Starting Your Own Business : Interview with Mark Jackson from Marks Away!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your business?
I’m Mark, a Consett family man and proud father of three.
I am the owner and operator of Marks Away! Carpet, upholstery and leather cleaning services.

What has been the response from customers so far?
The response has been overwhelming, all the reviews have been positive. My customer’s recommendations have played a major role in spreading the word  about my services.  I can’t thank them enough for their support and encouragement.

How did you come up with your business idea?
I met Simon Merritt who owns Extreme Clean in Consett about 10 years ago. I started to help him during busy periods, he taught me the trade from top to bottom. I can’t thank him enough for the help, advice and guidance he has given me. At my last job I worked permanent night shift and missed valuable family time with the kids, the natural progression for me was to put the skills I had acquired from Simon into my new business and give me more time with the family.

How hard is it to start your own business and do you have any advice for others thinking of starting their own business?

Starting my business was hard, I had to source all my equipment and put together my business plan.
I started with help and support from family and friends. I would advise anyone thinking of starting their own business to create a sound business plan. The best advice would be to stay positive and enthusiastic about your ability to succeed.

What are your plans for the future?
The future for Marks Away! is to build a solid customer base throughout the North East in both domestic and commercial cleaning. My aim right now is to provide a friendly, local, and high quality service.

How can people get in contact with you?
You can get in touch with Marks Away! via their Facebook page, by calling 07572467624, or emailing mjacka83@gmail.com.