At the beginning of 2025, Mike from Edinburgh decided to expand his thriving car care business.

Having already built a successful Fresh Car mobile valeting franchise in Edinburgh, Mike steadily grew his operation and eventually added a second van to cover customers in Dundee. With a loyal customer base and a strong reputation for high-quality valeting, he saw an opportunity to offer even more. That’s when he decided to expand into SMART Repairs.

“I’d been running my valeting business for a while with two vans on the road. Things were going well, and I wanted to grow. SMART Repairs felt like the perfect next step.”

Although Mike had no prior experience in vehicle bodywork or paint repairs, he was confident that, with the right training and support, he could successfully build this new part of the business. He joined the Fresh SMART Repair franchise and began the onboarding process.

“The SMART onboarding has been very supportive, with great advice and training to help me move forward with my SMART Repair business in Edinburgh.”

His journey began with a week of hands-on technical training in Coventry, where he learned how to use a spray gun and apply the core SMART repair techniques.

“As someone who had never picked up a spray gun or done any sort of car body repair, it was all completely new to me. But the training was excellent. Jason, the instructor, explained everything clearly and really helped build our confidence.”

  After that, Mike gained real-world experience by shadowing an experienced Fresh Car technician and working on live customer jobs for two weeks.

“Working with Ricky was fantastic. He is an excellent technician and a very patient teacher. Being out on the road with him and seeing the jobs from start to finish gave me the hands-on experience I needed. It helped settle my nerves and gave me the confidence to start doing jobs on my own.”

The support extended beyond technical skills. Mike also received in-depth training on running the operational side of his new SMART Repair business.

“The training sessions with Matt (Head of SMART) on the systems were great. They gave me a clear understanding of how to manage bookings, invoicing, and day-to-day operations. I felt ready to get started right away.”

The help didn’t stop once training was over. Ongoing support played a key role in getting the business off the ground.

“Steven in the office has been incredibly helpful. He assisted with getting jobs into the diary, sorted out any queries I had, and made sure everything ran smoothly. That kind of backup really made a difference in the early days.”

Now, with a third van on the road, dedicated to SMART Repairs, Mike has successfully expanded his business. He can now provide customers with valeting and car body repair services across two of Scotland’s major cities.

“Altogether, it’s been a great experience. I’m really glad I made the move into SMART Repairs, and I’m excited about what the future holds.”