If you had to start again..
- Thread starter dh3857
- Start date
Richard Grasa
New member
I would have either stayed mobile or opened my shop in a better location. I am back to mobile now. I opened my shop in an industrial location near lots of used car dealers and was going to set up a wholesale side of the business and hire people to do that work. But once I realized most dealers are not good people to work for and that my landlord wouldnt even put a sign for me out front (I was in back of the building), I closed up and went back to mobile and concentrated on only retail work. Once I went back mobile, things took off again like they were when I was mobile before.
imported_WhyteWizard
New member
I think I would have spent some time in a body shop learning to colorsand right off the bat. Every paint correction is just part of that whole process, except for stripping the old wax and decontaminating of course. The point is, if you can can sand a finish with 800 grit - not recommended ever - and get back to a filler free but looks like it came off the gun that way finish, everything after that will be easy.
Next, I'd be more careful with my accounting. Having good paperwork shows you where your money is coming from and since this is a business not a hobby, that's where you should put your effort. Also, having good books lets you deal with your taxes easily and you'll be amazed just how much can be deducted. Which brings me to what I think is an important point - if you're getting a deduction for something - even the mileage for going to get products - that's costing you time and money. Keeping track of expenses - including your time not spent working makes everything more efficient.
Figure out what kind of detailer you want to be and be that. Set your prices and provide good quality for money.
Robert
Next, I'd be more careful with my accounting. Having good paperwork shows you where your money is coming from and since this is a business not a hobby, that's where you should put your effort. Also, having good books lets you deal with your taxes easily and you'll be amazed just how much can be deducted. Which brings me to what I think is an important point - if you're getting a deduction for something - even the mileage for going to get products - that's costing you time and money. Keeping track of expenses - including your time not spent working makes everything more efficient.
Figure out what kind of detailer you want to be and be that. Set your prices and provide good quality for money.
Robert
togwt
The Old Grey Whistle Test
[The "FATAL" mistake that many, too many, small business people make is that they believe that if you know the technical work of a business, you can operate a business that does technical work. Because the "technician" when faced with business problems such as marketing; advertising; financial accountability; proper hiring and training of employees, do not have these knowledge and skills to handle these problems and the best they can do is try to throw what they know, "technical solutions" to the problem, which doesn’t work and before long they are out of business.] Michael Gerber
safetyman2010
New member
dh88hms said:
If I'm honest I wouldn't be getting into detailing at all. This business is just so volatile, labour intensive and low profit I can think of 10 businesses I would open before detailing. We've done extremely well but it's been an extremely long and difficult road.
Operate your business like a business owner and not a hobbyist. If you spend your days chasing down every scratch, stain, and blemish on a $200 detail you will be underwater real quick. If you live in a climate with harsh winters I would consider having a secondary source of income during your first few years at least. I added car sales to my business and it makes up for half my revenue but only accounts for maybe a quarter of my time. Oh yeah, have a start up budget that allows you to screw up a few times and have a few loosing months because you probably will.
safetyman2010
New member
TOGWT said:
E-Myth should be required reading for all potential business owners.
togwt
The Old Grey Whistle Test
ShineShop said:
Recommended reading
1. Start Your Own Automobile Cosmetic restoration Business by Eileen Figure Sandlin
2. Selling The Invisible" by Harry Beckwith
3. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber
4. What Clients Love: A Field Guide to Growing Your Business – Harry Beckwith
5. Mentored By A Millionaire by Steven K. Scott Amazon Books
6. Think and Grow Rich! by Napoleon Hill
7. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
8. Starting a Business - info from IRS website Starting a Business
safetyman2010
New member
TOGWT said:
Add "Customers for life" by Carl Sewell to the list
MirrorDetailing
New member
ShineShop said:
This was my answer as well. If I coudl go back knowing what I know how, I would have gone in a completely different direction with my business. Detailing would not have been the biggest portion...it would just be a service I offer. So many other automotive related businesses out there I could have invested my money and time into and make a much better return with a better future return.
Concours.John
Auto Detail & Restoration
TOGWT said:
"Nine super simple steps to entrepreneurial success" by Marty Grunder is also a good one
If I had it to do over again. I would have waited on the restoration and focus more on detailing and collection management. It tends to overextend myself trying to do both.
imported_Quenga
New member
I am only in my 6th month of business, but:
1. Listen to experienced people more often.
2. Have a business plan/outline. NOT for the financial side, but for the "*** am I doing" side. Outline my details in detail, don't offer more than others are charging and MOST importantly, STOP hunting every swirl and scratch for $200!!
3. Logo, embroidered shirt, business cards, flyers... I should have spent more time on the "little" things that make you look 1000x more professional. No need to spend BIG$, but I didn't spend it wisely.
4. Start with the BASICS. I did what everyone tells you not to do and hunted for the larger details. They came, but not at any volume I needed. My MONEY MAKERS are $150 quick details and maintenance washes. It's easy to sell a $150 quick detail, it's a lot harder to find someone to fork over $300 or more for even a 1-step paint correction.
5. Find FRIENDs to help you market. I did a lot of free or cheap detailing for acquaintances and co-workers that didn't turn into crap. Wasted time and money. My real friends and family members however, have brought me in good business.
6. Lastly, before the list gets too long...I wouldn't have quit my day job. I can detail and at a high standard, but I have no proof or good references. I didn't take enough photos or video in the beginning and family doesn't count as a reference. I should have built more of a client base before I started.
1. Listen to experienced people more often.
2. Have a business plan/outline. NOT for the financial side, but for the "*** am I doing" side. Outline my details in detail, don't offer more than others are charging and MOST importantly, STOP hunting every swirl and scratch for $200!!
3. Logo, embroidered shirt, business cards, flyers... I should have spent more time on the "little" things that make you look 1000x more professional. No need to spend BIG$, but I didn't spend it wisely.
4. Start with the BASICS. I did what everyone tells you not to do and hunted for the larger details. They came, but not at any volume I needed. My MONEY MAKERS are $150 quick details and maintenance washes. It's easy to sell a $150 quick detail, it's a lot harder to find someone to fork over $300 or more for even a 1-step paint correction.
5. Find FRIENDs to help you market. I did a lot of free or cheap detailing for acquaintances and co-workers that didn't turn into crap. Wasted time and money. My real friends and family members however, have brought me in good business.
6. Lastly, before the list gets too long...I wouldn't have quit my day job. I can detail and at a high standard, but I have no proof or good references. I didn't take enough photos or video in the beginning and family doesn't count as a reference. I should have built more of a client base before I started.
imported_Quenga
New member
Oh...and one last thing.
7. Spend less time selling my services, more time selling services. People generally don't care what you know or say, they just want to know how much it's going to cost and to see whether or not you can do it. They already have a price in mind and most likely have compared you to others (especially if they found you organically, they shopped around first). If they don't want to pay your first quote, most likely they don't want to pay any of your quotes.
7. Spend less time selling my services, more time selling services. People generally don't care what you know or say, they just want to know how much it's going to cost and to see whether or not you can do it. They already have a price in mind and most likely have compared you to others (especially if they found you organically, they shopped around first). If they don't want to pay your first quote, most likely they don't want to pay any of your quotes.
IHA Mark
New member
TOGWT said:
Great list, I'm going to be ordering a bunch of these this year to go with the ones I already have.
On topic...
I would be more "aggressive" with my advertising. Sometimes you are at the point where you can just sit back and wait for the phone to ring, other times you need to go out there and make things happen. Boots on the ground goes a long way.
Barry Theal
New member
I would have stuck to more basic services.
safetyman2010
New member
MachNU said:
Pretty much. Of all the auto related businesses detailing requires the most labour, pays the worst and has every Tom, **** and Harry trying to open a detailing business and charge nothing. I can't imagine doing this all over again and trying to build a detailing business from scratch with the current labour costs and overhead.