AIBU to ask clients for references before setting up my own business?

[cleaningbiz11]

I had my own small cleaning business last year with just a few clients, but had to stop due to an emergency. I had my business for two months, although I had a few clients. I only had one regular client who lived close to me. I really want to start my own cleaning business again and hopefully expand one day, I’ve just applied for a job at a big well known cleaning company in the U.K.

Just to gain some experience and learn about the industry, because I found that clients want cleaners with experience and references. It was very hard to start the business as that’s one of the first thing a client would ask for, and at that time I had no references.

I’m thinking about working for this cleaning company for a bit, gain some experience and then ask the clients for references before setting up my own business? Do you think I can do? Don’t know if it will work, or if I’m allowed to do that 😅.

Get a couple of your friends to write a reference for you. Who is going to know that you never cleaned for them?

Don't really have that many friends tbh

Your employer would probably fire you if they found out.

Anyone who knows you can write you a reference saying that you are clean and tidy, honest, reliable, a hard worker etc. Do you have any older relatives, God parents etc who would be happy to write something about you and be available on the phone to confirm that you are known to them? Once you get a few clients you can ask them as well.

Create a fake e-mail account like jane.doe (at) e-mail provider.co.uk and write the references yourself.

Maybe do a couple of clients on the side very cheap for a few months.

I’m a cleaner and current and former clients have been more than happy to provide references for me. Most new clients don’t ask for references but some do and it’s good to be able to send them straight over.

@user1471457751

Your employer would probably fire you if they found out.

You’ve misunderstood what the OP is asking.

Asking your previous clients to write references is fine. Why do you want to do the employee role before going back to self-employment? Concentrate on your google business profile.