sea fisherman, at times spending up to six weeks away from home.
With CrestClean came the opportunity to grow a successful business. But it also brought the freedom of flexible hours and more time with the family, he says. “It was being able to have your own franchise and being a bit more self-sufficient. It’s definitely the best thing I’ve done.”
Amiria joined her husband in the business later on after quitting her job as a manager at Subway. “She was looking for a change,” says Matt. “We get on really well together and it works for us. We went from literally spending no time together to being together 24/7.”
Now three years on, the couple have more than doubled the size of their business. They say Nelson is the perfect place to have a business. Work is plentiful and there’s lots of free time to enjoy the region’s many assets, says Matt.
“It’s a great place to live. It has fantastic weather as Nelson gets a lot of sunshine. You’ve got oceans and rivers and it’s all pretty relaxed and you can have a lovely lifestyle here.”
Barbara says Matt and Amiria have worked hard to get where they are today. “They have been steadily growing their business, which has gone from strength to strength.
“They are a hardworking couple and do a fantastic job for their customers.”
