Posted:26-August-2026
From Recruitment to Commercial Cleaning: Mitchell’s NIC Local Story
Just eight months after becoming an NIC Local franchisee, Mitchell Smith and his business partner have already built a growing commercial cleaning operation across the West Midlands and Worcestershire.
With 11 cleaners, a healthy pipeline of new business and plans to recruit an area manager, their franchise has developed faster than they initially expected.
So, what made two experienced business owners choose franchising – and why NIC Local?
Looking for a new opportunity
Mitchell and his business partner already owned a recruitment business within the healthcare support sector when they decided they wanted to diversify.
Their search took them to the International Franchise Show at ExCeL London, where NIC Local quickly caught their attention.
“We could immediately see some crossover with what we already knew,” Mitchell explains. “We were used to managing people in support roles, organising shifts and dealing with a similar employee demographic.”
Another major attraction was the flexibility of the NIC Local model.
Rather than being restricted to one defined territory, Mitchell and his business partner could identify and pursue opportunities in locations that made commercial sense for them.
“That was a real bonus. We can manage our own time and travel, choose where we want to develop the business and focus our efforts on the opportunities we think have the greatest potential.”
Why choose a franchise when you’ve already built a business?
Having previously started a company from scratch, Mitchell knew exactly how much work goes on behind the scenes.
That experience actually made franchising more appealing.
“When you’ve built a business yourself, you understand how many different things demand your attention,” he says. “With NIC Local, a lot of that infrastructure is already there.”
Support with areas such as invoicing and payroll means Mitchell can spend more of his time doing what he does best: winning and developing business.
“You have an established brand, the necessary accreditations and a support structure behind you from day one. For us, it offered a really attractive balance between running our own business and having the backing of an established organisation.”
Learning a new market
Despite Mitchell’s extensive sales and business development experience, entering a new sector still came with a learning curve.
“In the beginning, we made the mistake of applying what had worked for us elsewhere without fully understanding the commercial cleaning market.”
They initially pursued contracts that weren't right for their new business, sometimes finding themselves competing against much larger operators prepared to work on extremely tight margins.
Rather than continuing down that route, they changed their approach.
“We started listening more and learning what made a good contract for us. Once we understood the market better, our sales strategy changed completely.”
The result was their first contract – and an important foothold in healthcare cleaning.
That initial success helped open the door to further opportunities within the sector.
Backed by the NIC Local network
For Mitchell, one of the biggest benefits of joining NIC Local has been knowing that although he owns his business, he isn't building it alone.
“There’s a whole team behind you that genuinely wants you to succeed.”
Alongside operational business support, Mitchell has been able to draw on marketing expertise, practical sales tools and the experience of people who already understand the industry.
The wider franchisee network has proved valuable too.
“Being able to share experiences with other franchisees can save you a huge amount of time. You learn what other people have tried, what works and what doesn't.”
That process of testing, learning and refining has helped Mitchell find a sales approach that is now producing strong results.
Growing faster than expected
Perhaps the biggest surprise has been the pace of growth.
Mitchell and his business partner have begun securing contracts through Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and have developed a strong pipeline of potential new business.
Mitchell is currently the franchise's only full-time salesperson, but that may not be the case for long.
“We're already looking at recruiting an area manager, which will give us even more capacity to grow.”
Building the right operational team has brought its own challenges, particularly when it comes to recruitment and people management.
But eight months in, the business already has 11 cleaners.
“We've built a really committed team. Seeing that come together and watching the business develop is incredibly motivating.”
Was it the right investment?
For Mitchell, the answer is an emphatic yes.
“The initial investment was affordable for us, and now that we're established, we can see the value we're getting from it.”
As someone who has experienced the realities of launching an independent business, Mitchell feels particularly well placed to compare the two routes.
“From our perspective, the NIC Local franchise has been a very sound investment. To be able to say that after only eight months is significant.”
A different way of working
The move into commercial cleaning has also changed Mitchell's working life.
Because much of the cleaning takes place early in the morning or during the evening, his days don't necessarily follow the traditional nine-to-five routine.
“I might have a relaxed morning, go to the gym and then have a meeting later in the day. It's given me a different work-life balance, and I've really welcomed that.”
Most importantly, the franchise allows Mitchell to concentrate on something he genuinely enjoys: selling.
“I love business development – whether that's meeting people face to face or picking up the phone. With this business, there's always another opportunity to pursue.”
That sense of control has been one of the biggest differences compared with recruitment.
“In recruitment, if companies aren't hiring, there's only so much you can do. Commercial cleaning is different. There are opportunities everywhere, and the amount of business development you do is largely in your own hands.”
14 months in and only getting started
In just over a year, Mitchell and his business partner have exceeded their initial financial expectations, grown their team and established a reputation in a sector that was new to them when they started.
For Mitchell, the experience has also been personally rewarding.
“I've learned a huge amount and faced completely new business challenges. I'm proud of what we've achieved already, but what excites me most is knowing how much further we can take it.”
With a growing team, new contracts and ambitious plans for the future, Mitchell's NIC Local journey is still in its early stages.
And at the current rate of progress, there's likely to be plenty more to come.
Could NIC Local be your next business opportunity?
NIC Local gives ambitious business owners the opportunity to build their own commercial cleaning business with the backing, systems and experience of an established national brand.
With more than 50 years of industry experience behind the network, franchisees can focus on developing their business while benefiting from ongoing operational, sales and marketing support.
Ready to find out more? Request an NIC Local franchise prospectus today.
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The NIC Local profile outlines all aspects of their franchise opportunity and allows you to contact them for further information or to ask a question.
