From Furniture Sales to Franchising: How Adam Yazejian Found His Path with Anago Cleaning Systems

Adam Yazejian, director of sales at Anago Cleaning Systems, began his franchising journey about four and a half years ago when the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly halted his successful 15-year career in the furniture industry. Specializing in hospitality furniture — a sector that thrives on gatherings — Yazejian suddenly found himself in a market where gathering was no longer an option. 

Seeking stability and control in an uncertain time, he explored opportunities that led him to Anago Cleaning Systems, a franchise that operates on a master franchise model within the commercial cleaning space.

“I honestly had an opportunity to go back into the furniture industry, but I didn’t know what I could do there because I didn’t know how long this was going to last,” Yazejian told Nick Powills, founder and publisher of 1851 Franchise, on his “Meet the Zor” podcast. “So, I looked at one opportunity, a door closed, another opened.” 

Now, as the director of sales, Yazejian has found confidence and success in a new industry, helping others navigate the franchising world with Anago’s unique master franchise model.

A summarized transcript of Yazejian’s interview with Powills has been included below. It has been edited for clarity, brevity, and style.

Nick Powills: All right, Adam, let’s start with your story. How did you accidentally fall into franchising? What’s your franchise story?

Adam Yazejian: About four and a half years ago, I was doing my thing in the furniture industry. I was with a bunch of manufacturers, selling and finding independent reps throughout the states to sell furniture. I had been doing that for about 15 years — very well, very successfully. Then COVID hit, and all the furniture I had people selling was essentially hospitality furniture — where people gather. And during COVID, we weren’t gathering. So, literally, all my pipelines just shut off overnight. I kid you not. I said to myself, “I don’t like this feeling. I feel helpless. I want to get into something where I have more control, something recession-proof, political-proof, whatever you want to call it.” 

That’s how I found myself at Anago Cleaning Systems. I’m like, “It’s a franchise of commercial cleaning? I don’t know anything about cleaning.” Not something I gravitated towards. But the more I learned about it, I discovered it’s not just commercial cleaning. We’re actually a master franchise model, which, as you know, Nick, is more of a three-tiered model where we sell territories, and those buyers then look for commercial cleaners. After digging into it more, I said, “You know what? I kind of like this.” Fast forward four and a half years later, I’m the director of franchise sales, enjoying what I’m doing. We truly are recession-proof, and I feel a lot more comfortable and confident in my future, rather than worrying about another event like COVID.

Powills: Not to dive too deep, but you went from furniture in commercial spaces where people stopped gathering to cleaning in commercial spaces where people also stopped gathering. It’s come back now, but it’s interesting to make that jump. So, when you saw this job listing or were being recruited, did you understand what franchising was at that point?

Yazejian: Not a clue. I had no clue. I honestly had an opportunity to go back into the furniture industry, but I didn’t know what I could do there because I didn’t know how long this was going to last. So, I looked at one opportunity, a door closed, another opened. But I still wasn’t sure what franchising was. Like most people, I thought franchising was just McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Jimmy John’s, Subway. That’s all I knew. The more I dove into it and had the opportunity to talk to multiple employees here before I even started, I got a good sense of the company and the opportunity, but I still had no clue.

Powills: You’re a sophisticated businessperson, yet you initially had no clue about franchising. How do you reconcile this with your brand being marketed to business-savvy professionals? Isn’t there a gap in educating potential franchisees before selling them a franchise?

Yazejian: Absolutely. When I talk to people, I say, just to your point, this is like a marriage. We’re going to be partners for 10 years in this, for better or worse. That’s what this is. So, we’re excited when we talk to people that want to get into the business, whether it’s somebody who wants to buy a master territory or a unit franchise. It’s definitely a different perspective when you’re talking to a candidate who’s going to be a business owner rather than applying for a job. There’s a huge amount of excitement on my part when I’m talking to people ready to jump out of the corporate world and into a franchise. And here I am, four and a half years later, selling territories to people that, if you asked me five years ago, I would have been clueless about.

Powills: In commercial furniture, buyers are proactive and know what they want, but in commercial cleaning, most are still figuring things out. How do you approach selling to potential franchisees who didn’t initially dream of being in commercial cleaning?

Yazejian: You know what’s funny? What I was doing before really felt like sales to me, and I enjoyed it. When I came to Anago, I looked at it as consultative. I’m educating them on an opportunity. I sincerely say to them, “At the end of the day, a big part of this is you making the decision if you want to make this leap.” That’s a huge part of it. 

So, I look at it as giving you all the tools to make an educated decision. When we’re done with our process, you can walk away, or you can become our new master franchise owner for a territory. I don’t look at it as sales because, at the end of the day, Nick, I’m asking them to spend $300,000 to $400,000 in their first year of owning, purchasing and operating. I can’t sell that without educating them thoroughly. I’m just talking about the opportunity. You decide if it’s right for you. And we’ve been very successful with that approach.

Powills: You’ve mentioned coaching over selling, yet commissions are still a part of your compensation, which can create a motive. What are your thoughts on the impact of commission-based incentives in franchise sales, especially when some companies have shifted to paying salespeople a fixed amount to improve franchisee quality?

Yazejian: You’re exactly right, Nick. It’s funny; someone called me the other day — I’d been working with them, maybe more than halfway through the process. They were buying a new territory. They called me and said, “Adam, I just found out there’s someone in your system selling a territory as an existing master owner. I want to go after that, but I realize if I do that, I’m kind of cutting you off from whatever commission you might make.” I said to them, “It matters not. Honestly, if you feel that an existing territory is the better idea and that’s what you want to go after, don’t worry about me.” 

My point is, as you mentioned, Nick, a very small portion of what I get is commission on a sale. Money is not a motivator in that sense because I’m compensated well on the day-to-day. So, it’s not about having to sell this guy. Absolutely not. When I talk with these folks, I say, “Just as much as you are looking to buy an Anago, and you’re interviewing me in the process, I’m doing the same with you. I have to make sure you’re the right candidate for our brand.” That’s one of the reasons we do great validation calls and all that. I tell them, “You’re going to get a lot of great information, but so am I.” I’m going to talk to everyone you validate with and have a conversation. “How do you feel they’re going to do for the brand?” So, it really is a two-way street, a two-way interview. 

But yeah, money is not really the motivator — it’s making sure it’s the right fit. And if they find something else that’s also in franchising, good for them. They found what’s right for them because Anago may not always be the case. And I’m okay with that.

Powills: When it comes to sales philosophy, why do you think resales are often undervalued in franchising, even though they protect investment and can lead to stronger performance? Shouldn't franchisors reward salespeople more for securing resales, given their importance to the brand?

Yazejian: Absolutely. We have multiple sales, whether it’s a corporate resale or an individual selling, and we don’t have many of those. I look at that as a compliment to the system that we don’t have a lot of folks selling. The gentleman selling now has been in the system for seven years. He had some changes in his life, so he’s looking to change. But prior to that, we hadn’t had a sale in like four years — an existing owner selling one of their territories. It just doesn’t happen often. 

You could see it as a great time to continue being in commercial cleaning or on a master territory, whatever it may be. But yeah, we don’t have a lot of sales, so it’s hard for me to say, “Oh, that should be a larger part of the compensation,” because we just don’t have a lot of them. We’ve got 49 master territories sold, and I’ve got over 50 new ones to go, so we’ve got a lot to do, but we don’t have a lot of resales. 

I have 16 people who have signed a new agreement with us, meaning they’re in year 11 through 20. And I have another six that are in years 21 through 30. So we’ve got some really good longevity in the system, for what it’s worth.

Powills: Is the biggest obstacle you face explaining the difference between a master and a unit franchise, especially since many buyers, like policymakers, don’t fully understand franchising? How do you address the complexity of the model, particularly for those who aren't experts in areas like HR?

Yazejian: You know, it’s funny. I usually start by sending an introductory video to someone before I even talk to them. It’s an eight-minute video featuring a B-rated actor that explains the model and gives them an idea of the foundation. At least when I talk to them, they know I’m not looking for a janitor — there’s nothing wrong with that — but I’m not looking for that. I’m looking for that mid- to high-level C-suite executive, someone with a certain net worth who can then reasonably have multiple calls with me to understand the opportunity. 

Most of the time, if you asked a lot of my current master franchise owners, they’d tell you that the first time a consultant put this in front of them, they passed because all they saw was “Anago Cleaning Systems.” They wondered if it was a cleaning company or a cleaning system. Then, when the broker or consultant brought it back and said, “Look at this opportunity again,” they reconsidered. My point is, it’s that difficult for even a consultant or broker to get someone to look at it, and then for me to talk to them. 

So yeah, it’s a couple of calls. I normally start with a 30-minute introductory call, answering any questions they may have, clearing up misconceptions, and giving a high-level overview of the model. And I can see it in their eyes — they’re still confused. I say, “You’re right where you should be. The next call will bring a little more clarity, and then the next one.” When they see the FDD [franchise disclosure document], all of a sudden, things start making sense. So honestly, Nick, it’s never a first call where they say, “Oh, I got it.” It makes my job that much more difficult.

Powills: Shouldn’t franchise messaging start with aligning the buyer’s financial vision for their family, rather than focusing on the passion or product, especially since you’re ultimately selling to a business community? How would you adjust your message to emphasize this approach?

Yazejian: And that’s what we do: generational wealth, legacy building. We talk about it a lot because, at the end of the day, most of the people I talk to are in their 40s or 50s. They might have young children, teenagers, maybe some in college, and they’re thinking, “How do I make their life better than mine was?” So I get a lot of people that really resonate with the generational opportunity, for sure, Nick.

Powills: All right. Let’s say a candidate has watched this. My broken-record line is, "I bet on the jockey, not on the horse." So they’ve listened to this conversation, and they understand that we’re talking about business philosophy more than anything. Is there anything else you want the candidate to know about the business before we sign off?

Yazejian: Oh boy — so much, honestly. Things are running through my head. The best thing I can say is a large majority of the people I talk to come from a consultant or broker who brings them to Anago, shows them the initial opportunity and probably shows them five or six franchises. I guess the best I can say is, I love it when people are intrigued enough to think, “I know what McDonald’s is, or this or that, but I don’t know what Anago is. Tell me more about it.” If you’re not working with consultants or brokers, they are — in my thought process — the best ones to lead you to some great opportunities. So give them a shot.

Watch the full interview above or on YouTube.