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We spoke to Chris, founder of Goose Window Cleaning, to find out how he went from starting out with basic window cleaning equipment in the boot of his car to building a growing exterior cleaning business in just one year.
A Change of Direction
Chris started Goose Window Cleaning in September 2025, at a time when a lot was changing in his life. After getting married, moving house and starting a new job, he found himself at a crossroads in his career.
With a decade of experience in marketing, Chris had the option to continue along his existing career path or take the opportunity to try something completely different.
Fortunately, he had a little help from his brother Martyn, who runs Cannins Exterior Cleaning with his wife Emma. Martyn had some spare window cleaning equipment which he donated to Chris, giving him the opportunity to get started.
Chris already had some experience in the industry, having helped his brother with window cleaning during his university summers to earn some extra money while studying. With the equipment and some knowledge of the trade behind him, he decided to take the plunge and start his own business.
Building a Brand
Coming from a marketing background, Chris knew from the beginning that building a memorable brand would be important. Rather than simply putting a name on a van, he wanted to create something that felt distinctive and stood out from other businesses in the industry.
The name Goose has a personal meaning too. It came from a nickname Chris had for his wife when they first met. As a thank you for all of her love and support, he decided to name the business after her.
That focus on creating a proper brand has continued throughout the first year of the business.
“I think the exterior cleaning industry can sometimes have a reputation for cowboys, so I have always wanted Goose Window Cleaning to be the opposite of that. I try to be professional, reliable and transparent with every customer, while still keeping things friendly and personal.”
Chris has brought the same level of professionalism to Goose Window Cleaning that he developed during his corporate career. His marketing experience has also helped him think beyond simply finding customers and instead focus on building a recognisable local business.
Growing Beyond Window Cleaning
Goose Window Cleaning started out with a focus on window cleaning, but the range of services has grown considerably throughout its first year.
Gutter clearance, fascia and soffit cleaning and conservatory cleaning were added first, followed by services including patio cleaning, roof cleaning and solar panel cleaning.
The business has also grown significantly in terms of its customer base and professional image.
“In my first year, I have gone from starting out with very little to having a growing regular customer base, a fully branded van and a business that now offers a range of exterior cleaning services.”
Finding Customers and Building Loyalty
In the early days, Chris relied heavily on traditional local marketing, including leaflet drops and local Facebook groups. Creative video content across social media and job-finding sites also proved useful for generating work while the business was getting established.
As the business grew, referrals from existing customers began to make a noticeable difference.
Word of mouth has become one of the most valuable ways of growing Goose Window Cleaning, helping Chris turn one-off jobs into relationships with regular customers and build a stronger presence in the local area.
Starting with Squeegee from Day One
Chris has used Squeegee since the very beginning of Goose Window Cleaning. It was one of the biggest pieces of advice he took from his brother Martyn, who was already using Squeegee in his own business.
Starting with Squeegee from day one meant Chris could build his customer management and admin processes alongside the business, rather than having to introduce a new system later on.
“My advice to anyone starting a window cleaning business would be to start with Squeegee from day one. Sit down with a cup of tea and take the time to learn how the system works, because the amount of time it has saved me is immeasurable.”
Being able to set up customers while he is on site, manage their details and keep everything organised has made running the day-to-day side of the business much easier.
Saving Time with Automation
Chris' favourite Squeegee feature is automatic messaging.
Being able to create templates and send appointment reminders, invoices and newsletters to customers without having to write each message individually has saved him a huge amount of time.
For Chris, one of the biggest benefits is being able to communicate with a large number of customers in just a few clicks.
For a small business where time is valuable, having Squeegee handle repetitive admin through automation means Chris can spend less time on manual tasks and more time focusing on the business itself.
Looking Ahead to Year Two
Chris has now completed his first year in business and is proud of how far Goose Window Cleaning has come in such a short space of time.
“The business has grown from me starting out with basic window cleaning equipment in the boot of my car to offering a much wider range of exterior cleaning services, including roof cleaning, patio cleaning and solar panel cleaning. I have also made the big step from running the business out of the back of my car to having my own van, fully branded with the Goose Window Cleaning branding.”
For the next 12 months, Chris' focus is on doubling down on what is already working and continuing to grow his regular customer base.
He wants to keep building the Goose brand locally, bring more regular customers on board and continue expanding the range of services he offers.
After such a busy first year, Chris is excited to see where year two takes Goose Window Cleaning.