UK influencer Simon Squibb shortlists Oxfordshire firm

Mr Squibb, also known as the ‘the Dream Guy’, has put a Wheatley-based business on his final five for this month’s Dream Fund.

The influencer has over 6 million followers on Instagram, with 5,000 people having pitched for the July Dream Fund.

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From the final five, two will be selected by a public vote and they will win £5,000 for their business.

Voting closes at 11.59pm on Wednesday, July 29 and you can vote here: https://helpbnk.com/timeline/fbbdedbb-143f-4d9a-ba1d-e673f0a680d7

Ruben Funy Iago is on the shortlist for The Dream Guy’s latest grant (Image: Ruben Funy Iago)

Included among the final five is Ruben Funy Iago’s business, who is an Oxfordshire entrepreneur living in Wheatley with his wife and young children.

He runs a small cleaning and property management business in Oxford, and he pitched for funding to buy professional pressure washing equipment and to grow the business.

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He said: “I run a cleaning business, but the real dream is to grow it to the point where it can buy homes for families in hardship — give without take.

“Finding out I’d beaten over 5,000 pitches was surreal, especially as I nearly didn’t enter. Now I need Oxfordshire to show up for one minute and vote.”

For years he has helped families in hardship through churches and community work and his is to build the business to the point where it can one day buy homes for families who need them.