Anago Cleaning Systems has just gained a couple of new Master Franchise Owners in Denver, Colorado- Dante and Alex Caravaggio! Originally from Canada, the father-and-son duo are looking forward to opening their Anago Master Franchise together in the Mile High City within the next several months. We recently caught up with Dante and Alex to find out more about the Caravaggios’ franchise education process, Discovery Day, and what inspired them to franchise with Anago. Here’s what they had to say:
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What is your personal and professional background?
Alex: I have five years of engineering and project management experience in oil and gas. I have been in Colorado since 2015, met my wife here, and we have our first child on the way. We thoroughly enjoy living in Colorado and share many of the same hobbies including swimming, hiking, camping, snowboarding, biking, and playing with our dogs. I grew up playing hockey as a goalie in Canada and continue to play hockey here in Colorado. (Go Avs!) I have three siblings and our family is very close, living in California and Texas.
Dante: I am married 35 years to the greatest woman in the world. I’ve spent 40 years in engineering and construction, making it to the top rung 3 times. I dragged my family around the world, and am happy to report that the family turned out perfect. My number one interest is family. I’m super happy to be doing a business venture with my talented son. I’m also a collector of rare coins, sports memorabilia, and comics.
Q: What did you like about the Anago Cleaning Systems franchise opportunity?
Alex: This franchise opportunity was located in the Denver area which is right where my wife and I want to be long-term. It allows my dad and me to work together professionally and grow our relationship in a new way. It also allows me to have more control of my time and create the perfect lifestyle for me. The recurring contracts part of Anago’s business model provides stability in the business which is a big plus. Anago representatives have all been very professional and helpful when educating us on the business.
Dante: We were really impressed by the support staff in Miami and the other Master Franchise Owners. We like the platform, and the flexibility we’re given to be successful.
Q: Why is Anago Cleaning Systems the right fit for you?
Alex: Anago Cleaning Systems allows my dad and me to work together professionally in a way we never have before. It also allows me to put my roots down in the Denver area where my wife and I look forward to being located for a long time. It is my first venture into business ownership, which has huge appeal to me after experiencing some politics in the corporate world.
Dante: Alex and I get to play to our strengths. Alex is masterful at relationships and operations. He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s wonderful at sales too, where I spent 20 years.
Q: What set Anago apart, in your eyes, from other franchise opportunities in the Commercial Cleaning Services Industry?
Alex: We only partially considered one other cleaning franchise, but Anago had already left a strong impression on us with the well-organized infographics, presentations, and conversations we had throughout the process. We had no reason to consider other cleaning franchises once we did some research into pricing differences.
Dante: We didn’t compare Anago to other cleaning services. We compared Anago to other business opportunities, most notably staffing agencies, roofing, excavating, and engineering.
Q: How much did our current global situation influence your choice to franchise with a commercial cleaning service corporation like Anago?
Alex: The current global situation opened up the opportunity for me to leave my corporate job with a package, and pursue a new goal of entrepreneurship. Franchising is something I didn’t really consider while in my corporate job. I believe this timing is just meant to be.
Dante: The timing was good to work with Alex. Without the pandemic, he would have stayed with his firm. Thank goodness for that.
Q: What did you like about Anago’s Discovery Day?
Alex: Having to do the virtual Discovery Day, I was very impressed with the organization of the day and friendliness of all the staff we met virtually. It was a great overview of the office and corporate structure. There was a strong emphasis on this being a family business, which makes the atmosphere and work environment much more comforting and fun.
Dante: It’s a lot of structure and support for a Master Franchise. Alex and I feel we’ll be marvelously successful if we follow the recipe.
Q: What has been your best experience with Anago’s corporate team so far?
Alex: Discovery Day was a very unique (virtual) experience that I was really impressed with. It became clear to me that the corporate team wanted us to succeed as much as we do. I felt more a part of the family after this experience.
Dante: Judy (Walker, Anago Cleaning Systems’ Vice President of Marketing) is my favorite because she’s from the same part of Italy that I am. I’m not sure, but we might be related by a distant famous artist (Michaelangelo Caravaggio or by Dante Alighari.)
Q: Did you experience a particular “A-Ha” or “lightbulb” moment that made you want to franchise with Anago Cleaning Systems?
Alex: The long-term value of being a Master Franchise Owner is tremendous. The collective opinions of all the other Master Franchise Owners we spoke to, in addition to understanding the support from AFI, helped build our confidence in the investment.
Dante: It was the business formula, the location, and the people. You need all three to be successful. It also fits that we can be builders on fertile ground.
Q: Why did you want to become an entrepreneur?
Alex: To me, the ceiling is much higher than any other endeavor. I can own my successes and failures along the way and take great joy in the fact that I am building value and stability for years to come.
Dante: I’ve wanted to be an entrepreneur ever since I had a paper route and was mowing lawns. Unfortunately, like my son, we came out of school with high-paying engineering jobs. Eventually, you find that working for yourself is more satisfying and more liberating than working for “the man.”
Q: What do you think will make you successful?
Alex: Open communication with all team members, being respectful, and being curious will help me be successful in this journey.
Dante: Hard work, and choosing people that do likewise.
Q: What advice would you give to a potential Master Franchise Owner?
Alex: Do as much due diligence as needed to make yourself feel comfortable. We had many conversations with Master Franchise Owners and corporate employees. Every conversation was critical in our process of deciding if this was the right fit for us. Anago was more than willing to share the contact information of the people we requested, so don’t be shy.
Dante: Listen to those that came before.
Q: What are you looking forward to most about owning your own Anago Cleaning Systems franchise?
Alex: I am looking forward to being proud of something my dad and I create together. It will be a fantastic experience for us, and a pivotal moment for me to move from employee to owner. I am excited to help other unit franchisees find their own financial freedom as that will bring a lot of fulfillment. I am also very happy with the Denver territory as it means my wife and I can look forward to stability in the area. Hopefully, we can look back in 10 years and say this is one of the best decisions we’ve made.
Dante: I look forward to success and fun for my family and the Anago Team that Alex and I will faithfully serve and enrich.
Congratulations, Alex and Dante, and welcome to the Anago Cleaning Systems Master Franchise family!
