Posted:03-September-2025
Swapping the toolbox for turnover: Ashley’s leap from stress to success
Ashley Stevens began his career as a car mechanic and diagnostic technician before running a franchise business in a completely different sector. While it gave him valuable experience, the long hours and constant stress eventually took their toll. After selling the business, Ashley stepped away from work to focus on family life, spending five years as a full-time dad to his two children.
By 2024, he was ready for a fresh start. That’s when he discovered My Property Pros – a low-stress, flexible opportunity he could truly call his own.
“I spent about 18 months searching for the right opportunity – something that paid well, wasn’t overly stressful and gave me the freedom to be my own boss. Exterior cleaning really caught my attention because it provided a reliable stream of steady, regular income and jobs that came in quickly, which was exactly what I needed.
“When I invested in My Property Pros (MPP), I launched in Kingswinford and, within a few months, expanded and took over a second territory – Stourbridge. With strong support from head office, I didn’t have to start from scratch – there were already jobs lined up, so I could hit the ground running,” said Ashley.
Founded in 1996, My Property Pros is the UK’s first and only national exterior property cleaning franchise. Having identified and leveraged a gap in the market close to three decades ago, the brand is now firmly established as a highly profitable, award-winning, multi-van franchise opportunity. Franchisees benefit from cutting-edge technology, proprietary software systems and a team that’s absolutely dedicated to their success.
A flying start fuelled by expert support
The support from head office played a crucial role in launching Ashley’s business with impact. During launch week training, MPP founder Karen Prewer’s sharp marketing instincts and industry know how helped Ashley secure a major jet wash job straight out of the gate. That single booking proved to be a breakthrough moment, triggering a domino effect that led to six more customers on the same street signing up shortly after.
“I wouldn’t have the business I have now without the support from head office. When I invested in my second territory, they were a big help in guiding me through the transition. But to be honest, the systems are so well set up that once I was up and running, I didn’t need much hands-on support – everything just runs smoothly,” added Ashley.
During his onboarding process in 2024, Ashley was excited to hear from founders Karen and Dave Prewer about the addition of several new high-value add-on services. They explained how this would not only strengthen the brand’s presence in the market but also allow for franchisees to profit off these high-revenue services. Among these, roof cleaning stood out as a particularly promising addition that could open up exciting opportunities for growth and diversification.
“The profit potential with MPP is so much greater than I expected. When I was just doing window cleaning, I was capped at around £2,000 a week. Now, with services like jet washing and roof cleaning, I can earn over £1,000 a day – sometimes even in a single afternoon – and still be home by 5pm. It’s been a game-changer.
“As a solo entrepreneur, it’s made launching and growing the business so much easier. Clients trust me – and that trust is gold in this business. Once they’ve seen the quality of the work, they often ask if I can take on other jobs around the property. That opens the door to more revenue without extra marketing effort. Out of everything I offer, roof cleaning has become the biggest earner by far – it’s the most profitable part of the business,” explained Ashley.
MPP franchisees operate from fully equipped, eye-catching vans – the ultimate advert on wheels! A range of complementary, in-demand services?mean franchisees can work year-round and cross-sell with ease?– from roof and render cleaning to gutter clearing and maintenance, jet washing and window cleaning. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, almost all cleaning is completed with both feet firmly on the ground! As for your dreams... the sky’s the limit!
Today, Ashley runs a thriving multi-territory business covering Kingswinford and Stourbridge, with a growing team to match. After operating solo for the first year, he brought on his first employee in June 2025 to help meet rising demand – and also invested in a second vehicle to keep up with the workload.
Ashley’s new team member quickly proved to be a valuable asset to the business. He picked up the tools and systems with ease, and after just a few jobs, was confidently working independently.
Now fully trained across MPP’s core offering, he’s able to head out solo, deliver excellent results, and generate more than enough income to cover his salary – giving Ashley the time and headspace to focus on scaling the business behind the scenes.
“The plan is to eventually bring in another member of the team to work alongside my current employee, ideally with them running their own van. I’d like to take more of a step back and focus on growing the business behind the scenes. Long term, I’d love to have dedicated vans for different types of work – whether it’s maintenance or more specialist services. As we grow, that kind of structure will really boost efficiency and increase the value we deliver to clients,” added Ashley.
Since launching his MPP franchise, Ashley has found the work-life balance he was searching for. With a steady stream of jobs, a trusted team member on board, and the flexibility to plan his own schedule, he’s able to earn well without sacrificing family time.
“My business runs 5–6 days a week, but I only work 2–3 of those days now, and I’m usually home by 5pm – in time for dinner and the kids’ school events. I’ve even got time to be part of the parents' association, which I love. We help raise money for the school, and I get stuck in running stalls and DJing at events – they call me ‘DJ Ash’! Last year we raised around £14,000. It’s really rewarding to give back like that and be properly involved in the community,” said Ashley.
For anyone thinking about becoming a franchisee, take it from someone fresh off a streak of record-breaking weeks: “I became VAT registered in just 14 months, which shows how quickly things can grow. Exterior cleaning pays well, and the turnaround is fast – having the strong MPP branding behind you really helps open doors. What also makes the difference is being polite, trustworthy and personable. There’s a huge market out there if you’re willing to do the job properly and treat people right.”
Interested and want to know more about My Property Pros?
The My Property Pros profile outlines all aspects of their franchise opportunity and allows you to contact them for further information or to ask a question.
