Tauranga franchise owners Ankush and Priyanka Rustagi were recently awarded Franchise of the Year for the region, and the win came as a huge (and very happy) surprise.
Their award was announced at the region’s recent Christmas party, and both Ankush and Priyanka were genuinely shocked when their names were called. According to Tauranga Regional Manager Jan Lichtwark, their outstanding communication, strong work ethic and perfect audit record made them real standouts this year. For the couple, the recognition has meant a lot.
“It’s really nice to have this appreciation. It’s great to know that our good work has been noticed because we always try to give 100% effort,” says Priyanka.
“It’s a really big motivation for us to know we’re not missing anything and we’re doing things right,” adds Ankush.
Before joining CrestClean, life was busy for the couple. Priyanka worked as an early childcare teacher, a role she loved but one that often meant bringing work home. Ankush spent almost 10 years in a production-based company, maintaining machinery and keeping factory operations running smoothly. Even though they both had good jobs, they found themselves with very little time to spend with their two boys, aged 12 and 6. They wanted to find a better balance, one that allowed them to support their family not just financially but with their time.
“We wanted to work hard but still have time for our boys,” says Priyanka.
After looking into a few options, they realised CrestClean’s business model ticked all the boxes. The guaranteed income and the freedom to decide how much work they wanted made it the ideal match for the lifestyle they were hoping to create.
Starting their own business was a huge shift from the 9-5 routine, but Ankush and Priyanka took it on with enthusiasm and professionalism. Things were very busy in the beginning, but with support from Tauranga Regional Manager Jan Lichtwark, they were able to slowly scale their business to better fit family life.
“We realised the money was not the sole reason we joined CrestClean, so Jan helped us slow things down a little bit,” says Priyanka.
“We’re now at a stage where we’ve got a really good balance.”
Moving into more daytime work has opened the door to genuine connections with their customers. There’s now time for a friendly chat, and many customers feel more like friends, often asking the couple about the boys and catching up on what they’ve been up to.
“It’s so nice to have conversations and relationships with our customers. We get to know them and find out exactly what they need,” says Priyanka.
The couple says their franchise has also given them more financial freedom. Priyanka admits that if they had stayed in their previous full-time jobs, they wouldn’t have been able to save nearly as much. Seeing others go through redundancies over the past few years has made them even more grateful for the security their business provides.
“It’s has definitely helped us financially,” says Priyanka.
Now that their award has been earned and their business is running smoothly, Ankush and Priyanka are looking forward to what’s ahead. They’re keen to give back to CrestClean by supporting and mentoring new franchisees as they start their own journeys.
