Blandford Forum, Business | Posted on August 3rd, 2026 | return to news

Blandford St Mary man cleans up in car business

Kieran Jackson, who has always loved cars, has a flourishing business thanks to an award from Dorset Community Foundation.

A 20-year-old from Blandford St Mary has achieved a business dream thanks to a SWEF Enterprise Fund grant from Dorset Community Foundation.

Kieran Jackson set up specialist car cleaning firm KJ Detailz a year ago but needed help to expand when he found he couldn’t keep up with demand. Kieran, who said he has always loved cars, came up with the idea for the business while working as a washer-up in his local pub.

He had no experience of professional cleaning so contacted garages and dealerships offering his services for free. He was taken on by a few firms, including Rotate Motorsport in Ferndown, and did so well he ended up being paid by Dorset Prestige Cars in Dorchester.

Once he felt he had developed the right skills, he set up the business from the boot of his car and travelled out to customers. He saved enough to buy a van but still couldn’t keep up with customer demand.

“The problem was I had to rely on using the customers’ power and water and if they were out at work, or they lived in a flat, it was really hard,” he said. “I wasn’t getting round to enough customers to make it pay.”

He heard about the SWEF Enterprise Fund, which awards grants to young people aged 18 to 30 of up to £500 to start-up businesses or up to £2,000 for businesses that have been running for less than two years.

After applying and having an online interview, he was awarded £500 and used it to buy a generator, a water compressor and a rotary polisher.

“It was amazing to get the grant and it has been a real game changer for the business,” said Kieran. “It’s allowed me to be more flexible and tailor the service for everyone. It is 100 per cent the thing that started the business properly.

“Being so mobile is gave me a unique selling point and I was able to serve everyone, and from there the amount of business I can do has just gone straight up.”

Now he is working up to six days a week and cleaning up to four cars a day at between £65 and £100 a time for an initial deep clean and around £30 a monthly clean thereafter. “I go all over Dorset now,” he said. “I’ve done a bit of Facebook advertising but it’s been mostly word of mouth and recommendations.”

He has no plans to rest on his laurels; he is investing in training to carry out more specialised cleaning of high end performance vehicles. He plans to eventually take on staff, buy more vans to expand into other areas and rent a unit.

He said the job has allowed him to indulge his passion for cars. “I’ve been lucky to have worked on some fantastic vehicles, one customer had a McLaren and I’ve also done Maseratis and Porsches,” he said. “One I really want to do is a Ferrari but I haven’t had the opportunity yet unfortunately.

“I enjoy the job because I like cars but also because I can see the results of working hard straight away and it just gives you that nice feeling of ‘I’ve done this, I’ve worked hard for this, my customer’s happy, I’m happy’. It’s a really nice feeling that keeps me going, I absolutely love it.”

His endeavour won him a young entrepreneur award at the Blandford Business Awards this year and he said that, and the faith shown in him by the community foundation, has given him the confidence to keep working hard.

“It’s brilliant because it is reassurance,” he said. “When the business is initially in your head as an idea, it’s very easy to start doubting yourself and saying it’s silly. But once someone is behind you, they believe in you and they give you a lot of money, that belief fuels you.

“I was disciplined and I was ready to just get on and do it. It wasn’t even a push in the right direction, it was a massive shove and I’m really grateful.”

Find out more about the SWEF Enterprise Fund at Dorset Community Foundation at dorsetcommunityfoundation.org