Every now and then, a business story comes along that’s so full of grit, determination and sheer willpower that it reminds you exactly why small businesses are the backbone of every community.

Kiss my Glass, the now fast-expanding window cleaning brand based in York, is one of those stories.

Led by founder Natasha, Kiss my Glass has grown from a single van and a thousand leaflets to a thriving multi-van operation with a rapidly growing franchise network. But the road there was anything but straightforward.

Natasha's journey began in 2017, but not in the way most business stories do. After being forced out of a thriving coffee shop she had built from scratch by an ex-partner, she suddenly found herself with no business, no income and no direction.

“It was the darkest time of my life,”she says. “But I’ve always been a Phoenix. I knew I’d rise again.”

With bills to pay and no time to spare, she took up work as a Deliveroo cyclist in York. She wasn’t planning on staying long, but those long hours on the bike gave her time to think — time to figure out what came next.

What came next was a chance encounter with Peter, who would become her partner, husband, and the quiet force behind the scenes supporting her future business.

The van, the system and the spark

Left behind in her garden by her ex was a scrap van with a full Water Fed Pole (WFP) filtration system inside. Natasha had toyed with the idea of becoming one of the few women using WFP systems — she just didn’t know how to install one.

Peter did.

After some persistent convincing, he moved the entire system into a spare van he had. Natasha picked up a new Ova8 pole, kept cycling Deliveroo shifts to save money, and prepared to launch.

Now she needed two things: customers… and a name.

The name that changed everything

One evening, while brainstorming ideas, Peter jokingly asked:

“What would your ex think of you cleaning windows now?” “He can kiss my a***,” Natasha replied.

They froze. They looked at each other. Then said it at the same time:

“Kiss My Glass!”

It was cheeky, smart, memorable and absolutely unforgettable. After checking every platform imaginable — social media, Companies House, local listings — they discovered no other window cleaner in the UK was using it.

Natasha trademarked the name immediately. “If I had a pound for every time someone complimented our name, I’d have quite a stack!_”

And with that, Kiss My Glass was officially born.

Building the business one leaflet at a time

Armed with 1,000 freshly printed flyers, Natasha handed a leaflet to every house she delivered food to — and several doors either side. She knocked doors, posted on social media and told every friend to tell their friends.

On 10 August 2018, she cleaned her very first window.

“It wasn’t fast, and I had no technique,” she laughs. “But those windows were clean — and that customer is still with me today.”

Growth was steady and relentless. Mornings cleaning windows, afternoons cycling Deliveroo. When the work became too much, she dropped Deliveroo altogether and focused fully on the business.

Peter designed the branding and the van signage, and soon the first Kiss My Glass van hit the road.

Before long, Natasha hit capacity. Peter installed a system in his own van and joined her on the tools. Then came the first employee, then the second. Soon they were running three vans, then four, then five.

Eventually they decided to move to all-white vans — instantly recognisable and completely aligned with their brand.

Today, Kiss My Glass operates six vans with a seventh on the way, and an ever-growing customer base that shows no sign of slowing down.

From local success to national franchising

As demand continued to skyrocket, franchising became the natural next step.

Their first franchisee joined in 2024, followed quickly by four more — including Peter and two original team members transitioning into franchise owners themselves.

They’ve now launched a dedicated franchise website and are actively recruiting across the UK.

“There are so many new homes being built across the country. Demand for window cleaning massively outstrips supply. Over-saturation isn’t something any window cleaner needs to worry about.”

Kiss My Glass is now building a nationwide family of franchisees who share the same commitment to high-quality cleans and second-to-none customer service.

A business built on customer service and unforgettable branding

While the quality of the clean itself is vital, Natasha believes their biggest strengths lie in:

• Outstanding customer service -They offer a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee — if they can’t fix an issue, the customer doesn’t pay.
• Being a female-led business in a male-dominated industry. Natasha's story inspires other women to step into trade roles and build successful service businesses.
• And of course… the name. Kiss My Glass is cheeky, memorable and instantly recognisable — and it works.

Natasha’s approach has been a brand-first, visibility-everywhere strategy: Get the name everywhere.

This includes:

• Facebook and local community groups
• Local magazines and publications
• Thousands of flyers
• Radio adverts
• Even an advert on the back of a York bus

They receive recommendations from people who aren’t even customers but who have ‘heard of us.’

Why Kiss My Glass chose Squeegee

Natasha realised early on that pen and paper wasn’t going to cut it. Around 50 customers in, she started trialling software options. Squeegee stood out immediately.

They started on the original Free plan and upgraded as they grew and now use the Infinite plan.

“We absolutely could not have coped without Squeegee. It’s as essential as the pole or the hose reel. It feels like a partner.”

Favourite features include:

• The Work Planner
• The Visual Planner
• Auto invoicing
• Quotes
• Paid notifications
• Customer profiles
• Reporting

What’s Next?

Growth, more growth, and then more after that.

Locally in York, the customer base continues to expand. Nationally, they’re onboarding new franchisees and exploring new areas.

The long-term vision?

A nationwide Kiss My Glass presence, powered by a proven model and driven by people with the same determination and passion that built the original business.

“Window cleaning is a brilliant industry to be in, and I absolutely love it.”