Natalie Ehrlich: Marathon Maniac, Franchise Wonder
Whenever most of us finish a run, no matter how short it is, it’s with a sense of accomplishment. Natalie Ehrlich of Oxi Fresh of Phoenix, however, isn’t easily content. She was recently featured in the Huffington Post’s Women in Business Series, where she talked about her Oxi Fresh franchise, her influences and her 56 marathons.
Natalie is one of Oxi Fresh’s first franchisees and has a fascinating past. She earned her doctorate while a single mother, taught students for fifteen years as a professor and worked with the Ministry of Education in Ethiopia. She said these experiences “taught me the importance of identifying what needed to be done for success, prioritizing those actions, and then persevering to achieve my goals.”
This philosophy has proved invaluable to her as a carpet cleaning franchisee. Natalie works incredibly hard to ensure her business is the best it can be, and her efforts netted her the Franchisee of the Year award in 2011.
But it’s not all business for Natalie., though some say her hobby is even more challenging than running a company. In 2013, she completed 41 marathons alone, including a 50 miler! This incredible record earned her the title “Marathon Maniac.” Throughout the many, many miles spent running, Natalie said she met amazing people:
“They encouraged me to keep pressing towards my goal no matter how hard – the prize of accomplishment is always worth it in the end. That’s really true in business. Everyone wants a successful company but not everyone is disciplined and committed to doing what is necessary to succeed. That’s not an option for me. Becoming a Marathon Maniac reinforced the importance of total commitment. As long as you never quit, you’re always moving ahead.”
To read more about Natalie, her thoughts about the challenges women face in the workplace, her mentors and much more, click here.
Want to schedule a carpet cleaning? Just click here! Want to learn about opening your own Oxi Fresh? Visit us at www.oxifreshfranchise.com.
