Considering throwing in the towel!

[AtoZDetailing]

Well, i regret to inform AF...but i am considering throwing in the towel. I am in my second year of business as a mobile detailer but I have much more experience than that. 10 years ago I started doing high school co op at a body shop where i learned the basics of wet sanding and polishing from the old school Italian dudes. The guys who really took pride in their work and would wet sand entire suv's by hand! From there I moved onto a pre owned Exotic car dealership as their detailer and learned a lot. I would work on Ferraris, Lambos, Bentleys, All kinds of Bimmers and Mercs. So my learning curb from day 1 was on high end cars. I was always good at detailing because I love detailing. Some people drink to relieve stress, some people have a smoke, some do drugs, I grab a polisher. After working at the pre owned dealership I moved on to become the Head Detailer For Pfaff Porsche which is where I met most of my clients. I worked at Porsche for 2 years and then went on my own. Did I take a pay cut? yes. Was it really slow in the beginning? yes. However, I was my own boss, with my own schedule, and I loved it. So why throw in the towel right? Well after 2 years of being on my own, business isn't exactly booming. At least no in Toronto, or most of southern Ontario. I get a lot of "kijiji" jobs which i have to turn down because they want a complete "buff and shiney" for $60. The customers that I do have that are willing to pay the buck and understand about paintwork correction and what is involved aren't frequent enough. So all in all I make enough to survive, but i'm not in business to survive. I'm in business to make money and buy m3's (plural because i want 3 generations, e30, e36, and e46). Anyways...not to depress anybody but I figured this is the only place where people would understand the problems that come with detailing. :autopia:

 

[Trouble]

Well, i regret to inform AF...but i am considering throwing in the towel. I am in my second year of business as a mobile detailer but I have much more experience than that. 10 years ago I started doing high school co op at a body shop where i learned the basics of wet sanding and polishing from the old school Italian dudes. The guys who really took pride in their work and would wet sand entire suv's by hand! From there I moved onto a pre owned Exotic car dealership as their detailer and learned a lot. I would work on Ferraris, Lambos, Bentleys, All kinds of Bimmers and Mercs. So my learning curb from day 1 was on high end cars. I was always good at detailing because I love detailing. Some people drink to relieve stress, some people have a smoke, some do drugs, I grab a polisher. After working at the pre owned dealership I moved on to become the Head Detailer For Pfaff Porsche which is where I met most of my clients. I worked at Porsche for 2 years and then went on my own. Did I take a pay cut? yes. Was it really slow in the beginning? yes. However, I was my own boss, with my own schedule, and I loved it. So why throw in the towel right? Well after 2 years of being on my own, business isn't exactly booming. At least no in Toronto, or most of southern Ontario. I get a lot of "kijiji" jobs which i have to turn down because they want a complete "buff and shiney" for $60. The customers that I do have that are willing to pay the buck and understand about paintwork correction and what is involved aren't frequent enough. So all in all I make enough to survive, but i'm not in business to survive. I'm in business to make money and buy m3's (plural because i want 3 generations, e30, e36, and e46). Anyways...not to depress anybody but I figured this is the only place where people would understand the problems that come with detailing. :autopia:

No shame throwing in the towel in this industry. In most cases it is the right move. Hard to purchase a fleet of bimmers charging $60 pr car

Go to work for the government and do this part time

 

[mrclean81]

Those feelings come and go. I've been quitting for 7 years but always find myself going back in for another season. My whole problem is I'm burned out. Been doing it since I was 14 working with my dad, and I'm 33 now. Still young, but been at it for nearly 20 years non stop. There have been times that I've had to go back to working in the dealerships to stay afloat and do my own thing on weekends. There has even been times I've had to work 3 jobs to make it during the height of the recession. I really do feel your pain and know where your coming from even though I have no good advise other than to do what you have to do to take care of yourself and your family. If that means taking a step back and exploring other options, or finding ways to expand your business, that's your call.

 

[wendell jarvis]

Its to you to to make a decision on whats best for you and your situation, but being in business is not for the faint of heart, it takes a multitude of things to make business be profitable, I have been doing this as my main source of income for that last 4 years, part time about 20 years.....you have to be highly and self motivated, educated in this industry, product knowledge, know car talk, be a effective sales person, marketing and building a reputation. Every job has its own level of stress....I should know, I was a National Account Manager for one of the biggest U.S. Companies for 10 years....
As for dealing with low ball prices....just gotta deal with it and move on, they are not worth having at a price of $ 60.00......you gotta get thru the No's before you get to the Yes's......You wont win everyone you meet and talk to, its just life.
I am now at a point where I have a very large customer base and ready to move into a 2 bay garage....I have fought hard to get here and dont see giving up....I want to own this town....when the word Detail is brought up in public, I want the name Vision Detailing to be the word they say.....Boils down to How Bad Do You Want It.....

 

[AtoZDetailing]

Its to you to to make a decision on whats best for you and your situation, but being in business is not for the faint of heart, it takes a multitude of things to make business be profitable, I have been doing this as my main source of income for that last 4 years, part time about 20 years.....you have to be highly and self motivated, educated in this industry, product knowledge, know car talk, be a effective sales person, marketing and building a reputation. Every job has its own level of stress....I should know, I was a National Account Manager for one of the biggest U.S. Companies for 10 years....
As for dealing with low ball prices....just gotta deal with it and move on, they are not worth having at a price of $ 60.00......you gotta get thru the No's before you get to the Yes's......You wont win everyone you meet and talk to, its just life.
I am now at a point where I have a very large customer base and ready to move into a 2 bay garage....I have fought hard to get here and dont see giving up....I want to own this town....when the word Detail is brought up in public, I want the name Vision Detailing to be the word they say.....Boils down to How Bad Do You Want It.....

I agree 100% that one does have to be highly motivated, have industry and product knowledge, and be good at sales, in any business. I think I have all those things. In fact, I'm sure I have all those things. My client base is on an excel spread sheet with contact info, the last time I did a job for them, how much I charged, and when I should follow up for maintenance washing or just to "keep in touch". All my clients have been very happy with my work, and if there ever was an issue i am there to fix any problems. My problem is that I think every demographic represents a different market. Maybe in Toronto there isn't much of a market of people who are willing to spend anything more than $80 or $100 to have their car cleaned. I'm thinking to ride it out for the summer and see what happens. Still put 100% in just like I always do. When I don't have work, I'm on the phone making calls, or traveling to local car shows, or restoration shops to try and make a new client. However, I think if the rest of the summer continues as it is now, it may be time to consider another career.

 

[Stokdgs]

I am sorry that this is now in front and has to be dealt with..

I also know from experience that the care and feeding of a Bimmer is not for the faint-hearted, and if one comes from say - Japanese cars to the German marque's, its like holy-cow !!!

Even if you are blessed to have a shop with a good lift, etc., its still expensive to love the Roundel (which I so dearly love)..

Here is hoping and a prayer that things will unfold in a way that you and yours will be able to get through this and be fine..

It looks like you have a very well-rounded education and experience in about all phases of this world here, so whatever you decide to go with next, you bring invaluable experience and wisdom to the table - and be sure to sell that !

No one - absolutely - no one - really knows and bleeds as much as the Small Business Owner... It is a fact of life..

We work our A$$es off all year, the gross amount looks pretty good going into December..

We balance the Spreadsheet and see - oh- wow - I really only made THAT much ???

And the amount of hours we did over and above is not even taken into account...

Yeah, one of the most fulfilling/love/hate/relationships ever invented - Detailing for profit !!!

But we get up and do it again - helping beautify the Planet - One Car at a Time...

Wish you the best ! Hope you stay tuned in so we can all benefit from your wisdom...

Best,
Dan F