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

You can make a very comfortable living on your own, especially in places like Dallas were the winters aren't harsh (now if they'd stop being so wet lately!), but even the worst winter months are better than my best summer months when I first started. A lot better.



If you want to be rich, you are right, multiple units or franchising is the way to go. Just remember the farther away from the action you are, the less control you have over the finished product in a service industry like detailing.
 
quamen said:
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.
Click to expand...



I'll lay this out for you straight. Detailing as a business is not for 99% of the people who attempt to get into the business. Does this mean that you can't achieve a high degree of success doing it? Absolutely not. I know several people in the business that make a very comfortable living from detailing. However, I also see the CONTSANT, NEVERENDING stream of people who open a "detailing" business and are gone in under six months.



One of the biggest problems with this business is the lack of respect people have for a) the work itself b) how much the work we perform is worth c) how much work we are willing to do to compete. A common complaint from most detailers is having to compete with "hackers". Unlike most I consider a hacker to be someone that adversely affects the detailing business in any way - not just someone who does shoddy work. How many businesses have you seen decide to begin offering "detailing" on the side to prop up their main business when they are slow? Rental car companies, mechanics, limo companies, tint shops etc... are famous for this in my neck of the woods. Add in the morons who do terrible work and you have a huge trend of downward pressure on pricing. This erodes your ability to sell your services for what they are really worth and creates an atmosphere where customers perceive detailing to be a service with little value.



This of course does not apply to the people you really want as a customer but you will field scores of phone calls every day with people astounded that you charge (for example) $30 for a wash and vacuum because they used to have a guy that did it for $15. Another problem is the "family business" in detailing (I know because we are one). In this case you have usually a very small operation of one or two people with no employees that are willing to work for a peasants wage just to stay busy. I see it all the time where a guy works 60-80 hours a week and is making $400 a week in wages (and the guy owns the company!). This could never happen in a properly run business with employees because you would have to pay the employee for every second that they are working and would find that because the prices are so low you are actually losing money on every single job (since you can't just put in the extra hour yourself and not pay yourself for the time).



Sorry for the rant and back to the original question. I have seen it all in this business and made every possible mistake possible it seems at one point or another. However, the difference is I got smart and told myself that if I wasn't making more than I could make by taking a 40 hour a week job in say a factory and have some perks by working for myself than I would just pack it in. Since we did that we have been very successful and I make a better living than most of my friends that have MBA's and are executives. This comes with a price though. If you want to make the big bucks you will need to have employees and be pushing some real volume. There is simply no way around this because detailing is so labour intensive and as a one man show you can only do so much work.



Adding more profitable services such as paint touch up, window tinting or paintless dent removal can significantly improve your profitablility as well. If I had a choice between any of those services and detailing I would ditch the detailing in a second. The labour is far less than half for the same money and selling these services is easier.



In short, if you want it bad enough you can do it. EVERYONE will tell you to give up (they did in my case for the first 4 years we were open). However if you work smart and avoid the mistakes I spoke of earlier you can make a good living and have some quality of life. Good luck and don't give up on your dream.
 
I agree with everything Scott has said.



I'm just entering my third year, and things are just as good as I had hoped, if not better. (I just came back from Cancun...)



I've got a few years on most of you, and the experience of operating/starting other small biz in the past.



Here's a suggestion. (Flame Suit on):



Get a fixed, retail location. The value of your (2) equipped trucks should cover most of the cost; you'll have instant increases in your credibility, and you'll find much more work this time of year...

(Flame Suit off)



With your spirit and determination, I'll bet you can do it!



BTW, in my third year, I fully intend to accomplish income goals similar to yours... if I can continue to keep/attract quality help.



Jim
 
[business when they are slow? Rental car companies, mechanics, limo companies, tint shops etc... are famous for this in my neck of the woods. Add in the morons who do terrible work and you have a huge trend of downward pressure on pricing. This erodes your ability to sell your services for what they are really worth and creates an atmosphere where customers perceive detailing to be a service with little value.





Sorry for the rant and back to the original question. I have seen it all in this business and made every possible mistake possible it seems at one point or another. However, the difference is I got smart and told myself that if I wasn't making more than I could make by taking a 40 hour a week job in say a factory and have some perks by working for myself than I would just pack it in. Since we did that we have been very successful and I make a better living than most of my friends that have MBA's and are executives. This comes with a price though. If you want to make the big bucks you will need to have employees and be pushing some real volume. There is simply no way around this because detailing is so labour intensive and as a one man show you can only do so much work.



Adding more profitable services such as paint touch up, window tinting or paintless dent removal can significantly improve your profitablility as well. If I had a choice between any of those services and detailing I would ditch the detailing in a second. The labour is far less than half for the same money and selling these services is easier.



In short, if you want it bad enough you can do it. EVERYONE will tell you to give up (they did in my case for the first 4 years we were open). However if you work smart and avoid the mistakes I spoke of earlier you can make a good living and have some quality of life. Good luck and don't give up on your dream. [/B][/QUOTE]



Well put together post there



My dream is to have a solar powered , climate controlled detail shop for those who want the ultimate in car care but also an undercover ultra wash using purified water

So many motorists today just want their car washed as their too busy or don't give a crap about their car to get it fully detailed



My friend Jason has friends in our car club who are masters in crash repair, panel beating, auto painting, mechanical repairs and window tinting and his dream is to get all those guys and I in one big building where a one stop car care shop could be established



My work is going slowly but steadily, each step is becoming a bigger one.



I was interstate over the weekend where 400 ford falcons from 1970's to the current BA falcon model were on display including mine and I managed to draw a large crowd over to the car I was working on and show them some of my work

Did one section and left the other as it was and most were shocked and amazed.

I gave out over 70 business cards in two minutes and I already have one guy interested in clearkote products and a few more wanting their car done



My car which is seven years old, stood above all the other AU Falcons in the condition department. They had big power and were really low with big tyres but either the rubber seals, interior or exterior was sadly not in the condition that mine is

As long as I keep doing top quality work like the porsche I did a while back and I get to more and more car shows and show car enthusiasts what I can do, the word will spread and one day I will have my shop.



I once let fear rule my life but now I'm grabbing life by the horns and having a red hot go at it
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
I agree with everything Scott has said.



I'm just entering my third year, and things are just as good as I had hoped, if not better. (I just came back from Cancun...)



I've got a few years on most of you, and the experience of operating/starting other small biz in the past.



Here's a suggestion. (Flame Suit on):



Get a fixed, retail location. The value of your (2) equipped trucks should cover most of the cost; you'll have instant increases in your credibility, and you'll find much more work this time of year...

(Flame Suit off)



With your spirit and determination, I'll bet you can do it!



BTW, in my third year, I fully intend to accomplish income goals similar to yours... if I can continue to keep/attract quality help.



Jim
Click to expand...



Agreed. I am not going to knock the mobile guys but I would conclude that a majority of the guys who go mobile do so because they don't want to take the time to raise the capitol to open a proper fixed location. There are guys out there that do the mobile thing well and represent the industry well (Superior Shine for example) but for every one Superior Shine there are 100 mobile guys doing it wrong. It makes you look "cheap" and erodes the respectability of the trade. Add to that the coming enforcement for water reclaim and mobile will be a thing of the past in the next 10 years for most guys.
 
SVR said:
As long as I keep doing top quality work like the porsche I did a while back and I get to more and more car shows and show car enthusiasts what I can do, the word will spread and one day I will have my shop.



I once let fear rule my life but now I'm grabbing life by the horns and having a red hot go at it
Click to expand...



Way to go! Going to car shows and mixing it up with car-crazy people is absolutely vital. Show 'em what you can do.



Great advice from ShineShop and tgpsr. They are words from the wise. :cool:
 
quamen,



Let me be the first to tell you that it's all about the passion someone has for being in their own business. Sure you have to make a profit in order to stay in business, however, it is not the money, it's the passion.



Hey, the guys who came up with the idea that everyone needed a personal computer knew it did not require a lot of money to start their own business. That's why they started out building their first personal computers in a garage. Hey, if they took the advice offer by those who have responded to this thread, they would have raised the capital, gone into dept and been out of business in a few years, just like all the other shortsighted people who fail at being in their own business.



Although some may disagree, I believe the primary reason they were successful is because they had a passion for operating their own business.
 
mirrorfinishman said:
quamen,



Let me be the first to tell you that it's all about the passion someone has for being in their own business. Sure you have to make a profit in order to stay in business, however, it is not the money, it's the passion.



Hey, the guys who came up with the idea that everyone needed a personal computer knew it did not require a lot of money to start their own business. That's why they started out building their first personal computers in a garage. Hey, if they took the advice offer by those who have responded to this thread, they would have raised the capital, gone into dept and been out of business in a few years, just like all the other shortsighted people who fail at being in their own business.



Although some may disagree, I believe the primary reason they were successful is because they had a passion for operating their own business.
Click to expand...





Frank I have heard that "passion" speech time and time again from guys in the business but have never actually seen a successful detailing operation that will list passion for detailing as the primary reason they are successful. However, I guess what one considers "success" will vary from person to person. You completely missed the point of what I and others were trying to say. I am not advocating going out and burying ones self in debt by opening a business that one cannot afford to operate. Furthermore, whether anyone decides to become a mobile or fixed location is completely up to the individual. I have also stated that there are very successful and professional mobile operators out there but they are outnumbered 100 to 1 with some idiot working out of the trunk of his cavalier (or whatever).



This is a business. Many that attempt to detail for profit seem to miss that point and spout terms like "passion" as being paramount for success. I believe passion for what you are doing is important but it means nothing if you do not possess the skills needed to be successful. Knowing how to run a business properly (accounting/marketing/sales/customer service/human resources) are the most important aspect of running a business. I have spoken with scores of guys in the detailing business that really think they have the world by the *** and are making peanuts. Why waste your time if you aren't going to have a return on your investment of hard work and the risk you take by owning a small business. This doesn't mean you can't stay relatively small OR be mobile but that will make it more difficult to make some real money.



PS. It's also interesting to note that the personal computer guys you spoke up didn't stay working in their garage for long did they?
 
Frank, you can have a passion for something and still fail at it. Sometimes passion can be quite illogical in a business setting and you have to follow more established planning and modeling in order to ensure that your business stays solvent.



I am in firm agreement that you really need to plan in order for your business to be successful.
 
PrinzII said:
Frank, you can have a passion for something and still fail at it. Sometimes passion can be quite illogical in a business setting and you have to follow more established planning and modeling in order to ensure that your business stays solvent.



I am in firm agreement that you really need to plan in order for your business to be successful.
Click to expand...
:xyxthumbs
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
Here's a suggestion. (Flame Suit on):



Get a fixed, retail location. The value of your (2) equipped trucks should cover most of the cost; you'll have instant increases in your credibility, and you'll find much more work this time of year...

(Flame Suit off)
Click to expand...



In your area, I would agree. Plus it gives you a warm place to do the work.



Where the winter weather is more friendly to detailing, I'd stay mobile. Lower costs (which really help when you are a new business) and it gives you a competitive advantage. It is great for customers who may have 2-3 vehicles they need detailed. The convienence of having someone come to their house instead of having to drive the vehicles one at a time to your location is something they really appreciate. Just yesterday, after finishing an F-150 and Expidition (both full details), the customer's wife said how much easier it was that I came out to them.



Being mobile also is an advantage on rainy winter days. I have enough customers with multiple vehicles that they will have me come out and clean a couple of them so when the weather improves, they already have clean cars waiting for them. Fixed location? If they have to drive the car home in the rain, they aren't going to get it cleaned. And how many shops can fit a 44' motor coach inside?



I certainly can't argue with Jim's points though for your area. He has a lot more experience with snowy weather and detailing than I do. :)
 
PrinzII said:
Frank, you can have a passion for something and still fail at it. Sometimes passion can be quite illogical in a business setting and you have to follow more established planning and modeling in order to ensure that your business stays solvent.



I am in firm agreement that you really need to plan in order for your business to be successful.
Click to expand...



:werd: I do think you have to really enjoy detailing (aka, have a passion for it) to be a really good detailer but you also need a good head for business and marketing. You have to be able to anticipate and excede your customer's needs and expectations.



I think Frank's point was more that to excel at the detailing part of the business you have to be passionate about detailing. I know once I got burned out on restaurant management, my work suffered for it. I stopped caring and after a while, it began to show.
 
Agreed you must plan



Why not have the best of both worlds by offering mobile and in house with pick up and delivery within the metro area



Along with the detail shop and ultra wash, I would like to have a car care store adjacient to the shop with a mobile van doing deliveries to crash repairers, other detail shops and car enthusiasts



Have already started getting orders for Clearkote Vanilla moose after what I demonstrated at the car show



I know the above plan/idea will take hard work, committment and probably quite a few years to realise but I believe it will happen.
 
I have two businesses (Architecture, Physical Therapy/PT) and a paying hobby (detailing) I started all of them because thatâ€â„¢s what I like to do (a passion for it if you like) My Grandfatherâ€â„¢s advice to me was, âہ“Find something you like to do and try to make a living at itâ€â„¢, as opposed to doing â€Ëœjust a job for moneyâ€â„¢.





How to Succeed.



Planning, without a business plan youâ€â„¢ll fail



You need to make a profit to stay in business (materials, labour, overhead (water, fuel, electricity, etc) = cost



A detailing service will thrive in any area of the country if it is based on one, simple rule.



Give your customers more than they expect.



Repeat Customers are the Secret to Success! Give your customers more than just a clean car. Make a real impression.

Give them Quality, Value, and Piece of Mind.



Quality: there is simply no substitute. Insist on the highest-quality service, equipment, and products. Your competition doesn't.



Value: give your customers value for their dollar. Never cut corners to save cost.



Peace of Mind: instill confidence in your customers. Proudly advertise your commitment to excellence.



Promoting: "First Class, We Care" image, develops loyal and lasting customer relations.

JonM
 
TOGWT said:


How to Succeed.



Planning, without a business plan youâ€â„¢ll fail



You need to make a profit to stay in business (materials, labour, overhead (water, fuel, electricity, etc) = cost



A detailing service will thrive in any area of the country if it is based on one, simple rule.



Give your customers more than they expect.



Repeat Customers are the Secret to Success! Give your customers more than just a clean car. Make a real impression.

Give them Quality, Value, and Piece of Mind.



Quality: there is simply no substitute. Insist on the highest-quality service, equipment, and products. Your competition doesn't.



Value: give your customers value for their dollar. Never cut corners to save cost.



Peace of Mind: instill confidence in your customers. Proudly advertise your commitment to excellence.



Promoting: "First Class, We Care" image, develops loyal and lasting customer relations.

JonM
Click to expand...



:xyxthumbs :xyxthumbs :xyxthumbs
 
This is a great thread.:up Perfect for those who are new and are interested in starting up a detailing business.



The #1 thing im my opinion from all of the previous posts that should stick out is planning. I'm living proof of what can happen if you don't plan. The only thing is - (and also should be something that a business person should have as a character trait), is that I never gave up and I'm still going. It's about 4 inches of snow outside as we speak and several inches of snow fell previously, it's cold outside, etc. etc., but, again I don't give up. That's a character trait that you MUST have in order to be successful. Just like someone told me in the past, you gotta eat peanuts before you eat steak. But, it's those who persevere (spelling?), manage, and swollow up any pride while eating those peanuts that'll get to eat that steak in the end.



I began to plan for my business after a year in the business...and boy did I pay for it!!:( I changed my business name, my direction, my image and so much more to stay afloat and adapt to my new plan. For that I suffered a huge profit loss, losing customer's, distorting and confusing my image at that time, and so much more. In other words, it's almost like I had to start my business all over again simply because I never planned in the beginning. It's very hard running a mobile auto detailing business. The main area that need's alot of focus is your image (how are you viewed by current and potential customer's). The reason for it is because people are very skeptical to "new" things. Mobile auto detailing is still relatively "new". Also, they are quick to assume that if you don't have a shop, it's not possible to do a complete and thorough job on their second biggest investment.



I didn't and still do not have alot of capital to *REALLY* run my business the way I want to and should be. That's where I adapted another character trait that is very important...I learned how to improvise, adapt, and overcome. I fight and fight to make sure my customer's are satisfied and well taking care of, and that I surpass any expectations my customer may have and also to be ahead and better than competition, and for that I have a steady flow of regular's, referrals, and frequent new customer's coming from advertising's. But, I am not passing on running my business correctly. The right vehicle, tools, equipment, etc. will be added. I'm also considering opening a shop, or better yet, have both mobile and shop.



Good luck Rich and also to all current and future business owners!



Don't give up!! Educate yourself & plan.:xyxthumbs



BTW, quamen, I stole your idea of advertising in plastic bags and placing them at homes and it works like a charm!
 
The biggest thing I can reccomend is an education.



At least some basic business courses at a local college will do. It will help give you an excellent overall feeling for businesses as a whole and more specifically, all of its working parts. There have been a lot of good things said here and as far as business wise most of them are right on target but being that this isn't a class, they are vague and if you are not familiar with the terminology/area of interest, you could be missing some key parts.



For instance, planning...



A successful business plan covers SO MANY parts. I worked on it with a team of 6 for an entire semester to produce a 115 page business page for a simple hand car wash. It was done in a Business Honors Course and proved to be successful. However, countless hours of work went into it and learning the parts of the business plan were SO VITAL to a startup business such as yours. It could be the difference between getting a loan from a bank for 3 fixed locations with projected gross sales over $200k total or continuing with your mobile venture for just $50k grossed.



I really cannot stress enough how much a good education is.



Going on the fixed location guys, I planned it out and you do have a much higher potential for success if done right, but if half assed, much more in the end to lose. Just think of the local drive thru car washes. A standard wash is usually around $10 with a tip and a lot of people get the "Deluxe" which is usually $25 (in my area). You can bang out over 100 cars in a day without a problem. Of course there are other factors involved, but something like that usually denotes cheap labor (people drying the cars and vacuuming them out). Just a thought because I have considered continuing with detailing after college but probably won't unless I go fixed and LARGE.
 
GSRstilez said:
......

I really cannot stress enough how much a good education is.



.......
Click to expand...





I agree with just about everything that you said 100%, but the above quote only about 50%. I had very formal business education. I spent 2 years at RIT's business school, and was on my way to stanford for law. I gave it up. I wasn't learning anything from the business professors. I had learned it all in life and by reading. If you pick up a few great business textbooks, and some books written by great CEO's you will gain an amazing amount of knowledge. I can recommend that you read Jack Straight from the Gut. IT was written by who i believe was one of the best business leaders of all time. Mr. Jack Wlch of General Electric. Amazing leader.



Anyhow i will add more tonight, but knowledge is a great thing, and get it however you can.
 
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