Keydy Arzu achieved The American Dream creating jobs in Bronx, New York
Keydy Arzu
Tell us about your journey to success with Emanuel Cleaning Services, LLC. How did you start this powerful company?
“I arrived in the United States in 2001 for the American Dream from Honduras. During my process, I face many challenges like learning the language, finding employment and fitting in. I started working as a home attendant in New York and to be honest with you I did not like the job it just wasn’t for me, I am knocking the profession but I just did not see myself doing that job for long. Then I worked in a supermarket as a chaser there I learned how do deal with pressure and people. One day a Brazilian business owner hired me to clean some of the offices he had contracted. There I learned how to clean effectively and in a timely manner. That’s when I realized that that type of work was for me.
It was stress-free and you do not need to deal with a lot of people, but I had a mission and that was to one day have my own business. In September 2017 I did just that I started Emanuel Cleaning Services LLC. I did not graduate from College however I looked for people who did so they can see my vision and grow together. So I met Edson Arzu who has an MBA and is now my husband, and Jonathan Elliz who is our Chief Finance Officer (CFO). Now we have contracts with the state of New York and some in New Jersey. I wanted to take a chance to start my own business because I wanted to take charge of my own destiny with God’s help. In 2019 we purchased a cleaning franchise Anago Cleaning Systems.”
What advice would you give to someone who would like to follow your footsteps in becoming a franchise owner?
“Being your own boss is a blessing and challenging but it does open a lot of doors and provides opportunities to our Garifuna community. Also to dream and to dream big and set goals because without goals dreams are just dreams.”
What do you do on the daily basis to keep a healthy lifestyle and sleep over 8 hours a day?
“I read the bible a lot I meditate in the word of God. I also play soccer. I am a defensive player. I love walking a lot.”
Biography:
Keydy Arzu was born on October 8, 1981, in Santa Rosa de Aguan in Honduras. Early in her childhood, Keydy was driven to entrepreneurship. She would go with her mom to sell coconut bread at the age of 5 years old. Keydy remembers that her mother would give her horchata as a form of payment for helping her. On June 2001 Keydy decided to migrate to the United States of America in search of the American dream. That dream came with several challenges among them were learning the language, employment, adjusting to the culture and fitting in.
Keydy recalls her first job in the United States as a home attendant in Bronx, New York. “ I did not like the profession it just wasn’t for me, I am not knocking it I just felt that it I did not have a passion for it”. Keydy’s next job was a cashier at a supermarket where she learned how to work under pressure, customer service, and patience. Keydy felt that she had a purpose in life that she was meant for something great and she was determined to achieve it.
A Brazilian businessman who owned a cleaning company hired Keydy to clean a school in New Rochelle, there Keydy supervised 20 employees and was in charge of recruiting other personnel to staff other offices within the Westchester County area. Keydy felt comfortable and thrive in the industry. In 2016 Keydy moved with her two kids to West Virginia she did not have a car she had to walk 45 minutes back and forth to the supermarket to buy groceries with on a book-bag on her back. With no employment or money, she started attending a local church where she received the spiritual strength to keep moving forward. She found a cleaning job working for another Brazilian business owner where she received the ultimate knowledge in the cleaning industry. Keydy only stayed in West Virginia to move back to New York. She felt that whatever she called to do she need to do it in New York. Scare as she was she started her own cleaning business called Emanuel Cleaning Services LLC, Emanuel meaning God’s with us. Keydy found two other business partners her husband Edson Arzu and Jonathan Elliz. Now Emanuel Cleaning Services LLC has a contract with DASNY Dormitory Authority of the State of New York where she cleans an office at Bronx Community College. On January 2, 2019, Keydy purchase a cleaning franchise Anago Cleaning Systems. For Keydy this is a great opportunity to continue to grow her business, to create employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for Garifunas in New York. Keydy feels that there’s more work to do. Keydy puts her faith in God in every decision that she has made or will make. In 2019, Keydy is working on helping more people to become entrepreneurs. This is the year is a year of victory Keydy said and with the help of God we’ll be able to help more people.
Keydy has three lovely kids Debra Valencia, Haniel Valencia, Jasnen Valencia and three wonderful step kids Trinity Arzu, Matthew Arzu, and Sara Arzu.