MeetNuzy Ali

We’re extremely pleased to welcome people from all walks of life to the burgeoning NIC Local franchise family.

With franchisees needing a total investment of just £30,000 to get started, it opens the door for anyone to open their own lucrative commercial cleaning business and build an exciting future. It’s a journey Nuzy Ali has experienced first-hand.

“Being able to share my success story is a proud moment for me. I joined NIC Local in 2015 and have since built a multimillion pound turnover business, which is a great feeling. Now I just want to grow and build on that.”

We caught up with Nuzy to talk about how her path from stay-at-home mum to thriving business owner developed thanks to NIC’s support.

Hi Nuzy! Can you tell us what you were doing before joining NIC Local?
I was a single mum with four children, but when my youngest son started nursery, I got a full-time job in telesales. Although in the back of my mind I always wanted to run my own business and work for myself, whilst managing my family and kids at the same time.

What made you decide to go with NIC Local?
One of the reasons I did choose NIC is the fact that it’s all about having your contacts and how big you want to grow. And when you keep in mind that all commercial spaces need cleaning, there is a lot of potential.

What was the experience like in the early days of running your business?
I had three roles: business director, operations manager, and being a single mum! But the support NIC gave me really helped. I had a really good BDM who I could share my thoughts with – they were always an email or a call away and every quarter we would have an in-person meeting.

During the first couple of years, when I needed help with new sites, tenders and contracts, they would always be there to support me. And the support is there for as long as you need them. It’s just down to how fast you can learn from the NIC management, then you take that on further.

Do you remember your first major client contract?
Yes, it was worth almost £90,000. We had eight weeks to carry out deep cleans of apartments across five different sites. The amount of energy, time and teamwork we had was great just to achieve that. It was a big moment for us and I am always grateful to my team, because without them I don’t think it would have been possible.

What does the size of the business look like now compared to then?
I now have 70 employed cleaners and 47 contracts. We also have a mobile cleaner as well who’s available whenever needed.

How has running an NIC Local franchise changed your work-life balance?
To be honest, when you’re running your own business you don’t really have working hours, because if you want to grow and expand your business, it’s like you’re working for yourself. Ideally I still work from 9:30am–5pm, but there’s lots of flexibility available. But I never work weekends because there’s no need to – I’ve got two area support supervisors who look after whatever is needed at the weekend.

But there is always a balance, because when you’re your own boss, you can decide whenever you want to take time off and give quality time to your family.

What does the future look like for you?
As a businesswoman I’m now looking at developing multiple businesses and expanding – the sky’s the limit!

Amazing! Lastly, what would you say to those interested in opening their own NIC Local franchise?
It’s not a cleaning business, but more of a management business. With the support NIC gives you, you feel like family and you want to grow and be part of that. I believe my career really started with NIC. It felt like a family-oriented business and they welcomed me wholeheartedly.