how do u guys feel about where you are and where your headed?

Q

quamen

New member
I was really putting alot of thought into the whole detailing for money issue. I love doing it and it has brought me more money than any job could have while im attending college still. But you guys who are out there doing it full time, that own a home and have a alot of bills etc, how is it possible to cut it? It seems like these days to have a good life you need to make 6 figures or more, if u plan on having kids, a nice house, reliable cars etc. I sat back and even on the best weeks where 1k or so was great, even if you had great weeks and made 1000 each week as an average that is less than 50,000 a year, but i guess you dont get hit hard with taxes.



I really want to do detailing as my life long job, but what my plans would be is to have a car wash attached to a detailing bay where details could be done as well. On the weekends like once a month be able to have a training seminar with my own product line to certify people to start their own business. This kind of setup if you really work at it and play it right, the sky will be the limit. Your not taking 100 grand anymore, your talking a few hundred grand and I know of companies that just do this. While there isnt a load of these companies out there, I really believe that detailing unless you had units all around the state, or what not can not bring a great living. I hate to sound negative, and im NOT PUTTING ANYONE DOWN CAUSE IM IN THE SAME POSITION, BUT IM LOOKING FOR ADVICE. Im taking criminal justice in college and im almost to the point of finishing my BA degree which im happy with, but my dream changed into really having my own product line with a training facility with a car wash.



I just wanted to think of your thoughts on this? One reason i was like I cant beleive how fast money goes, is that i visited my brother. My one brother makes over 100 grand a year, and i couldnt beleive how fast it goes out. With 2 kids, a house payment, car payments, insurance, food, etc etc, you get the idea. I guess if you lived alone or you had your significant other working this could be a totally different story, but sometimes i say this sucks how can u make real money detailing to support a household or live on your own?



I mean I guess everyone has different lifestyles they want to live, but im not greedy either. I would like to have a nice truck, a decent size house nothing crazy just comfy and not have to be worried about when the next money rolls in, or can i buy that. It discourages me sometimes cause i really want detailing to be the core of my income.
 
Not to burst your bubble, but I think "a few hundred grand" is a little optimistic to take home from a "car wash attached to a detailing bay where details could be done as well. On the weekends like once a month be able to have a training seminar with my own product line to certify people to start their own business".



Just my two cents, but I don't think that any of the fixed pros here bring home those kind of dollars.
 
Quamen, your very ambitious! You have to keep your goals realistic though. I agree, the sky is the limit, ask Bill Gates, Debbie Fields, Steve Job.

Most important is developing short term goals. If, on average, your making $1,000 a week, and you dont live in California, your probably doing ok! Seriously, if after 3 months, you have made 1k a week, 2 additional cars a week can advance your quarterly figures 20%. Consider adding additional help for remedial work like engines or wheels, windows, trim work, something that can expedite your main task surface prep or inetrior, and enable you to take on several cars a day. Of course clientel base is key here also.

Also consider adding your services to an existing facility, like the quick lube/oil change shops, and offer a percentage of profits etc.....
 
Welll I dont know if you know this, Detail King Nick Vacco whom I talk to one of his buddies alot he makes about 700 grand from his training in Pittsburg PA. Think about it. Each month for 11 months only he has 25 students, and charges 300 a head. From just doing that, he makes almost 100 grand a year. Then he sells his own products and of coarse alot of people who attend buy them on the spot or when they return home. That is what im going to try to do with my business, i seriously dont know why many other people dont try to do that. It is a very VERy easy concept, just not many picked up on it. Especially since many of the products that people use are not patented and there so good, u can easily find a chemist and get the fomula and then market them.

That is if you want to make a real living in the detailing world, you can not do it forever since is is alot of labor and your not working for a company who is matching money you put in and all that other stuff.



Just my opinion and how I see it, but i know i dont want to be one of those making less than what i feel is comfortable especially since everything is so damn expenisve, i have to be well near the 100k mark in this time of age. I look at my real father is is very wealthy, he first opened a chain of gas stations, then he purchas all kind of houses and sells them for a markup somehow, i never met him but i read about his sucess.
 
quamen,



Just as an FYI, the median household (that's household, not individual) income in your town is just under $33,000. A lot of people live very well on that.



It's not about how much money you make, but what you do with it, how you invest it, etc. Very few people get rich from their 'job'.



All that being said, if you see a need for a product/service, explore it, research it, and go for it! As I am sure most pros will tell you, the actual detailing is the easy part of their job-the hard part is running the business. Learn good business skills and that will help you 100X what learning good detailing will. I'll bet there are a lot of really good detailers with poor business skills making a lot less money than average detailers with exceptional business skills.
 
"""Your real father is very wealthy?"""





I'd try milking that every year to add to the total amount you need to have a comfortable living.
 
quamen said:
Each month for 11 months only he has 25 students, and charges 300 a head. From just doing that, he makes almost 100 grand a year.
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Pardon me, but he doesn't "make" almost $100K a year, he "grosses" that. It's really $82,500 (25x300x11). Then he has to subtract, um, the rent he pays for where he does the training, the electricity, the supplies, the salary for his help, the advertising for it, etc.



That's like saying when you detail a car for $150, you "make" $150. I'm sure you have a payment on the vehicle you use to get there, insurance, gas, water, polish, wax, etc. Not to mention the portion you give to your partner, what you spend to maintain your website (if you have one), and on and on. Do you have liability insurance? Detail King does if he has 25 strangers in his place every month. What about workman's comp? Don't tell me Detail King doesn't employ anyone. Oh, he does? What about OSHA compliance? And of course the taxes that have to be paid...sales tax, corporate tax, income tax...are you paying those now in your mobile operation? Oh yeah, then to figure out how much tax you owe, you will need an accountant, and how about a lawyer for when one of those 275 students sues you for hurting himself or deciding that he didn't get rich fast enough after your training?



I realize your major is criminal justice, but you need to talk to some of the business majors and understand the difference between gross and net. And Detail King sounds like he has a decent business, but did you know that over 50% of small businesses started don't make it past 5 years?



Sorry to be harsh, but that's the way it is, there's no free lunch.
 
tdekany said:
My accountant told me it was over 70% that don't make past 5 years.
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The total start up failure rate shifts over time, in line with the the wider economy, but a start up failure rate of 70% to 80% in the first year sounds about right.



Many start up's will simply close, as their owners discover that their business concept will not work or more frequently, their planning was inadequate. For many, the net income they expected is not being realized and they never considered the additional work hours most small business owners put in every week.



There is an old saying regarding business failures, "most new business owners do not plan to fail, they just fail to plan", it is still very true today. A good business plan, including a mission statement, marketing plan, conservative sales forecasts, generous spending projections, contingency funding and a well developed cash flow forecast can make all the difference to success or failure.



It is sad that even though the basic business concept behind many startups is sound, startups are often under capitalized and fail as the capital and overdraft is exhausted and their income from slow sales is insufficient to pay ever mounting bills. This is a story repeated every day, may times over.



Proceed at your own risk! Just take a little time to really think about what you are doing, before you start spending money.



Mike (accountant and successful business owner for 12 years)
 
RedondoV6 said:
The total start up failure rate shifts over time, in line with the the wider economy, but a start up failure rate of 70% to 80% in the first year sounds about right.



Many start up's will simply close, as their owners discover that their business concept will not work or more frequently, their planning was inadequate. For many, the net income they expected is not being realized and they never considered the additional work hours most small business owners put in every week.



There is an old saying regarding business failures, "most new business owners do not plan to fail, they just fail to plan", it is still very true today. A good business plan, including a mission statement, marketing plan, conservative sales forecasts, generous spending projections, contingency funding and a well developed cash flow forecast can make all the difference to success or failure.



It is sad that even though the basic business concept behind many startups is sound, startups are often under capitalized and fail as the capital and overdraft is exhausted and their income from slow sales is insufficient to pay ever mounting bills. This is a story repeated every day, may times over.



Proceed at your own risk! Just take a little time to really think about what you are doing, before you start spending money.



Mike (accountant and successful business owner for 12 years)
Click to expand...
:werd:
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I realize your major is criminal justice, but you need to talk to some of the business majors
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You may want to consider switching to become a business major, yourself. Even if you don't use the knowledge for starting your own business, you'll have a much better chance of landing the kind of job that pays what you are wanting to make. I cannot think of many criminal justice jobs that pay six figure incomes (I know there are some, but it's a long hard road to get to them). And a CJ degree is not one of the best preps for grad school.



I know this is an aside, and it's not meant to be insulting. It's just an observation I made while reading through your post. I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to pursue.
 
Well, here is my story of where I started, where I am and maybe where I am headed Cliff notes at bottom of page



Rich,

When we first talked, I gave you a pretty clear picture of where I was, and where I wanted to go. Now everyone gets to know. I started my company 3 years ago while I was attending college for Business at RIT. I had 1 great year under my belt, and was in the middle of my second year. Being that I grew up always around offices, and with some top business execs (my parents, my family, my neighbors, and all of their friends) I had a really good understanding of business. In fact when I was 18, I was already working as a security analyst for one of the top local investment houses. Things were looking great and it looked like life should be a cake walk. Well, I decided that I didn't want to be spoon fed, and that I would rather create something that I could say was mine. Something that had a lot of potential, but not so much that I would ever lose control of it. I prior had been an avid detailer, and always kept my cars immaculate, so one day it all clicked. I spent the rest of the semester working on my business plan, while blowing off every class I could to get more work done. I poured sleepless nights, and long days into getting all of my ideas and materials to come together on paper. I didn't just jump in and hope for the best, I fought to achieve the status of "the best". Anyhow, I put out my advertisements, and immediately received a call back. They were a 1 time customer, but they gave me referrals to some of my best customers that I still work for today. Infact, knowing people, and becoming acquaintances with all of my customers has been the biggest factor to getting me to where I am today, and where I will hopefully be tomorrow. So the first summer that I worked, I was part time, a weekend warrior if you will. I only made about 6k that summer, but it was a great learning experience. I again spent all winter working hard on the upcoming spring. I took a full time job as a chef at Oak Hill CC (where the PGA championship was), and saved up as much money as I could to invest in more supplies for the next spring. This second spring came, and I paid lots of money to have my flyers designed and printed. They came out great, and again some calls started to flow in. Enough calls came in that I hired a helper. He is a great detailer and passionate about his work. Hopefully he will be returning for this summer. Anyhow, I made a lot more money this spring, but as always living expenses started to climb, and the questions began bombarding me every waking minute, and even in my sleep. Am I doing good enough, is it still worth it, where next? At the point of the biggest recession of my spirits, my father who never supported this business (dropping out cost him $60,000) called and asked if he could come out and help me with some jobs, and that he wanted to see me make this dream a solid reality. That is all it took. From that day forth I have not stopped thinking about how I can grow, what I can do to become the top, the best, the biggest, etc.... Reading on here, I saw that Frank Canna, and Rick Springer detail boats. I thought why not give it a try, so I called up one of my customers and asked if I could detail his boat. Of course he said yes, so me and Corey went off and spent a whole day learning the ins and outs of this boat, and how it reacted to different polishes and chemicals. Stemming from that day, and a few more in-between, I started calling marinas, almost immediately they replaced the hack that they had presently working for them, and gave me the top spot. As of this year I will have between 4-6 marinas in Buffalo that I am the sole detailer for, and later this week I am heading out to Rochester to talk with the owners out there. You may ask how I am going to manage all of this? Well, we are hiring employees, and quite a few of them. This is probably the scariest thing that I have had to face yet. I knew Corey had skills, but interviewing strangers that may have no good background, and putting them out there with mine and my company's image to upkeep is terrifying! But in business it is a decision that I had to make. I could have stuck to doing it myself, and capped myself at being able to make a mere 20k per year, or I could do what every business in existence does, and expand and make more money. As a result of this decision, I stand to gross at least 20-30k in April alone. I am finding unlimited possibilities in this business. I decided about one week ago that I wanted to add vinyl lettering and such to the business. I have already sold a pinstripe to a marine customer in under a week, and many more to come according to him. I guess that I really can't predict where the future is going to take us. My fiancé has been an absolute angel and godsend throughout this whole process. If I were her I don't know if I could have dealt with what she has been put through, but in the end, I have been able to give her a position that will allow her to go to school and still have enough money to live. (yes I know she could get a job elsewhere, and she has, but I couldn't live with myself if I let a manager that good slip by and go to some other company :) )



As to the future? I guess that I will be taking that one year at a time. The Japanese like to plan 10-15 years out, personally I would rather focus on what is happening all around me now, and learn and adapt as it comes. Maybe we will build a nice fixed location, and maybe I will buy ten more trucks. I have no idea, and I don't even want to venture a guess.









So to my comments on this thread:

1) There is no limit to the success that you can achieve in any business so long as you plan for success, but are ready for hardship and failure.



2) Yes a lot of businesses close their doors and go under. Owners typically have a tough financial strain on them. I put myself so far in debt when I started that I am still pushing it away (although it is 90% gone finally) The debts wont just be business debts. IF your business is that important to you, and money gets tight, you will find that food is no longer a necessity and many other things that you buy daily. Just realize that you are struggling for a goal, and if you fight and fight, the goal can be achieved.



3) take my comments with a grain of salt. I am only 22, and I may have gotten lucky. I don't think that anything that I have is as a result of luck, I attribute it to my own perseverance, and stubbornness, but in the end who knows, it could all just be dumb luck.

Good luck with whatever direction you decide to go in Rich, and as always if you ever need any help or someone to vent business stress on give me a call. (585) 414-3625















Cliff notes: Started small but organized, added and added, worked and worked, becoming more and more successful the more effort and hard work I feed the business. No future plans, just let them flow. OH, and have a great night you lazy [insert non-offensive insult here] who wouldn't read my whole story!



Mike
 
I'm Mike's helper. :)



I need at least one job that isn't seasonal. If this were someplace where I could make a few bucks for gas and coast through the winter it would be fine.



Business last year was good but a little unreliable, but it's a risk you take with detailing in Buffalo. Also Mike would have fairly steady work in Rochester but not in Buffalo, so I didn't work very steadily. When I did I made good money which allowed me to go a few weeks at a time.



So that leaves me with getting a more reliable job, and having detailing be a supplement. I have a few expenses that I need to pay. So I'm taking a job at a detail/lube/wash chain (NY people would know which one I'm talking about). No it's not ideal for the detailer but they pay good, I am sorta kinda hoping I'm able to do a good job. I hope I actually get hours. If not I'll just say fine, and work for Mike more (since this year it seems like he's going to have quite a bit of work in Buffalo). And then as september approaches I'll apply for a different second job in retail.



But I certainly don't intend to make this a career. At least not solely. I want to get my degree and work in my field, and if Mike is heading in the direction he still is (growing growing growing) I'd be more than happy to work for him on the weekends for a few extra bucks. Going out on my own isn't a question anymore--I don't have time or effort to devote to starting and keeping a business going and taking care of customers as a small business owner should.
 
Guys I really appreciate your comments and I really appreciate your time in helping me plan out and see the light. As for the Detail King guy, i wasnt going into depth i clearly know that is not what he is making, but I know he makes a few hundred thousand for his own pocket how everything is said and done.



As for the criminal justice field great money is to be made in that field. As a state tropper in NJ you start out about 60 grand a year, 100 grand is easlily obtainable in the cj field in certain areas and I know this for a fact. I know many many many cops, more than most people and the good plus is that i have a few differnt badges and a shield on the window to get my out of that stuff.



As for my father yes he is really weatly a millionaire level status, but i never bother with him. He left me and my mom when i was little and he owns a mall in NJ, numerous houses, gas stations and lives in a multimillion dollar mansion down in an affluent area in NJ. I dont want to milk anyone for there money, and not from him for sure.



I know you guys say the median income is this amount, but i like doing what im doing but i need a certain amount of money to for my lifestyle. I just see my brother with his wife and kids and he makes well over 100 k a year, and still sometimes complains about money, but i guess the old saying goes. The more you make the more you spend. I mean yeah he lives in a nice 300k house, drives a 40k vehicle soon to be 2 of them, just bought a 8k quad, does this and that.



I just see detailing as a thing where you cannot just be your own mobile unit and make great money, but need multile units out there. Also yes i know about getting into debt,but i just pulled out as well. I purchased another mobile unit myself to aquire matching trucks to go to work ,but money is getting tight to get both equipped since one is getting a trailer. Anyways im going to keep pushing at it and take it as far as I can, and hopefully this season goes better than the last. Here is a pic of my mobile units
 

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