Business Profile: CleanScene NI

Contact: Matthew Gallagher
Business: CleanScene NI
E: cleansceneni@gmail.com
M: 07927200659

Business Profile: CleanScene NI

Can you describe your business?

With CleanSceneNI I am aiming to provide car care and cleaning products that suit everyone’s budget. I offer a wide variety of different brands and my main aim in the long term is to be a one stop shop for anything car care or valeting related. My unit in the enterprise centre is where I run CleanSceneNI from, but offer delivery and trade discount. I have a background in valeting myself so am able to offer advice on what products are best and suit you personally.

Why did you start your own business?

I left school at the age of 16 and went onto Omagh College, I studied business and have always aimed to have my own business. I started valeting cars from home as soon as I hit 17 and got my licence, from that I learned that there was really nobody in our area who was there to help the smaller businesses with car care/valeting. Bulk orders were out of my budget and the valeting turned into a hobby more so than a business as I was unable to make any real money. That is the main reason CleanSceneNI came about! I want to be able to offer everything under one roof no matter if you clean your own car or make a living out of cleaning other people’s, I want to be the first place you think of when you need something! I have worked very hard to get to this stage and am happy with how it is progressing; my customer base grows every day and the hard work is paying off.

What are the best things about running your own business?

I currently work full-time as well as running CleanSceneNI! The best thing about your own business, is knowing what you put in, is what you will get out. My main aim is for CleanSceneNI to be my livelihood someday, and I know the more I put into it now and the harder I work, the more chance I have of making it a success. Being able to look back in a few years knowing I built it by myself will make all the hard work and late nights worth it!

What are the main challenges facing the business?

Like any retail business the main challenge is cheap alternative products and the likes of online retailers selling the same products at a price I can’t compete with, but with a lot of hard work and looking into different suppliers I have been able to stock a wide variety of brands and products and hope this will bring people in as I feel I am the only person doing that in Omagh town itself. I also feel with my background I can offer friendly advice and help you pick up the products that suit your needs the best.

What advice would you give to someone starting a business?

Go for it! Don’t hold back, get stuck in, do your business plan and know what you’re aiming for! When I started I must have emailed 100 plus people looking to know exactly what I was doing before I started into it. Through that process I have made some great friends who will do whatever they can to help me.

Can you describe your experience of running a business in three words or less?

Love every second!