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After Facing a Setback That Changed His Life, a Young Miner Found a New Opportunity in an Unexpected Sector and Today Leads a Multimillion Operation That Is Changing the Franchise Market in Brazil with a Surprising Model.
The Story of Matheus Freitas Seems Like a Movie Script, But It Is Reality: After Losing His Dream Job, He Became a National Reference in the Commercial Cleaning Sector and Today Leads a Multimillion Operation.
At the Forefront of Jan-Pro in Brazil, an American Network Specialized in Disinfection of Corporate Environments, the Entrepreneur from Minas Gerais Helped the Franchise Generate R$ 67.5 Million in 2024 — and the Goal for 2025 Is Already Set: To Reach R$ 80 Million and Expand Throughout the Country.
According to the Portal Exame, Matheus Freitas’s Trajectory Begins with a Harsh Blow: the Burst of the Mariana Dam in Minas Gerais, Which Not Only Destroyed Entire Communities but Also Ended His Dream of Building a Career at One of the Largest Mining Companies in Brazil.
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Tragedy That Turned into a Turning Point
Born in Bento Rodrigues, a District Destroyed by the Environmental Disaster in 2015, Matheus Grew Up in a Working-Class Village Where Almost Everyone Depended on Mining.
Still Young, He Interned in the Marketing Sector of the Mining Company Where His Father Worked for More Than 30 Years.
With Good Grades and Plans to Enter the Trainee Program, Everything Indicated a Solid and Promising Career.
But the Burst of the Dam Completely Altered This Scenario.
“I Saw My Father Lose Everything in the Blink of an Eye. That’s When I Understood I Needed to Take Control of My Own Future”, Matheus Revealed.
What Seemed to Be the End Became the Drive That Led Him to Entrepreneurship.
From Microfranchise to National Leadership
With No Business Experience, He Started Researching Franchise Models Alongside His Father.
They Even Considered Buying a Truck for Debris Removal but Ended Up Discovering Jan-Pro, an American Commercial Cleaning Network.
With Support from a Franchisee Friend in Florianópolis, Matheus Invested in a Jan-Pro Microfranchise in Belo Horizonte.
The Business Was So Successful That, Seven Years Later, He and Four Other Regional Franchisees Acquired the Rights to the National Operation of the Brand in Brazil.
“I Came Wanting to Buy a Microfranchise. Today I Am One of the Five Partners of the Brazilian Operation”, He Proudly Claims.
The Purchase Occurred in 2020, During the Pandemic — a Period of Uncertainty but Also of Increased Demand for Professional Cleaning Services.
Efficiency with International Standards
Jan-Pro Stands Out for Exclusively Performing Commercial Cleaning, Serving Everything from Offices to Large Industries.
The Brand’s Differential Lies in the Use of Professional Equipment, Biodegradable Products, and a Highly Standardized Management Model.
“In Brazil, Cleaning is Still Outsourced as if Renting Labor. The Uniform Changes, but Disorganization Remains”, Matheus Explains.
With a System That Prioritizes Quality Control and Operational Efficiency, Jan-Pro Reduces Operational Costs While Delivering Healthier and Cleaner Environments.
Although the Hourly Rate Is Higher Compared to Competitors, the Model Promises Better Cost-Effectiveness in the Medium and Long Term, Thanks to Waste Reduction and Greater Predictability in Management.
Strategic Expansion Throughout Brazil
Currently, Jan-Pro Has 427 Franchises in Operation and 16 Regional Offices Spread Across 14 States.
For 2025, the Focus Is on Expanding to Regions Such as Central-West and Northeast, with Emphasis on Cities Like Brasília, Goiânia, and Recife.
“The Demand Already Exists. The Challenge Is to Find Leaders with the Profile to Lead Regional Operations”, Matheus Highlights.
The Network Works with Three Levels of Franchises — Micro, Managerial, and Business — and Depends on a Robust Structure to Ensure Support and Standardization in Each Region.
“There’s No Point in Selling a Franchise in a City Without Ensuring Local Support. Our Model Requires This”, He Completes.
Combating Informality in the Sector
The Cleaning Market in Brazil Is Highly Competitive — and Informal.
Many Companies Operate Without Efficient Management, with Fragile Contracts and Questionable Labor Practices.
“It Is Common to See Companies Disappearing Overnight, Leaving Clients and Employees in the Lurch”, Matheus States.
Jan-Pro Takes the Opposite Path: Formalization, Rigorous Training, and Standardization at All Levels.
“We Don’t Want to Be the Cheapest — We Want to Be the Best in Quality”, The Entrepreneur Summarizes.
This Vision Has Generated Solid Results.
The Brand Is Present in Major Centers Like São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, Bahia, Pará, and Amazonas, Solidifying Itself as a Professional Alternative in a Sector Lacking Good Practices.
Franchises on the Rise in Brazil
According to Recent Data from the Brazilian Franchise Association (ABF), the Franchise Sector Generated R$ 240 Billion in 2024, with a Growth of 13% Compared to the Previous Year.
Streamlined Models Focused on Essential Services, Like Matheus’s, Have Been Attracting More and More Investors.
Franchises with an Accessible Initial Ticket, Operational Support, and Appeal to Recurring Needs — Like Cleaning and Maintenance — Have Greater Resilience in Times of Crisis.
It Is This Model That Matheus Is Betting on to Achieve the Goal of R$ 80 Million in Revenue in 2025, Maintaining Consistency and International Quality Standards.
From Intern to CEO: An Example of Resilience
The Journey of Matheus Freitas Is an Inspiring Portrait of the Ability to Overcome and Reinvent Oneself in the Face of Adversity.
From a Young Man Frustrated with the Premature End of His Career at a Large Company to Leader of a Multimillion Franchise Network, His Story Reinforces That Moments of Crisis Can Also Be Doorways to Great Transformations.
“It’s Easy to Grow Quickly. The Hard Part Is to Grow the Right Way”, Matheus Reflects, Reinforcing Jan-Pro’s Commitment to Quality and Sustainability in the Long Term.
And You, Have You Ever Thought About Transforming a Personal Crisis into a Multimillion Opportunity?
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