We're excited to announce our first franchise location, opening in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Khay is a dedicated businesswoman with years of experience in the janitorial industry. She’s excited to bring her expertise to the SBS team and create new opportunities in the Cincinnati Metro area. We are excited for the opportunity to expand our reach in our home state and fulfill our promise of creating a greener, cleaner, and healthier world.
We sat down with Khay and discussed her journey to becoming a franchisee, why she chose this industry and her goals. Check out the interview below!
How has your background led you to become a franchise owner in the janitorial industry?
Okay, so it's strange that my professional background did not directly lead me to a janitorial franchise. My background is over two decades of sales, and I've been an entrepreneur, so I guess it does lead me here. I decided to start a cleaning business right after the pandemic. It was to help people get back to business, and the new normal was sanitizing, cleaning, and getting everything back in shape so everybody could be safe. So I was fascinated with the idea then, and I started cleaning.
How did you find Summit?
I did a lot of market research, and it involved asking people who have expertise in this industry what they did right. So I reached out to Tom and asked, "What did you do right?” Because you're doing pretty good. He started giving me some pointers, and I said, you're a great person to talk to, and would you be interested in doing business together? I could subcontract for you guys. So he said, we don't have any business in Cincinnati, but here's a great opportunity for us to partner. And I said, "What, really? OK, let's do it."
The stars really aligned on that one! What about us was different from our competitors? What helped you choose us?
I've looked into other franchises and what they do. I've worked with others in the past. They pretty much give you some work; you go out and do the work, but you have no control over what is done, how it's done, and what you can do to improve it. So, Tom asked, do you have any pointers or ways to improve anything? With Summit, this is a partnership, but you're running your business. So, tell me how you decide your price and what you will and will not do. So yeah, I like that aspect of it. I don't like people hovering, but I want somebody to give me expert advice.
From the beginning, our focus was making sure that our franchise system offered you that autonomy. It was interesting when we started talking about franchising because we realized that micromanaging, a lack of freedom, and poor training are normal with some franchises. We want to do the exact opposite of that. And I think we've accomplished that, which is awesome! I’m glad we’ve been able to make it our focus.
Do you have any personal or professional goals you think having a franchise with us would help you achieve?
So the foundational aspect is if you build the proper foundation, then that's a great starting point. I wanted to continue with my existing business, and I quickly rethought that idea after discussing a few things with Tom. There are so many things that I didn't know that I should have known with a franchise. And there was nobody to give me advice and support. So I was like, okay, well, let me start from the beginning because it's best to have a clean slate. So, we're building the right foundation to grow my business and meet my goals.
When you first went through the decision-making process and talked to us, did you have any specific concerns?
I was very concerned with how you differed from everything else because I've been looking around and doing market research for myself. It takes time. I call everybody, I ask questions. How are you different from this? I'm seeing this right now and want something else that works for me. So, I did go through that with Kala. And she's doing great. I didn't know her; she was just this warm, infectious personality.
We focus on having good vibes here!
I did read on that, too. I was like, okay, when I came up and I met you guys, I said that to Tom. You guys are very great with each other and very respectful. And you each have a different personality, but you just fit together.
What milestone goals for your company are you eager to achieve?
So, regarding short-term milestones, we've already established that I'm working on your milestone of hitting the first financial goal. I will be putting the systems in place. I'm doing all the training. You and your team strategized to say, okay, this is what we need to accomplish within this timeframe. I'm also working with Kala on the systems training. We're going to set up the accounting, and we're about to do our first building. So, in January, I expect more growth because I have a great team.
How do you plan to differentiate from competitors in your own way, not even just with our system?
How do I differentiate? I would say it's about actually caring about the job, prospect, and outcome because it's a service industry. A lot of people think it's just cleaning and providing or offering a service. But you are also offering a partnership. You're offering a relationship. So, I like the relationship-building aspect, and I think your values, the three C's, align with me. The three C's are on my mission; you guys have that.
Well, hey, that's a great alignment. So, as you were starting the process, what was the biggest deterrent for you? How did you work through that?
The timeline for me was what essentially got me. It was a real time to reflect. I know it is a process, but if you're not keen or really into it, the timeline does make sense cause a lot of people will fall off. For me, it worked. But essentially, for many people, they may not sit on it. But I'm telling you, a lot of people are very impatient. So, in a society where gratification is instant, taking time to reflect is important.