Martinez empowers Hispanic community through franchising

[caption id="attachment_19790" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Maria Martinez, master franchisee for Anago Cleaning Systems in Orlando, Florida"][/caption] “Your business is what you make it” should be the mind-set of every individual who strives for success; it motivates and pushes someone to rise to the challenge. As National Hispanic Heritage Month wraps up this week, Venezuela native Maria Manuela Martinez, the ideal entrepreneur, exemplifies taking an opportunity to become a business owner and expanding the possibilities to others within the franchise industry. Maria and her husband achieved the American dream more than 10 years ago after moving to the United States from Venezuela. Not only has Martinez become a successful master franchisee but she also has been able to provide Hispanic entrepreneurs with the same possibilities in Central Florida with Anago Cleaning Systems. The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States nearly doubled from 1.7 million in 2002 to 3.2 million in 2013, according to a report from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. That report found last year that the growth rate of Latino businesses had grown an average of 7 percent per year from 2007 to 2013, which more than doubled the average 3-percent overall business growth rate. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hispanics comprised 30.3 percent of total workers in the janitorial and cleaning services segment. Martinez added that the vast majority of the unit franchisees in her Orlando territory managing their accounts are Hispanic. After working at one of the biggest advertising firms in Venezuela, Maria had to completely start over when they moved to the United States. Searching for the best opportunity in a new country, she sought out a career as a unit franchisee with Anago, where she, her husband and her nephew all started out cleaning for the company.  After some time passed, Maria climbed the ladder of success and took it upon herself to see how she could continue to grow with Anago. Within a few years she and her husband had acquired the master franchise rights for the entire Orlando territory. Making an impression throughout the Hispanic community, Maria has been able to observe friends and family grow into business professionals while adding to the success of Anago.  Through the different responsibilities and titles that Maria has held, and by watching her colleagues develop alongside her, Maria's career with Anago is marked by accomplishment and joy. “It is important to give back and ensure people in the community know they have the possibility to strive toward their goals,” Martinez said. “It is a nice feeling know that we can start the ripple effect for others to become business owners and see them develop as a person as well as a business owner.” Not only does Maria lead by example but hopes to inspire other female franchisees. Being able to help and give back to her local community is something greater than she ever expected to achieve with Anago. One of the unit franchisees working in Martinez’s Orlando territory, Cecilet Ortiz, credits the master franchisee with leading by example, climbing the ladder at Anago and showing others how they can add accounts and more cleaning staff to work for them. “Anago has given me the opportunity to take control of my finances and my time and use my talents to get ahead,” said Ortiz, who began her Anago career like Martinez at the crew level and now has the highest revenue of any female franchisee in the Orlando market. “If we add the small detail that I am a Hispanic woman, many people might think there are fewer opportunities for me, but the growth of my business is a sum of my effort, dedication and commitment to Anago’s system.” Martinez agreed, saying that systems common in franchises like hers not only lower the cost of entry into business but also enable faster growth along the track from hourly crew member to owner.