Women’s History Month is an annual celebration of achievements and contributions by women. Our nation’s history is filled with often over-looked contributions of women in our culture, society and in industries across the board. Women hold a central role in the successes of this nation that stretches back to the founding of the United States. At Anago, we are proud of all our women Franchise Owners and staff and are honored to highlight Master Franchise owner, Deb Arduino, during Women’s History month.
Deborah (Deb) is the owner and President of Anago of Metro Detroit with 57 franchisees throughout greater Detroit. In celebration and recognition of Women’s History Month, we caught up with Deb to learn more about her, her passion for franchise ownership, and which woman figure she admires most.
“I met a woman named Andra Rush who is a huge business leader and innovator in Detroit. She was very inspirational in promoting women in business and drove me to want to embark on this adventure.”
–Deb Arduino
What inspired you to start your own business?
I worked in the Medical industry for 20+ years. After my department was eliminated, I transitioned into business development for the hospital. As time went on, I decided that developing my own business was a smarter decision for me. My husband had researched many companies and we chose Anago to be the business we thought would be most successful and work for us.
Who is your most admired female historical figure that may have influenced you to reach beyond your dreams?
I met a woman named Andra Rush who is a huge business leader and innovator in Detroit. She talked to me about her success and challenges in growing a huge trucking company and developing multiple automotive manufacturing companies and shared her hardships and successes. She was very inspirational in promoting women in business and drove me to want to embark on this adventure.
What attracted you to Anago?
Anago became our franchise of choice because the model provided multiple revenue streams, it was recession resistant, it had a long history of success and growth and we thought that the leadership team was a good fit for us.
How long have you been an Anago Master Franchisee and tell me how your business has grown?
My husband and I started Anago of Metro Detroit in 2009. We currently have 57 franchisees and 5 employees. We have seen tremendous growth over the past 5 years. We have achieved a lot of the goals we set for ourselves when starting our company. We like the constant innovations in the cleaning world and we even embraced the challenges that were posed to us during the pandemic. WE ARE ESSENTIAL! I would encourage anyone to consider being an independent business owner.
How do you inspire your unit franchisees to be the best they can be?
Our franchisees have the same goals and aspirations as we do. We provide as much information as we can on techniques, tools, chemicals, rules, regulations, and certifications that provide them with information to become knowledgeable in their fields. We believe their success is a direct reflection on our leadership and we work hard to mentor and raise them up which is what Anago means in the Greek language.
What is your favorite Anago memory so far?
My greatest memory was winning the award for highest percentage of growth during my first year of running the business with my husband.
