Hartlepool schoolboys set up car washing business

Cole Jobling and Joel Hogg, who are both 13, formed J&C Premium Washes in November 2023 “purely because they love cars”.

The duo started out by cleaning Joel’s grandparents’ cars while learning all there was to know about them and the best ways to clean them.

Cole and Joel, who met at English Martyrs Catholic School, use their own pocket money to buy the best products to clean a range of cars, offering four different packages for their customers.

Lyndsay Hogg, Joel’s mum, said: “They really love cars.

"That is the penultimate reason they started this.

"They love everything about them. Keeping them clean and attention to detail.

"My dad has a couple of cars and they started off washing his cars and buying the best products and working out how to wash them properly on YouTube.”

She added: “Joel cannot wait for the weekend to wash cars.”

Cole and Joel work every weekend, waking up early and staying out all day – even through wintry conditions.

Lyndsay, who is a director of town firm Hogg Global Logistics, said: “They’ve taught themselves how to do marketing and built their own websites and QR codes.

"They bought all the best stuff with their pocket money and Christmas money.

"They work so hard and spend about three hours on each car.”

The duo have had a lot of praise from locals and people across social media for their dedication and hard work and have had to turn people down because they are fully booked.

Lyndsay said: “A few local businesses have reached out to him and offered him advice and asked if he needs any help.

"They have been really supportive.”

Lyndsay likes to think that their creativity and dedication to creating a business is something Joel started to pick up on from watching his family set up and run Hogg Global Logistics.

She said: “We are really proud of them and that they have a work ethic at such a young age.”