Franchisee Hires At-Risk Youth and Supports Her Local Community
Sonia Garg has been so impressed with Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning that she now owns seven territories in Seattle and the surrounding area. “It’s a diverse and very welcoming franchise system. From day one, I felt heard and part of the team. There is no other business I would choose to start my journey with. I bought my first territory with Oxi Fresh in July 2022, my second one in November 2022 and five more in January 2024.”
Garg’s Oxi Fresh operation is her second career. In the first, she was a computer engineer with corporations including Hewlett-Packard and IBM. “After the birth of my daughter, Kavya, I realized I couldn’t properly care for her and have a full-time software career,” says Garg, who was born, raised and educated in India. “My husband traveled frequently, and with both of us having demanding careers, it was difficult to find family time together. With his support, I decided to be a full-time stay-at-home mom and explore entrepreneurship. As an Oxi Fresh owner, I have more time with my children. I am also proud to lead a woman-and minority-owned business and be a positive force in my community.”
She chose to invest in Oxi Fresh based on firsthand experience. “We tried them out and realized they were really a green company and not just claiming to be green. My daughter always had an allergy to dust, and we needed to clean our carpets every six months. With other companies, the carpet was wet for hours and we had to keep our daughter away because of the chemicals. With Oxi Fresh, the dry time was just an hour. Our family used Oxi Fresh many times, and we were a fan of their technology, method, professionalism and ease to schedule. As a mother, all these things were very important to me, and I wanted to bring the concept to my community in Kirkland, Wash. My customers love the effective cleaning and quick turnaround time without worrying about harsh, harmful chemicals.”
Customer Focus
“Pleasing customers, whether we’re cleaning their carpet, upholstery, tile grout or hardwood floors, has been key to my success,” Garg says. “Oxi Fresh gives excellent results by blending innovative products and modern technology, but it was crucial for me to develop a team that shares my passion for customer service.
“Building my team was my biggest challenge. While going through résumés and hiring, I came across 18- and 19-year-olds who were no longer welcome in their homes because they were adults. Their parents were struggling in their own lives, which left the kids homeless — sleeping in unlivable environments such as cars and parking lots. I hired one of these kids, trained him, got him a shared room to live in, and put him to work. Initially it was hard to keep him focused, but after a few weeks, it paid off. This employee now lives in his own apartment and is settled in life.
“I will hire more employees who are in similar positions or going through rough patches. It’s extremely fulfilling and purposeful using my business to play a small part in bettering the community and spread the word about opportunities in franchising, which provides ways for people to control their own destiny. Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning has proved that a business owner can uplift communities. Growing up, I never would have thought that one day I would be in the carpet and upholstery cleaning business. But I now believe that is the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Along the way, Garg says Oxi Fresh provided stellar support. “The company’s powerful combination of knowledgeable people, innovative technology and proven results have helped my business to flourish. And the franchisor itself is growing. There are more than 460 locally owned locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, with more in development.”
For more information about the Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning franchise, visit the brand’s website.
