In College... need advice

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snoboarder8232

New member
At the moment I'm a freshman at Wilkes University, about to finish my first year here. I came here as a pre-pharmacy major. Recently I have decided that I don't want to pursue pharmacy anymore and have switched to "undeclared". I have some general requirements completed, as well as a few extras: Bio, Chem, Calc, Computer Science, etc. I have been entertaining the profession of detailing. I recently completed a course designed to help me realize what my passions are in life: cars, keeping cars looking good, looking at cars, taking care of my car, photography... the mechanical working of cars never interested me... just the aesthetics of them. My goal is to choose a career path that I am passionate about. I am by no means even an amateur detailer, but I'm going to dive into it in the summer and get some experience.



So theoretically speaking, I decide I want to turn detailing into a career, should I change to a entrepreneur major, business major, or maybe change my course in school?



I'm just entertaining this idea so that I can finally choose a reasonable path to follow. Thanks for reading.
 
Realistically speaking, it would be good if you pursued a major regarding business.



The thing is being a detailer is like being an artist, there are many out there but only a few make it big and only a few become very successful. Pursuing a major of anything gives you a backup in case detailing does not go as successful as you would prefer it to be...



Business is related to detailing (especially marketing) so you would make a wise choice pursuing that path. Not to mention marketing is a pretty fun job in itself lol.
 
My suggestion is to go with an entrepreneur major with a management minor. People in detailing that I know are very succesful is because they know how to manage their business ....so a good college degree helps,,,,,,
 
DeltaSniper said:
Realistically speaking, it would be good if you pursued a major regarding business.



The thing is being a detailer is like being an artist, there are many out there but only a few make it big and only a few become very successful. Pursuing a major of anything gives you a backup in case detailing does not go as successful as you would prefer it to be...



Business is related to detailing (especially marketing) so you would make a wise choice pursuing that path. Not to mention marketing is a pretty fun job in itself lol.
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Yes, detailing is an art in some respects, but with a good process any half way intelligent person can accomplish great results. I disagree with the statement that only a few become successful. Maybe only a few are successful doing $1000 paint corrections, but there are lots of successful mobile operations and fixed shops who have done very well. Much more important than your detailing skills are you business skills. As mentioned, it may be smart to take a business related path. It is all about being able to market and sell detailing services to the masses. This is a bit difficult because of the negative perception that hangs over our industry. You have to differentiate yourself from the other businesses in order to be successful.
 
snoboarder8232 said:
At the moment I'm a freshman about to finish my first year here. I came here as a pre-pharmacy major.





cars, keeping cars looking good, looking at cars, taking care of my car, photography...



So theoretically speaking, I decide I want to turn detailing into a career, should I change to a entrepreneur major, business major, or maybe change my course in school?
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You sound exactly like me, i'm in the same exact boat.



My take on business degrees is that they are dime a dozen, many people that have them don't even use them. If you are spending upwards of 12k+ a year for school, i'd keep my money/credit/debt.
 
Operating a detail business is only a small part technical knowledge and more parts business and management knowledge.



For what it's worth, I have been considering going back to school to get a business bachelors degree in marketing (or entrepreneur). I feel that with my experience operating my own business that I could probably breeze through most of the courses because I already understand business and marketing, but I don't have a piece of paper that says I know it. I could probably learn a thing or two as well. :)
 
IMO a freshman should be pursuing a general, broad-based education that'll help teach critical thinking/problem solving/reading and communicating skills. Once you can think well and communicate with others, with a broad perspective on things, specifics like business-related stuff are a piece of cake.
 
You should stay in school and get a degree. All the suggestions have been good. It's totally worth graduating (I am graduating today! :woot2: ) and having that piece of paper that helps you either get a job, or lets people know that you know what you are talking about.



You can always detail on the weekends until you finish school and make some decent pocket change.
 
adespain said:
You should stay in school and get a degree. All the suggestions have been good. It's totally worth graduating (I am graduating today! :woot2: ) and having that piece of paper that helps you either get a job, or lets people know that you know what you are talking about..
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Congrats :xyxthumbs



And yeah...it's like an Associate's, or even a Bachelor's, is "the new high-school diploma". Might not be too much of a stretch to say a Master's is the new "college degree".
 
Business degree without a doubt. You can do a lot with it. The knowledge gained can be put to use in so many different situations. It's like having sales experience. If you can learn to sell you can do a lot also. You sell yourself when you apply for a job and when dating. You can be the greatest detailer in the world but if you can't sell your service you'll be broke. Just like everyone else.



A lot of people do nothing with a degree. How many Poli Sci, Sociology and Psychology majors get a BA or BS and realize they can't do anything with it unless they go to grad school. At the end of the day it's up to you to make it into something profitable.



You can always detail on the side if it's something you are passionate about. That's what hobbies are for. It's a break from your day to day monotony and stressors.



Tim
 
Thanks for all the great advice. So far I have been suggested:



Major: Entrepreneur, Business, marketing



Minor: Business, Management



I'll talk to my adviser soon. I go to a rather small school ATM, but may transfer soon because I'm paying about 30K a year to go here, and am no longer pursuing pharmacy.



What would be the best combination of major/minor? I'm sure my adviser could help me too.
 
Coming from a rival of yours (I went to King's); but I would recommend some type of business major. Once you get down the basics, and if this is something that you really want to do and you have the "drive" to succeed, I don't see any reason why you can't make it work.
 
Dukedude0017 said:
I'm right in Dallas. Seeing Wilkes shocked me a little bit.
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Street5927 said:
Coming from a rival of yours (I went to King's); but I would recommend some type of business major. Once you get down the basics, and if this is something that you really want to do and you have the "drive" to succeed, I don't see any reason why you can't make it work.
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Ha yeah I only went to Wilkes because of Pharmacy. I probably wouldn't have even heard of it if it wasn't for the Pharmacy School. What's up with these terrible roads?



Anyway, when I do pick a major, I think it would be in my best interests to go somewhere a little cheaper... granted, my parents are paying for my school and I do really like it here; I could get the same degree somewhere else for a lot cheaper. My parents are paying almost 30k a year for me to go here (after room and board). Obviously I will discuss it with them, but what are your suggestions?
 
Virginia Tech has the Pamplin school of business. I'm currently an HTM major there and I absolutely love it. Yes it's farther from where you are now (texas?), you're closer to home. And out of state it's about $20 ish thousand
 
mike4690 said:
Virginia Tech has the Pamplin school of business. I'm currently an HTM major there and I absolutely love it. Yes it's farther from where you are now (texas?), you're closer to home. And out of state it's about $20 ish thousand
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Texas? haha what? Thanks for the response. What is this HTM major you speak of?
 
Im just finishing my sophomore year at Northwood University triple majoring in Entrepreneurship/Management/Aftermarket automotive. Like yourself, I have always been very interested in cars and know i will always be involved in the automotive world.



I started my business after my freshman year and It takes a lot of time to learn how to truly detail cars. Repetition is the father of learning!!! This is not a business you can just open your doors and think people will trust you with their automobile.

It takes time to build a reputation in your area. You also have a lot of planning to do. figure out if your going to be in a fixed location or a mobile service? Who is your target market?ETC.. It involves some capital investment for equipment. Being a college student money is not readily available. I started my business by just washing, waxing, and vacuuming cars and then added services as i acquired the machines and know how.



a lot of knowledge can be gained on this site as well as detailing schools all over the country. They can give you professional detailing training and business consultation. If you have any questions feel free to pm me
 
Thanks for the help RightWay. Good suggestions.



I just starting detailing and I'm loving it so far. What career better incorporates my love/skills for art, photography, and cars? (this is not a rhetorical question haha)



One more question. Is there any point continuing to pay ~25k/yr to get a business degree at my current school? I know I can get the same degree at other schools in my area for much less money. This is a poorly constructed question... I know. One would have to know how "good" Wilkes University is and how other schools compare. But for detailing specifically, a degree is a degree, right?

 Would like some input here.



Thanks!
 
snoboarder8232 said:
One would have to know how "good" Wilkes University is and how other schools compare. But for detailing specifically, a degree is a degree, right?
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One might argue that if you're just getting the degree for whatever overall benefits it might confer (i.e., not to impress some potential employer)...then what really matters is how much you get out of that course of study, what you'll actually take away from it and find helpful in your life. I'd see that as being the "how good" it is question.



I'd be looking to learn stuff that'll make it more likely your life will work out well, whatever that means to you (mostly the ability to make good decisions IMO, but that's just my take on it).



OK, you enjoy detailing for [however long] and by the time you're, ...what...60?....you might want to *own* a detailing shop where other people do most of the physical stuff. What is it you'd want to know to get to that point and then be able to make that work? Gonna be able to run a variance analysis when it's needed? Will you know *when* it's needed? The bigger your "how businesses work" toolbox, the more likely things will turn out well, or at least the more likely you won't have to pay other people to tell you stuff (and then try to decide if they're right or not).
 
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