Clean
A Clean
Blessing
Did you have someone who set a good
example for you when you were younger?
If so, who were they and how did they
influence you?
“When I was young I used to be really quiet
and didn’t ask for any advice. I had a lot of
family and friends around me and I think I
may have missed out on their guidance. But
I managed to pick myself up and change my
life by having passion, a good network and
self-belief.“
How do you feel young people are currently
portrayed in the media? What changes
would you like to see?
do what
you love
Blessing Maregere, from Leeds,
started his first business at the age
of 16 which was a contract cleaning
company. After 3 months of trading,
he was employing 6 cleaning staff
and turning over £10,000 a month. His
early success motivated him to launch
‘Bright Futures Enterprise’, a social
enterprise with a mission to inspire
and educate young people to become
successful. Bright Futures Enterprise
has worked with over 5000 young
people through their events and
mentoring programs. Whilst running
the social enterprise, Blessing also
runs ‘Estate Direct Leeds’, a 0%
commission estate agent.
We recently interviewed this young
entrepreneur who is now 20, to find out
what led him to be so successful and
what he plans to do in the future.
what is was about! So if I got asked I would
say scientist, but when I was 16 my GCSE
business studies course and the teacher
inspired me and changed my future.
It seems like you made a good decision to
get into business. Who or what inspired you
to do more and be more?
“Richard Branson is an inspiration to me and
I aspire to achieve what he has done and
“I think young people are portrayed very
negatively in the media. The media use
words like ‘lazy’ and ‘crime’ which is wrong
because the majority are not like this. We do
have a minority of young people who are like
this but they don’t represent all the young
people in the country. I think it is important
to showcase the positive stories of young
people and show that there is something
positive about us. We just need to be given
a chance.”
If you could do one thing all over again, what
would it be and why?
“If I knew then what I know right now, I
would have started investing in my future
way earlier, so I’d be able to retire at a
young age but be able inspire other people
to do the same.”
“You need to do what you love and
love what you do”
also young people who are making a
difference and running businesses
inspire me”
The term ‘Role Model’ is used so much
nowadays; how important do you think it is
to have people who can provide good examples to others?
“It is important to have positive role models
to inspire and educate other aspiring young
people to achieve the same. I have so many
Blessing, when you were at school, did you
people I look up to and they inspire me to
have a clear idea of what you wanted to
keep going and achieve my dreams. So it is
do when you were older or was it a bit of a
important to have successful people in all
confusing time for you?
careers and industry to go back into
“When I was young I wanted to be a
schools and community to motivate
scientist but I had no idea what it involved or the next generation”
YouthPhoriaUK
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
“I would like to be travelling the world, passing on my knowledge and inspiring young
people to be all that they can be and achieve
their dreams.”
And finally Blessing, what advice could you
give to someone who wanted to follow in
your footsteps?
“I would say be passionate; you need to
do what you love and love what you do.
Definitely get yourself a mentor; find
someone who has been through your
journey who can guide you and support you.
And lastly go out and meet and talk to new
people; for you to be successful it’s not about
what you know its about who you know.”
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