Husband scrubs up well alongside successful wife

From TA scrubs to scrubbing decking, former part time soldier Darren Fryer, 41 from Newcastle has taken the plunge and launched a sister company to his wife’s successful cleaning business.

Specialising in cleaning residential and commercial external fascias, windows, garage doors and decking, Jarrow based CKeD Cleaning Services provides a high tech reach & wash system which gives Darren’s business a competitive edge.

Still in its first few months of operation, CKeD Cleaning Services has an incredible 250-strong client base, with many referrals coming through his wife’s Clare Fryer’s cleaning company, CKD Cleaning Services.

Previously a Class One driver for Biffa Waste Services, Darren decided to follow in his wife’s footsteps when he saw the success she was enjoying as well as the flexibility around her home and business life that her new venture allowed her.

Having witnessed the help that Sunderland based enterprise agency TEDCO Business Support had been able to offer Clare through the Ready for Business programme when she set up her business, Darren followed suit and approached the experienced team for help.

Bill Hartshorne, TEDCO’s business advisor offered advice and guidance on the legalities of setting up his business, including walking him through the paperwork required to get CKeD Cleaning Services off the ground and advising on loans available to help grow the business from the offset.

Darren said: “As Clare has a business development background and had set up her business 12 months previously, I already had a lot of knowledge on what setting up a business entailed. However, Bill’s guidance in the nuts and bolts of getting set up really helped me ensure that all the I’s were dotted and t’s were crossed.

“With the birth of our first child last year, I knew more than ever that I wanted to be my own boss like Clare and I’m so pleased that my business has taken off as hers did. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds and how we can continue to grow our businesses together.”

Now 18 months old, Clare’s company, CKD Cleaning Services has cleaned up and is a clear success story. Employing five members of staff plus Clare, the company has 35 regular customers and has commercial contracts with estate agents and secures a significant amount of work on Golden Sands Holiday Park, Morpeth.

TEDCO Business Support delivers the national Ready for Business programme across the north east region. Ready for Business aims to create 6,000 businesses with 10,000 new jobs, is supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund and Barclays and is delivered by the Cavendish Consortium, a partnership between some of England’s leading enterprise agencies together with the National Enterprise Network.

So far the programme has created nearly 3,000 new enterprises and provides individuals with concentrated support in the pre-start stages of their new business including intensive enterprise training via free Get Ready for Business Seminars delivered in partnership with Barclays, one-on-one help from a dedicated business advisor to explore and assess their business ideas and expert analysis into developing a business plan.

To find out more about the programme or series of free Barclays Get Ready for Business seminars running across the region please visit www.startupedge.co.uk .

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