To Achieve Diversity, Cleaning Services Franchisor Gives Away a New Franchise

Franchisor ServiceMaster Clean recently announced a new recipient of its Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship. Chosen from hundreds of applicants, Indonesian-born Devie Basuki is the 11th recipient of the award, which awards a commercial cleaning franchise valued at $31,900 to qualified women and minority applicants.

In today’s tough economy, more people are finding themselves in Basuki’s shoes -- seeking a new direction for their lives. This can be an even bigger challenge for women and members of minority groups, who often find it difficult to access the financial resources that can make starting a business or buying a franchise a reality.

Unfortunately, as franchisors cut costs to keep their companies going in today’s challenging business environment, outreach to minority groups and women is often the first thing to fall by the wayside.

The Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship was designed to help individuals overcome some of the obstacles of starting and running their own business by being a part of a franchise organization. The scholarship allows people interested in starting their own business an opportunity to be awarded their own commercial cleaning franchise license.

Michael Isakson, ServiceMaster Clean’s president and chief operating officer, says his franchise is “committed to diversity.” To help meet that goal, ServiceMaster Clean has committed $1.3 million over four years in direct grants and private financing to its Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship initiative.