September's Franchisee Profile - Teresa Perez

“If you want to be something different in life, you will have to do something different”. -Teresa Perez, OpenWorks Franchisee

Teresa Perez always wanted to own her own business and work on her own terms. She hated the thought of having regular office hours and sitting behind a desk day in and day out. She wanted to experience different things and have new adventures every day! And that’s why in June, 2007, she decided owning her own OpenWorks franchise was the perfect fit for her. Now, eight years later, Teresa is a successful business owner with OpenWorks and is happily working for the only boss she’s ever wanted — herself!Humble Beginnings Teresa was born in Mexico City and moved to the United States with her family when she was only a child. Her family moved to Glendale, Arizona, and she has lived in the area ever since. She is now 35 years old and lives with her husband, Esteban, and two daughters, ages 16 and 9. Before joining OpenWorks, Teresa worked in a nursing home and as a cashier teller at a bank. She then moved on to work as an assistant in a chiropractor’s office for eight years.Teresa first learned about OpenWorks through her friend, Elisa Gonzalez, who was (and still is) an OpenWorks franchisee. Teresa was intrigued by the company and saw the opportunity to fulfill her dream of becoming her own boss. She went to the OpenWorks corporate office to learn more. Teresa was excited to finally become a franchisee with her very own business to run. It was time to make her dream a reality.With Hard Work, Comes SuccessIn June, 2007, Teresa went into business as an OpenWorks franchisee with her mother, Cristina. Her parents, wanting to help Teresa realize her dreams, assisted her financially in starting the franchise. For the first two years, she and her mother worked long hours, even into the night, to get everything running smoothly. Like most new businesses, their franchise did not turn a profit for the first six months, but they knew all their hard work would eventually pay off. Teresa did not have any sales experience but would often work 20-hour days to acquire customers and get the business off the ground.Even though becoming a business owner was a huge challenge, Teresa had lots of support. OpenWorks franchisees receive assistance from the corporate office or their district manager if they are in need of any supplies or materials to successfully operate their business.Family FirstAlthough Teresa had no experience in the commercial cleaning industry, she had her family behind her every step of the way. Her brother worked at a floor and carpet cleaning company, and she leaned on him as she learned the business. She became part-owner of the franchise along with her mother, who worked at a janitorial company. Two years after they opened their franchise, her husband became involved in the daily operations. For Teresa, having family members who knew about the business provided a tremendous about of security as she learned more about the cleaning service industry.Teresa’s franchising success has allowed her parents to work less in recent years, and she has even been able to pay off the remaining amount on her parents’ house! Teresa said that she is happy she can repay her parents for all the hard work and support they gave her while she was growing up.For Teresa, hard work certainly paid off. From working entry level positions to owning her own franchise, she took a risk in order to finally be able to live her dream. Now, she works for no one but herself, and she couldn't be happier about it.There’s no time like the present to get started living your dreams! If you have always wanted to own your own business, the commercial cleaning industry might just be the place for your next career move. Find out why joining OpenWorks could be the right choice for you.