Now showing success – former cinema man John’s business is oven-ready for recovery
Running a small business is always a challenge, throw in a global pandemic and that challenge gets bigger still.
However, one entrepreneur wouldn’t have it any other way, and 1,500 gleaming oven cleans later, he has extended his oven cleaning franchise for another five years.
John Rorke, aged 56, is a former IMAX cinema film buyer and promoter, who set out to chart his own course for the future after redundancy, by running his own oven cleaning business with the national OvenGleamers franchise.
That was five years ago, since then, John has created a very successful business, cleaning ovens for customers in Wolverhampton (west) and the surrounding south Staffordshire and Shropshire borders area with eco-friendly products.
The pandemic has seen a big rise in people starting their own businesses, whether due to a lifestyle choice, change of career or in some cases, redundancy. Whilst the last 12 months have been even more challenging than usual, John is looking forward to the next five;
"Running your own business isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure," admits John. "However, I can totally understand why so many people have begun their self employed careers in the last year. You get an incredible sense of achievement and fulfilment from being your own boss and you can forge your own future.
"I was actually made redundant from my previous career in the cinema industry which is a world away from what I am doing now as my own boss. However, I think a lot of people are having a good long look at what they want in their careers and in terms of their lifestyles right now after the 12 months we’ve just been through.
"Sadly there will have been redundancies and having been there myself I would advise people looking for their next move or venture to do a bit of soul-searching if they can. Can they see their family enough? Is there flexibility? Can they work when they want and from where they want? What is their earning ceiling? All of these questions will be revolving around peoples’ heads and being talked about around the kitchen table - possibly in front of one of my many gleaming ovens."
Whilst John’s business has been established for five years now, the pandemic hit him, just as it has many other businesses across the UK. However, John’s OvenGleamers franchise owners had a full Covid-19 secure cleaning process up and running within weeks of the first lockdown and John was able to bounce back again after the introduction of the tiers and the latest lockdown.
"The last 12 months have been a huge challenge of course," admits John. "With oven cleaning, we are in peoples' homes and that trust level is even more crucial when it comes to the correct processes around Covid and the wider issues of hygiene, health and safety.
"We have all of that covered with incredibly robust systems and when people realise that we only use eco friendly products that is another important factor that comes into play. I would encourage anyone who is considering a career change or going self employed to do their research and find something that they can really get their teeth into and are passionate about.
"Self employment might not be for everyone, in fact, for many people, self employment isn’t the best fit but for me it works perfectly. There is perhaps something of a myth with regards to the “safety” of a traditional job, versus being self-employed but I think the last year has perhaps changed that perception. Sure, there are very different challenges when you are your own boss but I love that, bring on another five years and another 1,500 ovens."
