Sometimes, partnerships take off in ways that no one involved can even imagine at the start, and that's certainly the case for Anago franchisees Michael Williams, his brother Darren Williams, and their longtime friend Roscoe Hamilton. The three men partnered together back in 2002 to buy the master franchise rights in Washington, D.C., for the commercial cleaning franchise business.
Since then, the three partners have worked together like a well-oiled machine, and they now have 54 franchisees in the area that serve major accounts such as Bowl America, Zipcar and Amtrak. This has resulted in revenue totaling over $4 million in 2017 alone, and they are projected to exceed that in 2018.
According to Darren Williams, it was the unique experiences and skills of each partner that allowed them to find their ideal roles in the business. Michael Williams came from an engineering background and found himself drawn to the financial part of the franchise in the office, while Roscoe had experience in operations and is now managing the daily operations of the business. Darren, who was a stockbroker, handles business development and sales.
Over the last decade, the partners have learned a lot and are always aiming higher. Darren Williams stated that while the investment bar for commercial cleaning is relatively low, staying in it isn't always easy for people because it involves cleaning services. It's the stability that makes the business attractive, as nearly every commercial space needs cleaning. The successful DC franchisee also offered advice to other prospective business owners: treat your clients equally, know what you want in the long term, and always be on the lookout for your next new account.
Ranked at number 68 in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, a list of leading franchise opportunities, Anago Cleaning Systems is currently looking for both master and one-unit franchisees. The initial investment for one of these franchise opportunities ranges from $10,440 to $68,548.
