A cleaner's plans for the next 12 months.

As a cleaner in Malvern, I have to confess that I do not sit down at the head of a table and pitch out a strategy to my directors for the next 12 months or longer still. I don't use PowerPoint and I don't raise money on the capital markets to finance my global operations.

Instead, I am more likely to be sitting in the Nags Head in Malvern, not too far from the fire, having a discourse or confab with my friends and advisors and, frequently, the owners of other Malvern cleaning companies.

At this time of year, before the end of the first week is over, thoughts often turn to the next 12 months and what we all hope to achieve. For me, that means growing the business and taking more people on, and also building the profile of the operation as well. There are some frankly astonishing success stories of people who have started out with no capital and through clever marketing have made some impressive brands, so this is something I will have to investigate. So, watch this space!