Cousins Liam Hargreaves and Jason Hough, aged 31 and 32 respectively, have been shortlisted in the Next Generation category at the bfa HSBC British Franchise Awards, taking place at the Vox, Birmingham, on November 30.

 

The two of them own and run Rainbow International Warrington (and surrounding areas), a disaster recovery and specialist cleaning service for businesses and homeowners.

 

The Next Generation category is open to franchisees 35 and under, and Liam and Jason got shortlisted because they have successfully managed to scale up the business in the six years they have owned and operated it.

Jason Hough, franchisee said: “At the age of 17 we both started out as Assistant Trainee Technicians working for the Rainbow International Franchise in Morecambe. We quickly developed in to senior trained and proactive Technicians with a lot of ambition on how we wanted to move forward.

“Liam and I were both overjoyed with finding out we have been shortlisted for the ‘Next Generation Award’. It is at times like this that we can really reflect and see how far we have come as a business.

“When working in the business everyday it is easy to oversee the great successes we have achieved so far, as for us it is all part of ‘the job’. We are lucky that both Liam and I work well as a partnership, and being a Rainbow International franchise provides us with a proven and successful system to follow”

Pip Wilkins QFP, CEO of the bfa, said:

“With both Liam and Jason starting their journey with Rainbow International at the age of 17, it is fantastic to see them continuing this and becoming franchisees. You can see over the five years how they have grown and created a really successful business.”

Andrew Brattesani, Head of Franchising at HSBC, added:

“Liam and Jason have really focused on scaling up, now employing nine members of staff to help them, proactive in going out and getting new business and sustaining it for the future to come, becoming one of the network’s most successful franchise territories.”

Liam and Jason will go head-to-head against four other franchisees in November.