Franchisee Voices: Rebeca Padierna of The Cleaning Authority

Rebeca Padierna, 26, and her mother Beatriz Ferreras recently opened a branch of The Cleaning Authority to service North Miami, FL after moving to the United States from Venezuela. The family brings extensive experience to the business as they spent many years in South America selling equipment to various discotheques and clubs. After deciding to move to the United States and pursue business ownership, Rebeca and Beatriz chose to work with The Cleaning Authority. They were attracted to the service concept and felt that the brand’s leadership provided thorough support. As the mother-daughter duo adjusts to life in a new country, they have enjoyed getting to know locals in the North Miami community by helping keep their homes clean.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I am originally from Spain, but have lived in Venezuela for many years. I am 26-years-old and have degrees in both law and graphic design. My family has been in business in Venezuela for over 20 years and sells equipment for clubs and discos. When we decided to move to the United States, my mother and I pursued business ownership together.

Why did you choose to become a franchisee with The Cleaning Authority?

My family wanted to move to the United States and we were interested in working in the service industry. We partnered with a company in Latin America that helps match entrepreneurs with franchise opportunities and found The Cleaning Authority. We loved the brand’s system and corporate team from the beginning, so we decided to move forward with ownership.

Where did you get most of your advice/do most of your research?

We are lucky because the corporate team has been great about keeping us organized and giving us all of the information we need, not only in reference to opening the business, but transitioning to becoming business owners in a new country. We also got a lot of direction from our lawyers, which was very helpful.

What were your perceptions of franchising before starting the process? 

We understand that running a business requires a lot of hard work. The franchise model gives us additional support. It is important to recognize that working hard and being straightforward about your needs for the business is essential to get what you want out of your work.

What were the most unexpected challenges of opening your franchise?

The biggest challenge for us has been adjusting to a new country in addition to a new business venture.

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