Pros: How did you start out?

A

azenthusiast

New member
Okay, I asked a question awhile back about starting a business detailing vehicles. As time passes, I really begin to believe that this is a very realistic proposition. However, I do have a few (okay, quite a few) questions.



1.) Is it necessary to have a pickup truck? I have a Liberty with the 3.7L right now. It seems to me that you would need to bring your own water tank to the clients' home. Is this true or do you use their tap (which would seem unprofessional unless that is the norm).



2.) What products did you start out with? Is it necessary to have an entire arsenal at your disposal or are there a few simple necessities that would suffice (ONR, Zaino, etc).



3.) What type of paperwork is involved with operating a mobile detailing busines? By this I mean liability, environmental licenses, etc?



4.) Last question, when did you know that you were capable of earning a profit off of your passion?



Any and all input is greatly appreciated, as are PMs or links to any related info.
 
azenthusiast said:
Okay, I asked a question awhile back about starting a business detailing vehicles. As time passes, I really begin to believe that this is a very realistic proposition. However, I do have a few (okay, quite a few) questions.



1.) Is it necessary to have a pickup truck? I have a Liberty with the 3.7L right now. It seems to me that you would need to bring your own water tank to the clients' home. Is this true or do you use their tap (which would seem unprofessional unless that is the norm).



You don't need a full size truck, you can get away with organizing everything in a SUV if you lay the seats down, I use the clients water and electric and never had a complaint.



2.) What products did you start out with? Is it necessary to have an entire arsenal at your disposal or are there a few simple necessities that would suffice (ONR, Zaino, etc).



Any car wash will do, then claybar, then a good sealant and get some 303 for interiors and leather cleaner/conditioners and a vacuum and dust brushes. If you plan on buffing and doing paint correction then you'll need to look into a good compounding polish line.



3.) What type of paperwork is involved with operating a mobile detailing busines? By this I mean liability, environmental licenses, etc?



If you plan on making a profit, you need a business license, get insurance if you do paint correction and or very high end clients, also get a reciept book and something to clock your mileage.



4.) Last question, when did you know that you were capable of earning a profit off of your passion?



When I was making a minimum of $30 per hour, then after a year or two of learning what true detailing and paint correction is I stepped up my game and get into the higher end market and make well over twice that now.



Any and all input is greatly appreciated, as are PMs or links to any related info.
Click to expand...





Read above, I answered your questions in the quote. Good luck with it, it will be slow starting off, so not a bad idea to work part time or full time till the detailing takes over. The better your quality the better your name will spread around, go to car shows and get together of exotics and such when you're ready to handle those kind of cars.



Josh
 
autobahnshine said:
Cool Thread idea!



Also, what did most pro detailers do BEFORE detailing??? POST UP!!
Click to expand...



I worked for a professional Philanthropy firm in Dallas, but after 3 years I learned that desk jobs and office politics are not for me....:grinno:



I did buy a nice Corvette though since the pay was good and have always detailed all my cars, but the black Vette put me overboard and then after getting let go from that job, I took a job maintaining inventory for a major distribution center in Dallas and started detailing for money on the side to save up for an engagement ring.



Now I'm married and detailing full time and I'm living happily ever after....:lol .:2thumbs:
 
1.) Is it necessary to have a pickup truck? I have a Liberty with the 3.7L right now. It seems to me that you would need to bring your own water tank to the clients' home. Is this true or do you use their tap (which would seem unprofessional unless that is the norm).



Nope. There are plenty of detailers that don't have have big vehicles or trailers that are successful. I on the other hand, decided that I wanted to have a truck and a trailer so I could bring my own water and electricity if necessary. I have a Tacoma and I pull an enclosed 5x10' trailer.



2.) What products did you start out with? Is it necessary to have an entire arsenal at your disposal or are there a few simple necessities that would suffice (ONR, Zaino, etc).



If I had to do it all over again, I'd be very careful about buying too many products. Long story short, I now use all Optimum products because I like the company as a whole and I love using their products. Unfortunately, I feel like I bought about every other product out there before realizing that I wanted to use Optimum. Now I'm stuck with all these products that I'm not using and in some cases, a lot of a certain product. So, my point is: Keep it simple. Find products that work for you and that you like using and use them often.



If you want to try a new product, seek a trade or buy a sample from someone. It almost became stressful when I'd do a job because I'd have 20 different products to choose from for each step. Now, I don't have to worry about that. I could go on forever about products, but I'm sure you get my point.



3.) What type of paperwork is involved with operating a mobile detailing busines? By this I mean liability, environmental licenses, etc?



I registered my business with the state for $90 and got insurance. One thing I would highly suggest is to get your finances in order and get a good account/tax person. That's another mistake I made and now I'm sorting through stacks of receipts.



4.) Last question, when did you know that you were capable of earning a profit off of your passion?



I worked in IT for 8 years and for the last 3 years or so I realized 1) I hated IT 2) I hated sitting behind a desk all day and 3) I enjoyed detailing because I'm a car enthusiast at heart. I lived on the detailing boards and out in the driveway. One day I finally got the courage to dump my IT job and I don't regret it one bit. I wish I would have done it sooner.



The only problem for me is that I went full time last September instead of sticking to my plan of this spring because I really wanted out of my IT job. I knew if I could get through this first winter, I'd be alright. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to spring weather.
 
Thanks JoshVette. I really appreciate that. If you don't mind my asking, about how long did it take you to be able to become entirely reliant on the detailing alone to support your family? Obviously, I know everyone has different time tables and a person can not expect a new business to become profitable on the second day, but was curious if it is doing as well as you hoped and if you are even close to fulfilling what you dreamed your company would accomplish. I think that was the longest sentence ever, but I hope that makes sense lol.



EDIT: And thanks mshu7, you posted right as I did lol.
 
azenthusiast said:
Thanks JoshVette. I really appreciate that. If you don't mind my asking, about how long did it take you to be able to become entirely reliant on the detailing alone to support your family? Obviously, I know everyone has different time tables and a person can not expect a new business to become profitable on the second day, but was curious if it is doing as well as you hoped and if you are even close to fulfilling what you dreamed your company would accomplish. I think that was the longest sentence ever, but I hope that makes sense lol.



EDIT: And thanks mshu7, you posted right as I did lol.
Click to expand...





Well I started out detailing my buddy's Vettes so that's kind of an advantage for me, but I didn't quit my full time job till almost a year and a half later of detailing part time. I'm really just now starting to get to the point where I'm booked out 2-3 weeks ahead and I've been doing it for about 9 months full time now.



Right now I'm currently booked out till Feb 18.:xyxthumbs
 
Same here, I've done many details for friends and family. I think I'm still going to keep it small for a while and test waters but I can definitely see myself doing this as a career.
 
nissan Xterra

ONR user

menzerna, meguiars, hitemp, optimum line up

still working a good restaurant waiter job to keep the bills paid off, but detailing is starting to pick up a little, and I figure in about a year I will have enough put away to quit the restaurant and focus solely on detailing....its just so hard walking away from a job where I walk with cash in hand every night, or can pick up a shift if i need money...cant really do that with detailing someone elses car (most of the time)
 
A lot of these questions need to be answered by you. Every business and situation is different. Building any business usually requires capital (money), passion, determination, and time. In order to project a professional image, you should be licensed and insured. The type of vehicle you use and what products you use are not as important as how and to who you will market your business. People are not going to just come to you. Building a solid customer base takes a while, and you may need to pay the bills with another source of income. In my case, my wife works a full time and a part time job.
 
The beginning is definitely the hardest part.



I would try and find a way that works for you, but keeps your initial costs as low as possible. Stick with ONR so you don't need all the extra equipment. Simply using ONR removes the need for a pressure washer, tank, water collection equipment, etc.



Master a simple line of products first. Pick something that fits your budget, and is going to work on a wide array of cars, and learn that really well. The deeper you get into it, the more different cars you will run into, and the more specific products you are going to need to really gain a level of mastery; but it isn't really necessary. Getting a solid range of polishing pads, and three different polishes will be more than enough for you. Get a cutting compound of some type (3M extra cut, Megs Compound Power Cleaner, Menzerna Super Intensive Polish), an everyday polish (Megs #83, Menz 106ff), and a finshing polish (Megs, #82, Menz PO85RD, 3M Ultrafina).



Three simple polishes will be more than enough to tackle almost anything that comes your way.



Just remember that a good detailer drives a referral based business. I don't do any advertising at all, it simply isn't necessary. In the beginning though, that wasn't the case. I had to get my name out there, get some solid clients who would help me expand. You just have to find your groove, find your passion, and run with it.



Remember that all detailers here don't do the same thing. Some function purely on high end cars and high end work. You have a high dollar amount per car, but a limited number of cars to work on. Others handle maintenance, lots of car washes with some full details here and there. Not as much money per car, but your volume is much higher. You need to look at your own working style, attention to detail, and general passion and drive and see what direction is the one you want to take. There isn't a right or a wrong, it is all up to you.
 
Once again, thank you! I've been keeping a close eye on this thread and on the forum in general. The last three days have reinforced my opinion that there is a market for this in my area. I am going to begin stocking up on supplies here in a little while, but just the basics like you all suggested. My first major purchase is going to be a Flex or UDM because the rotary I have is not exactly ideal for this type of thing. Also, what retailer is the best to buy from? I am not looking to buy in bulk until I secure a good client base (which I have a LOT of ideas on how to do in my area). Oh, and, right now, I have never wetsanded. Is this a problem or, if I encounter a car that is that heavily damaged, would it be better to simply recommend they see another detailer or a body shop?
 
You'll get many answers on where to order stuff from. I generally order from AutoGeek.net because you can get free shipping over $75 with coupon code AGO. Plus, they seemed to have the best selection of everything you'd be wanting.



I've only used my Flex once so far and it's definitely a nice machine. Depending on your budget though, you might just want to opt for the UDM initially.



Don't worry about wetsanding. You can learn that skill at a later time. Right now I'd focus on getting good with the polisher. You'll get far more cars that only need machine polishing than ones that need wetsanding. Even then, the customer has to want to pay for a service like that.
 
Oh, and one more question. How long does your average detail take? I did a 300C this weekend. I washed, claybarred, applied two coats of Zaino, and then did the various interior and exterior stuff. I also cleaned the engine bay and 303 AP'd the wheelwheels. It took me about 6.5 hours. Is that competitive? This should be reduced once I buy some ONR and Optimum products I think.
 
I started my own mobile detailing business on a part-time basis in 1986. At the time I had been working full-time as a quality assurance manager for a company that manufactured car wash equipment. During that time I came upon two realizations that helped me launch my new business. First, I began to realize that there was a growing need for specialized automobile detailing services. Second, I also began to realize that I could earn extra income doing something that I really enjoyed. Since I had always kept my own vehicles cleaned and polished, it was only natural for me to start providing the same service for other people. By 1990 I was operating my detailing business on a full-time basis.



During those first few years, I didn't jump right into the detailing business. I got some much needed education. I started by attending entrepreneur small business courses at Rutgers University in N.J., and followed that up with advertising and marketing seminars at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. One of the very first things I did after attending these business courses was to write a business plan. I still write down everything. Every idea, every thought still gets documented. The original mission of my business is still basically the same as I had written it back in 1986.



Along the way I have made a few changes to my original business plan. The first was getting involved in boat detailing. At first you would think that would be a natural progression. After all, it is a basic extension of car detailing. With boats, the materials you are working with are a bit different. I had a lot of learning to do about how to properly clean, polish and protect fiberglass gelcoat. Teakwood cleaning was another major hurdle.



While I was out there beginning to add a few boat detailing jobs to the schedule, I was also beginning to develop and teach automobile and boat detailing courses. These detailing courses were being held at local high schools throughout southern New Jersey as part of their adult evening classes. Over the years, these two additions to my business plan have had a positive impact to the overall success of my detailing business today.



And about your questions.



1- No, you do not need a pickup truck to start a detailing business. Basically, you can easily fit everything into the trunk of an average size car. And you do not need to bring your own water. There is nothing unprofessional about using your client's water and electric.



2- I basically started out using the same products that I had been using to clean, polish and wax my own cars. Since I had always used Meguiar's products it was an easy choice for me to get involved in using the Meguiar's Professional Product lineup once my business really started to grow.



3- You will need to get in touch with your local community offices to see what paperwork regarding liability and licenses are required in your state.



4- When I detailed my very first car I knew I was capable of making a profit by doing something I truely enjoy.



azenthusiast - It appears a bit suspicious that you would ask such specific questions of us and appreciate our responses, yet at the same time still not feel comfortable enough to reveal your real name. Anyone else find that a bit odd? I know I do!
 
Mirrorfinishman, while I thank you for your response, I'm not sure I appreciate your tone. I don't believe it is much of a stretch to understand why I would not want to post personal information on a public forum before I have decided how I want to establish myself or what I want to accomplish. I'm not sure what warranted this attack, but, next time, if you have any concerns like that, PM me or a mod first before you go making blind accusations.



Oh, and, FYI, my name is Shawn.
 
LOL, I could have told you his name if you wanted Frank. I've had conversations with Shawn through PM about his desire to start a business. I don't think he's hiding anything. :)



Shawn, regarding the length of time it takes to detail. There's really not a set time-frame because each vehicle is different. My Full Detail package seems to take no less than 5 hours on cars and goes up from there depending on the size of the vehicle. I just got done doing a Mini Cooper (not a Full Detail) that included wash, dress trim/tires, clay, poli-seal, OCW, vac, OPP, glass and it took about 4 hours. I'm still probably on the slow side compared to people that have been doing it a while. You'll learn that the more you detail, the more you develop a routine of doing things that will help you become more efficient at what you are doing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top