Stonehouse teenager turns £200 idea into five-job cleaning business serving Stroud

A Stonehouse teenager has turned £200 of savings into a cleaning business that now employs five young people and serves 20 households across Stonehouse and Stroud.

Chloe Llewellyn, 17, launched Lemon Squeegee 11 months ago while studying A-levels in business, law and psychology at Cirencester College. The business provides regular and deep cleaning for people with disabilities, families and older residents, charging £15 an hour.

Chloe said the idea came after her grandmother broke her leg and needed help at home. She spent a week cooking, cleaning and helping her grandmother wash her hair, and discovered that she enjoyed the work.

“I really enjoyed the cleaning side of it, and just being able to help her,” she said. “That’s when I thought this could be a business. I actually found a note I’d written three years ago with job ideas, and one of them was a cleaning business.”

At the same time, Chloe’s friends were struggling to find work. The friends, who were then aged 16 and 17, had applied for jobs but either received no response or found interviews difficult.

“All the typical cafe jobs wanted previous experience, and none of my friends had any,” said Chloe. “A big reason I started the business was so I could employ them. They were really into it, and they’ve been a massive part of it. They’re involved in the finance and the decision-making too.”

From 200 leaflets to 20 clients

Building the business was initially difficult. Chloe designed the company’s leaflets and website, then delivered leaflets with her friends to more than 200 houses. They did not receive a single call back at first, but continued until their first clients gradually came on board.

The teenage team now works across Stonehouse and Stroud under the slogan “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.” Chloe said the business was also intended to bring younger and older people into contact with one another.

“A lot of our clients are older people who don’t always see many young people, and a lot of young people don’t spend much time with older people outside their own family,” she said. “I think both sides get a lot out of it.”

Keeping the service affordable has been important to Chloe, who said the company’s small, young team allows it to keep prices low for older customers.

“It’s not all about profit for me,” she said. “Because we’re young and a small team, we’re able to keep our prices low, and that keeps it affordable for older clients.”

One client, Anne from Stroud, said the support had made it easier for her to manage her home. She specifically praised Amira, one of the team members working for Lemon Squeegee.

“It was good to see Amira today, she did a great job cleaning for us, and she’s such a lovely young lady. It’s great to feel I can take a back seat in trying to keep everything up together,” she said.

Business work alongside A-levels

Chloe has handled much of the company’s administration herself. She registered as a sole trader, arranged public and employers’ liability insurance and organised Disclosure and Barring Service checks for everyone on the team. She also wrote the company’s policies, checklists and training materials.

Using artificial intelligence tools, she developed an app that lets staff clock in and out, report issues and access company policies. The system helps her monitor the team’s safety while she manages the operation alongside her studies.

The company name has a family link. Chloe said her family had always called her “Lemonhead”, while a member of staff suggested “squeegee” as a reference to the phrase “easy peasy lemon squeezy”.

Chloe said leading friends, preparing for mock exams, managing a team and speaking with clients had been the most difficult part of running the business. Her proudest moment came when Amira told her that her earnings had enabled her to pay for driving lessons.

Next steps for Lemon Squeegee

The business has developed as youth unemployment remains a concern. The source article reports that unemployment among 18 to 24-year-olds has risen to 14.8%, while more than one million young people are not in education, employment or training. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is described as calling youth unemployment a “moral failure” and promising a “fundamental change” in support for young people, including more apprenticeships.

Chloe is now applying for business degree apprenticeships. She wants to continue studying while gaining practical experience with another company, but plans to remain involved with Lemon Squeegee.

“I want to learn from another company and do as much on-the-job training as I can,” she said. “The thing I enjoy most is going to work, making decisions and being part of a team, so I’d rather study alongside working than wait to find a job.”

Amira is expected to take responsibility for the Stroud team while Chloe pursues her next steps. Chloe also hopes to expand the business to Nailsea, where her grandmother lives.

“I’ve always been interested in business, but actually running one has made me realise how much I love it,” she said. “You don’t need loads of money to start something. If you can spot something people need and you’re willing to work hard, you can create jobs, not just look for one.”