Solo vs. Partnership?

Austin M detail

Austin M detail

New member
I'm at a point in my business where there are days I have help (part timer), and then there are more days I find myself doing everything solo. But, I ask myself, would I benefit more if I turned this into a partnership with someone that has a passion for detailing as much as I do? Or find several passionate detailers and attempt to really make a business of this in my area? As much as I like running everything solo, it would really be nice to have someone else to share the responsibilities, and work load, and of course money with, but how? Where? When?


 


So, I ask you fellow Autopians & Detailers, What do you prefer, Solo? Being a part of a partnership? or? My area is growing rapidly, and my business is what it is, but it could use some consistency fixes, and marketing, but I'm also contemplating finding a partner to come aboard and help me...


 


How do you run your business?


 


Thanks for your input everyone, its appreciated


 


Justin - ATX
 
Subscribed....


 


I am in a similar position.  I want someone I can train to be more of a partner than an employee so that I can grow with confidence.  Problem is I can't guarantee anything because I still have to support myself first.  If the business grows and they leave I won't be prepared to handle it all alone.  I look forward to hearing the responses by others.
 
Most partnerships fail. They are difficult to run and can lead to a lot of communication and agreement issues. Even with people you consider friends or similar. My 2c would be to run YOUR business and look for some good reliable employees to train and work for you.
 
Keep yourself as owner, and hire team leaders who get paid

more to run small teams of people. I work in 3 man teams, and

a team leader can run multiple teams if they desire.


Have you thought about making them contractors, so that

they essentially have their own company? There are some legal

issues with contractors, but if you can work it, it can save money.
 
as stated, I wouldn't do a partnership unless it was with a complimenting business out of the same building...


 


dents and detailing


window tint and dents


detail and clear bra


 


Very few businesses survive on two man owners splitting the physical work, I currently know of only one in California, but I don't know what their arrangement is completely.  Better to have a owner and manager/employees earning a fair share!  Also, consider giving them a % of the business so you can enforce a non-compete should they leave the company (cant start a detail shop off your business knowledge within a certain radius of your shop/area)


 


Doing things solo is both good and bad...Im about to realize the bad end of things (baby on the way in JULY and will require more of my time, which means less detail time, which means I don't make any money because I am not working) so I am going to push the volume based stuff and try to train and hire it out!
 
Toyota hit upon a business strategy of mine.

I target businesses in my area that are in the general industry.

I look for people who do work that I do not offer.


Just today, I was taking with an rv repair company, so that I could

find sometime to refer repairs to, as I see problem areas during my service.

It is imperative that these companies don't offer competitive

services, otherwise i would be losing business.


This type of partnership not only helps the customer, but gets them

to call me when someone asks for a wash or detail. This is the

easiest advertising, because some companies have people asking

weekly for services they don't offer.


Mutually beneficial referrals is a type of partnership.

I just would want a true partner, as I can only trust myself to ensure

my family's future.
 
Keep it solo and hire employees. This will leave you more time to concentrate on running the business, doing more skilled jobs (polishing, coatings, etc). I have hired a few part time people over the past year but never hired a full time person and did the majority of my business on my own. It's extremely over whelming at times and there are weeks where I am putting in 70+ hours. So, this spring I'll be hiring on a full time employee to assist in the detailing and training them to the way I want them. I prefer to hire someone with limited knowledge of detailing and mold them into what I am looking for. Easier to do that than to break bad habits etc.


 


I offer ppf installs, window tintings, and remote starters but this is subbed to another company that I have a relationship with. It's all done as SeaJay's Detailing but I just pay a subcontractor to do the actual work.
 
Envious CONGRATS!!


 


I hear you, I'm 35 and my 1st wife and I had a little back in 98', we were young and dumb at the time. My wife (she's 37) & I now of 10 years (2nd), a few years ago we were set in our ways and if you would have asked us, "Are you guys going to have any children", we would've laughed it off...well, we had our 1st girl on Jan 9th, 2012 and we just had our 2nd girl on Dec. 4th 2013 !! DONE...NO MORE!


 


Kids are great, but they do limit you to what you can and cannot do on a daily basis.


 


I wouldn't change it for ANYTHING!


 


So, I like everyone's feedback...


 


I have another question....  What about having a silent financial partner? anyone here do this? Or do you believe being solo is still the best overall? Common sense tells me that being solo is best, but I also know that sometimes it takes $ to make $ and when you pour most of your profits back into your business, Its frustrating to know that things could be easier and possibly better


 


 


ATX
 
I see a partnership as funneling off money from your business.

I say this, because a partner is going to get a larger percentage.

Now, If the partner injects a large sum of money, it could help.

But would this help short term or long term?


It all depends how busy you will be, how many employees you

will have and what type of detailing you will be doing. Your kids

are super young. If a partner would give you more time with your kids,

how can you put a value to that?


How can you put a value to watching their first step in person, and

not from a recorded video.


If I took on a partner, I would want to structure the deal to where I can

repurchase their portion of the company from them, in case that it

doesn't work out as planned.


There is always the option of opening a second company, and just

saying that it is "powered by A TX detail". This way, you can keep

your clients and do your cars the way that you want, and your partner and your

new business can be done people and perform similar service.

This would allow you to focus on super high end cards, while the second company

focuses on the others. This would also limit your liability.


Unless the new owner will pay you enough, your name needs

to be protected, as you have worked hard to get to this point.

A second company can always be ditched, but if your main company

takes a hit, it could be devastating.


Have you ever thought about opening a volume detailership?

I live in Corpus and have found the desire for this is high.

You can still play people as trade labor, and take pride in the job,

but it is just a completely different sector.
 
no need for a financial partner unless you were to open a shop and don't have the capital.  if you are just looking for advertising money, put 10 per detail away and when you detail 100 cars, you now have 1000 for advertising. - could be 3 months, could be 6 months...depends on what you do.


 


I have a new website up now, but I had a different remake done recently and didn't like the way it came out at all, so I scrapped the idea.  I know a legit detailing site doesn't need to be top notch and 2000 bucks, but 300 gets you nowhere! 


 


Try an envelop system...works for business and for home.  figure out things you want/need to spend money on and write it on an envelop (separate ones).  Then as money comes in, add to each, or one.  Once you have the money "just lying around" and don't necessarily need it to live, go out and buy whatever it is...I have a kid college fund, a kid wedding fund (baby girl we found out), vacation fund, savings (goes directly in the bank, not to come out), weekly fund, etc.  For business, I have a website fund, master blaster fund, supplies fund, advertising fund.


 


HOWEVER, I am looking to expand and looking for a guy to train and give part of my business to as well as a per job rate and get into the volume stuff, So I am considering a bank loan of about 10K and just sit on it and lease a truck, buy more supplies, etc.  Lots of money left on the table since I don't do wash and wax and interiors on 10 year old cars (I was called for those jobs 5 times last week).  Tried it a couple other times to hire, but it didn't work out with the guys.  Need to focus more on the training and hiring process.  Plus if there isn't any work for him, he can roll with me for the day and still make money and get me home quicker to my wife and little girl in the future!  Win-win for me!
 
Right now I'm in a partnership. Got to say we have our differences, but always end up agreeing on certain matters. I've detailed solo before, and I do like it. (I can discuss in my mind what I'm going to do) a lot easier alone, than with somebody else. But I do enjoy having someone there also, it's nice to have someone to talk to and joke with here and there. I'm going to be moving farther away and will be going solo.


Either way is fine with me. :)
 
Different strokes for different folks. I know John Kleven of Metropolitan Detail has a partner, but they both accentuate each person. I personally am too much of a hard headed person to have a partner, but depending on the right person it could make a difference. (it certainly wouldn't be my wife :))
 
Yeah, Ben and John compliment each other as they both brought different crafts together under one roof. We've followed a similar path and have been offering paint protection film installations along with restorative detailing and coatings for years. Now we are so busy that it's difficult for me to keep on top of training employees, getting back with clients, marketing, answer phone calls, running the administrative side, installing clear bra, correcting paint and detailing. Some days I literally just reply to emails and return calls all day and it's difficult. At times, I wish I had a partner that was equally skilled to handle one or the other. No idea how I will maintain sanity come the warm weather.


 


There is a place for partners, but I would be very careful how you proceed. A great partner, while splitting profit, can still make you more money than you would get 100% of otherwise. A bad partner will ruin your business.
 
It's not easy to make a business work with 2 cooks in the kitchen. Three is out of my range but a two headed monster can be very exciting to build & rewarding in the long run! Two sources of customers + providing multiple services to pay the house is the way to go. Once the house gets paid from multiple services, the rest is gravy. Gravy is when you are at the point that you have paid the house for the next 3 months Rent + Utilities.The next month you have the option to save the gravy or split the gravy with your partner & create a monthly bonus for yourself! I am the point man. All extra services runs through me. I take care of the shop & maintain it as well. I'm the sweat equity guy. I'm also Big "A" & I'm livin my dream without her! 
 
To think that 40 years later, if I had a partner, I would have HALF of what I have today. In every sense, both financially and materialistically. GLAD I had ZERO, I said ZERO partners over the years. I am a Mr. Howell. Lovey would never hear of it. But I come from Italian roots. My father worked two full-time jobs for 38 years.  I tell people, if you helped me you would only be in my way! That is a fact. Im in and out in 4 to five hours and the pay-day is mine. All mine SINCE 1969!!!! I don't mean to sound greedy, really I'm not, just forever GREATFULL.
 
To hell with growing....in this economy, survival precedes growth. Offer quality, not quantity. If you market, do it right. I cant tell you how because the "Paintxpert" does ZERO advertising. I can tell you first hand if your "mediocre" you will be filtered out in short order. There is always the route of a store front on a main drag. That is mega expensive though. If I had a partner, he would have likely been put out about 3.5 decades ago. I just like things my way. I don't know anyone who can use a "Rotary" like God has enabled me. If I saw some "Rotary" ability , I may feel differently. Like my Dad used to say, what can you bring to the table?  For those on this forum with exquisite Rotary ability, I am certain, they will concur. Why share your take? Its your ability, don't give it away.  All the best! 
 
to say that right now is the time to survive rather than grow is nonsense...


 


I am growing every month, I know a few other companies growing exponentially where they have to open up another location...


 


offering new services opens up new doors.  networking keeps you alive, advertising is hit or miss


 


For you to say that if you had a partner you would have half doesnt make sense...you bring on a partner when you are in a situation where you have too much work and it would make sense to pay him some in order to get through all the work.  He does the interior while you do the exterior = you get to more cars = more profits!!!
 
I agree with Toyota, although I can see both sides

of the issue. Yes, you can do the easy math and see

that if you split your normal profits 2 ways, that you have

half the money. This way of thinking isn't optimal.


You can work partners many different ways, the way that you choose will determine if it is successful for you or not.


You and the partner can work together

You can work seperately

You can even be in different suburbs.


Just because you have a partner, doesn't mean that

you must be side by side.


Your partner can be available

during your off time. These extra hours should increase

your profits.


Your partner could have a large client base.

This could increase your work load.


Your client could have different skills. If he is better at

interior, he could do that while you do outside, as

Toyota explained.


You can make the partnership work, but you can also

make it fail.




Regardless how well you work together, if you have

different views for the future of the company, it might

be best to not be a partner. Just hire employees
 
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