tuscarora dave
Active member
- Aug 21, 2009
- 5,408
- 12
- Thread starter
- #21
This was the original idea of this thread in the first place. Thanks for contributing some great info to it. :hungry:
Diversifying our services
- Thread starter tuscarora dave
- Start date
This was the original idea of this thread in the first place. Thanks for contributing some great info to it. :hungry:
tuscarora dave
Active member
- Aug 21, 2009
- 5,408
- 12
- Thread starter
- #22
Thanks SA, I believe I left that job back in March or April. I've kept the ends together at the shop and thanks to living with my father, the rent situation here at the house is flexible enough to endure the tough times. I try to give him the detailing proceeds while banking the wheelchair lift service/repair money that comes from the nursing homes. I've dabbled in some light restoration work on bicycles and motorcycles but am finding that I just don't have the time for that tedious of stuff.
One of the things I plan to try is to buy low and sell high, some detail-able vehicles. PA allows you to buy and then sell up to 5 vehicles a year without having a dealership license.
I attach both my wheelchair lift flier and my auto detailing flier with every invoice that I email to my clients in addition to a written invitation to procure any services they may be interested in both professionally and personally.
kenallwine
New member
- Sep 17, 2012
- 69
- 0
That's interesting to know. I used to go through cars pretty quick when I was younger. I was always surprised that the state didn't come down on me.
tuscarora dave
Active member
- Aug 21, 2009
- 5,408
- 12
- Thread starter
- #24
Hi Ken, you wouldn't happen to be the detailer with all the Mazda Miatas that I met at the Baps paint supply customer appreciation day, would you? Regardless of that...Welcome to the site. I see you have a few posts here so perhaps you're not new to this forum but today is the first I noticed you here. I like to wave a special Hello to the locals.:dblthumb2:
tuscarora dave
Active member
- Aug 21, 2009
- 5,408
- 12
- Thread starter
- #26
My hopes in starting this thread was so that all members especially the newbies could benefit from it. Thanks for the kind words and thanks for posting.
rustytruck
New member
- Feb 20, 2012
- 954
- 0
Dave it seems like you need to have something to supplement detailing. It's a great gig as a part time business you can make enough to support the business and put some extra spending money in your pocket.
Doing it as a sole source of income would be tough. I could not imagination having to pay benefits, health insurance and trying to put away money for retirement.
A part time business for people like teachers who have summers off or firemen or police who get a lot of time during the week off it is a great gig.
We see so many people come and go in this business because most people jump in feet first and do it full time. More people would still be in business if they stayed as a part time side business.
Doing it as a sole source of income would be tough. I could not imagination having to pay benefits, health insurance and trying to put away money for retirement.
A part time business for people like teachers who have summers off or firemen or police who get a lot of time during the week off it is a great gig.
We see so many people come and go in this business because most people jump in feet first and do it full time. More people would still be in business if they stayed as a part time side business.
tuscarora dave
Active member
- Aug 21, 2009
- 5,408
- 12
- Thread starter
- #28
Thanks for contributing to this thread.
I think if you have a great background or education in business, combined with a well thought out business plan and the financial start up, diversifying would be something that wouldn't be such a necessity as long as you have location to your advantage.
I think (for one reason or another) a certain percentage of the people we see trying to start a detailing business do so because they like the thought of being their own boss, or want to get out of that job that they really can't stand anymore. This combined with the already established interest in keeping their own cars nice and clean they get some equipment and start into it as a hobby and experience what I think we all experience early on.
I like to call it a paradigm shift in how a car can look. It's like a whole new level of beauty that we never knew could exist. Of course this brings about that first "bite" from the detailing bug. We keep on doing more work because we love the way we can create this beauty with a simple set of tools. This leads to a thought something like this..."Hey, I'm getting pretty good at this...I think I could start my own detailing business".
I certainly don't wish to speak for anyone else, so I'll clarify that the above paragraphs were my own personal experience in the very beginning. As much as I want to believe that I'm unique, I believe the fact of the matter is that a lot of us think pretty much alike in these regards. We all have differing levels of education, differing demographic advantages, differing levels of will power to succeed at this stuff "or anything" we do.
Speaking of myself and my own experience, I fall into the category of starting out undereducated in business but I do have a strong will to survive and continue to put together something where I can be my own boss. I did have the dead end job that I just couldn't stand anymore. As a result of choices I made earlier in my life I put myself in a position of being "behind the eight ball" in a lot of areas including financial concerns.
As such, I put together a little money, went out and learned a little about cleaning and waxing auto paint. When waxing alone wasn't really enough for me, I put together a little more money and bought a mega Cyclo kit and that is where I experienced "the paradigm shift" concerning how a car could really look. The longer I did this work for a little extra cash, the more I realized how inefficient I really was at it, and that more tools and equipment would be needed to become more efficient. I continually put a great percentage of the detailing proceeds into a fund to grow the detailing venture along with a contribution from my bi-weekly pay from the day job.
As long as I had that day job and that bi-weekly pay check, there was always a little cash flow to get the things I needed to move forward with my detailing venture. I sacrificed a lot. When my buddies were going to Hershey Park, or to a big concert etc. and they'd invite me to go along I was faced with the choice "do I want to have fun, or do I want to sink my little nest egg into the detailing venture?" I often chose to grow my little detailing venture so I said "no", a lot.
The passion...
I always did have an interest in doing the best with what I had to work with concerning the way my vehicles look. I remember when I was younger and bought my first vehicle which was a 1975 Ford F-100 pick up truck. This was around 1990 and the old truck cost me $300 for the initial purchase of it. It took all that I had just to put together the $300 to buy the truck, and the poor thing had been a work truck all of it's life so of course the original paint was nearly all scratched off and it had all sorts of small dents and dings.
I went out and picked up a gallon of exterior flat black latex paint that someone special ordered from a local hardware store and never picked up. See...I had a vision... My vision was somewhat of a Mad Max look for the truck so I got the paint on clearance for next to nothing, bought a couple foam rollers, a paint pan, a few rolls of masking tape, a quart of Bondo, some sand paper and about a dozen cans of GM Corporate Blue engine paint that I found on clearance at Pep Boys. I talked to my grandfather, my dad, the elderly next door neighbor, anyone older than me who had experience at painting and light Bondo work. Through picking the brains of these more experienced folks, I put together a plan then executed it. The truck looked cool on the end. It was flat black overall and I taped off some stripes on the side and used some of the GM Corporate Blue engine paint to paint the stripes down the side of the truck. I cleaned up the engine compartment and the engine and that's where the leftover paint was used, My friends were awed by the transformation, as was I.
Future vehicles (with more original paint on them) would get the one-two punch of the old cans of Turtle wax rubbing compound and polishing compound. Of course all rubbed out by hand with a cotton terry cloth towel then topped with whatever wax I could afford at the time from the local discount stores. Again...I was awed by the outcome, and the effort was worth the reward of owning something that looked really nice on the cheap.
Of course, once I started doing this for money and finally got hold of the Mega Cyclo Kit and began to scratch the surface of my true potential in detailing, the passion would intensify. I continued reading Mike Phillips' articles over at MOL and then here at AGO and the passion continued to grow as I got better and better and the little detailing venture began to look more and more like a feasible alternative to the dead end job I was "seemingly" stuck at.
Fast forward to the "waning of the passion". By this time I would begin to really tire of doing the full time day job and the detailing venture both at the same time. Also I had begun to think more logically about the nonsense of doing "show car quality paint corrections" on the daily drivers of customer's who knew not the difference between a "swirl and a squirrel". (M.P. reference) This would lead me to creating threads like this one.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/27192-serving-masses.html
I would seek out a way to do quick and cheap work while still not creating a hacked up mess of buffer trails down the road. < That would certainly end in bad word of mouth for all the work I did to pave my way into the local detailing scene. By this time I had documented quite a few of my detailing projects at "Detail City" in the detailer's showcase section, but I was quickly trading "the passion" for the ability to increase in earnings and reduce my work load.
About that time, I was on a mobile job working on a Chrysler mini van that was parked under a canopy of tall and very dirty trees. This thing was an absolute slimy mess of blackness, coating a white super stained, never waxed paint finish. Half way through the job, I wanted to just pack my tools and chemicals back into my van and quit detailing forever. I felt defeated, what little passion I had left was just served up on a silver platter and then shoved down my throat...lol
About the time I was finishing up the slimy tree dirt coated mini van, (which actually turned out quite exquisitely) my cell phone started ringing. I answered with my trademark "Hello this is Dave!!". The voice on the other end said "NJCarting1 here from the Detail City forum". NJCarting1 was a forum member over at "DC" that in more times than just a few, had me "pushing away from the keyboard" in anger, as he would seemingly challenge every one of my business ideals that we'd discuss in the chat room at "DC".
NJCarting1, "Bill" told me during that phone conversation that he'd been following my work in the "Detailer's Showcase" in addition to following my posting history in general, and that he wanted me to drive from Central Pennsylvania (where I live and operate as a detailer) all the way up to Gorham Maine, which is in the southern part of Maine near the Portland area. Bill asked me to drive all the way up to Maine to do a multiple step paint correction on a 10 year old rescue ambulance that he had just purchased for his business. He talked to me about how important "Image" was in his line of work.
I told Bill that there has to be 3000 detailers detail between Central PA and Southern Maine, and asked him why he wouldn't just call any one of them to work on his new rig. He said, "I don't want these Schlubs up here working on my stuff, I've already been down that road." I asked him, "Why me Bill?" He quickly answered with, "Well your work speaks for itself, and you don't get involved in all the back biting I see going on on the forums."
I was very skeptical about the thought of driving all that way with a very limited nest egg of cash flow. In fact... I had enough money to make the trip up there, but wouldn't have the money to make the trip back home. What if this was a prank? What if I'd drive all the way up there and this guy, or the address he gave me didn't exist? Over the next few days I thought long and hard about it. I was laid off from the day job at the time so I did have the time to do it. I thought, "Well the worst case scenario would be that I'll have to go knocking doors, showing people my detailing portfolio that I had put together for selling my services, until I find someone willing to pay me to detail their car." I'd been in much worse places than that in my life and had come through it still breathing.
I called Bill back and worked out the details of the trip. He told me to save all my gas receipts and toll receipts for getting up there and that he'd double the amount of the receipt total to cover the cost of me driving there and driving back home. We agreed on a price to do the paint correction, and he told me he had a "Tempur-Pedic Cloud" king size bed that me and "my girl Jack" could both sleep in while we were there. Bill sealed the deal by asking "What do you like to eat? I'll go out and get a bunch of Fred Flintstone Steaks and you'll eat like a king while you're here." Bill was a real person, we did get the rescue ambulance looking tip top, Jack did make the trip with me, we did eat like kings and Bill did everything he said he'd do and more.
Here are the threads from that first trip to Maine.
2004 Ford F-450/PL Customs Rescue ambulance - Autopia Forums - Auto Detailing & Car Care Discussion Forum
taking a road trip - Autopia Forums - Auto Detailing & Car Care Discussion Forum
The following year, Jack and I took another trip up to Bill's place in Maine to clean up another ambulance that he bought. Again, we ate like kings and had a great time while we were there. Here's the thread from that trip.
Taking another trip up the coast - Autopia Forums - Auto Detailing & Car Care Discussion Forum
I forgot that there were no photos from that trip. It was just a quick AIO job on that second ambulance.
Next Sunday morning, I'm leaving out for yet another trip to Maine to apply a coat of Opti-Guard on Bill's brand new Black Yukon Denali, however this time my girl Jack will be staying back at the house with my dad because Bill has a very large German Sheppard now and I fear that If I take Jack along this time, Bill's dog will be the one eating like a king. At 16 years old, my little girl Jack shouldn't be subject to defend herself against a big German Sheppard. I will miss her during the trip though.
On the way up to Maine next Sunday, I'll be making a stop in to Boston to meet Mike, "BostonDetails" from this forum, who says he's going to try to get Jason "SeaJays" on board for my short visit. We're thinking dinner at Mike's place and then coffee and a nice sit down between the three of us. See...this is a result of networking with other detailers on discussion forums. Not only does it add a little spice to life...but it helps the internet presence that all three of us are trying to continuously build upon. I'm pretty excited about the trip. I'll be stopping off in Boston where it's quite possible I'll spend the night at Mike's place to get a well rested start Monday morning to take the rest of the drive up to Bill's place in Maine. I'll stay at Bill's place until Wednesday morning where I'll drive from there over to Watertown New York to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with my younger brother and his family. I'll stay there until Sunday morning when my brother has to go back to work. At that point I'll drive back home.
I recently received an email and a phone call from a lurker here at AGO who wants to drive from somewhere near New York City to have the paint on his new black SUV polished by me. I was flattered that he would want to drive that far to have me work on his paint, and I told him that. Again, I asked him about finding someone closer to him to do the work, and in not so many words he said that my work speaks for itself and that he's willing to make the trip to have it done. We talked about price, and what he could expect in return for his making the trip. What he can expect in return for making the trip will be two fold if he's willing to hang with me while I work on his paint. He'll get both a finely polished paint finish and some education on how to do it into the future if he should have an interest in doing so. I don't know if this will ever come to pass or not, these thoughts sometimes quickly fade when the subject of price comes up and is considered carefully.
One thing I can say for sure though, is that if I weren't a person who maintains a willingness to try to help other forum members, and if I didn't take the time to photograph some of the work that I do and post it here on the forums, I would likely have never got that email or that phone call in the first place. It's diversity in thought and action.
Having a faith that the extra work I do, in an attempt to put my services in front of the people who might be interested in procuring them will pay off eventually. If I stop posting, or handing out fliers, or stop sending out emails to, or cold calling on perspective clients...my business ceases to exist. If the business stops, the income stops, and I close the doors and go back to working a daily job. How bad do I want to survive in the world of being my own boss and potentially turning that into being the boss of a few employees? I have to ask myself that every day.
I have to keep a running list of things that didn't work, and seek out new ideas that might work. I do this by appealing to folks who have gone before me.
But did these people try half hardheartedly and simply quit when something didn't work immediately, or even with "some applied effort"? A lot of people nowadays want instant gratification, and just aren't willing to go to any lengths to make something succeed. During my younger years, I had a close friend who was quite goofy but he always had a beautiful girl at his side. I asked him how he managed to always have a hot chick while being so goofy. He said "Dave... for every hundred hot chicks I ask out, I not only get better at asking them out, but sometimes one says yes". This was a good lesson to learn at a young age that I practice in business everyday. It's a lesson in being determined to succeed. It's a lesson in turning thought into action. It's diversity.
Along my journey through life, job jumping and doing any side work along the way, going to any lengths to make ends meet, I've found myself with a pretty diverse resume of learned skill sets. While not being an entrepreneur (as I was misusing the word in the beginning of this thread) but rather a freelancer with the will to continue moving forward, if the bottom drops out of "this"...I'm really glad I have "that" to fall back on to keep moving forward with. I view diversity in services as a positive thing.
Somewhere along the way, I met Tim Hughes, the owner of the bus and van sales business that I currently rent my shop from. I feel the need to highlight the circumstances of how I met Tim Hughes. It was through a selfless act of kindness that I met him, through a series of circumstances closely related to some of the aforementioned personal experiences of networking with others on detailing discussion forums, displaying my work on such forums and maintaining a willingness to help others.
While I was chatting with Bill (NJCarting1) in the chat room over at "DC", (now autopiaforums.com) planning my second trip up to Maine to clean up the second ambulance, there was another forum member in the chat room talking about a piece of machinery at his day job that had failed. He was working to repair a motorized utility ATV of sorts. This vehicle was used for dragging the ball fields after softball games. The Briggs&Stratton 18 H.P. twin cylinder engine had something break under the flywheel that caused the magnets under the flywheel to break apart. he called B&S and was told that the flywheel had been obsoleted and his search efforts to find a used one had come up empty. I told him that there was a guy local to me that has a lawn mower salvage yard of sorts. I had never been to this salvage yard but had passed by it hundreds of times. I had never met the owner "Ray Connely" either.
I told this other forum member that I was taking a trip up to main and that I had planned to head into New Jersey and take I-287 north up to I-95 to go to Maine. I-287 north would take me about 30 minutes west of where this guy was in Jersey and that I'd check at the mower salvage yard to see if he had this hard to find flywheel. The salvage yard owner did in fact have an 18H.P. B&S twin there but it had no serial numbers that we could find anywhere on it. I called Rich (the forum member) and asked him if he'd want to take a chance on buying the flywheel and if he did, I'd get it for him and swing it out to him on my way up to Maine.
Ray Connely seemed to be a really nice man who runs an honest and fair mower salvage yard business on what we locals call "Space Highway". I told Ray of the deal and that I'd be in Main for over a week. Ray sold me the flywheel for $40 and told me I had 2 weeks to return it if it didn't work for Rich's field dragging machine. Well I bought the flywheel and took it the hour out of my way over to rich's day job at the township maintenance building in New Jersey. Rich could see right away that the flywheel wouldn't work on his machine so he bought me lunch for making the attempt to help him out in his needs. After lunch I went on my way and eventually arrived in Maine later that night.
Upon my arrival back home the following week, I drove the flywheel back out to Ray's mower salvage and got my $40 back. While I was there talking to Ray, I got out my portfolio of before and after paint correction photos, a few business cards and tried to sell Ray a paint correction or any other detailing related service. Heck..I even tried to sell him on hiring me to clean up all of those cruddy old rebuilt riding mowers that he had rowed up for sale. Ray wasn't buying my sales pitch at all. As I was walking back to my car to leave, I heard Ray yell something so I went back to his shop. He said, "Hey...my best friend buys and sells wheelchair accessible buses and vans and he's always complaining about not being able to find a detailer locally to come out and clean those buses for him".
Ray told me, "This guy's name is Tim Hughes and he's at the corner of Salem and Windamere roads, go there, walk in and introduce yourself. I'll call ahead and let him know that you're on your way". I might not have gone and introduced myself because that drive back from Maine really gave me road fever and I just wanted to go home and go to sleep, however...I live on Salem road so I had to drive right past there so I did stop in and introduce myself to Tim. I went in there with my portfolio, cards and I laid it on him thick and heavy. he hired me instantly to detail every bus and van on his lot. Of course this took several weeks to do and I didn't make a ton of money because Tim is a salesman with a bottom line to keep, but it did allow me to survive that winter.
While working on cleaning those buses that winter, the father and son team that were in the shop there would work until about noon and go home locking up the shop for the day. There was no outside electric there so if I wanted to work on these vehicles at my own leisure, I'd have to purchase a generator to do so. Which I did.
I remember working on the buses on Tim's lot and thinking.."I wish these clowns would move out of this garage". They hardly used the garage and it was just a quarter mile from my house. "Wouldn't that be perfect to have this garage to detail out of ?" I'd think to myself. I'd clean up a van on a Friday and plan to do a bus over the weekend and ask these guys if I could plug my extension cord into a receptacle in the garage and have them just close the overhead door on it when they'd leave for the day so I'd have electricity to work with over the weekend instead of having to run my generator all weekend. They'd say "OK Sure"..then I'd show up Saturday morning after carrying all of my gear from the house out to my van, just to find that they had unplugged the cord before leaving for the day Friday.
Eventually I got so pissed at stuff like this that I walked into Tim's office and told him that I wouldn't be working on his vehicles anymore..and I didn't either. A few months later while I was at my day job my cell phone began to ring, when I looked at the caller ID and saw Tim Hughes I nearly pressed the ignore button but something told me to answer instead so I did. Tim said, "I don't know if you're aware of it or not, but Lenny and Lenny moved out of this garage out here." He instantly had my attention and asked me to stop by his office after I got off of work that Friday. I stopped in and that's when he offered to rent the garage to me to detail out of.
The moral of this little story is... If I had only thought of myself and my own selfish ends, and not offered to help Rich out with finding a flywheel, I likely wouldn't have met Ray Connely..and I likely wouldn't have met Tim Hughes and furthermore...If I had not been going to any length in trying to sell Ray Connely on my detailing services, he would have probably just said no and kept his mouth shut about Tim Hughes. Ray still says to this day..."I could clearly see that you wanted to work and thought that a guy like you is just what Tim needed. He's had enough halfhearted no shows."
When I was moving my stuff in to the garage, that's when Tim saw all of my mechanic's tools and equipment and approached me about doing wheelchair lift repair and service. At first I flat out snapped my mind shut to it and said "NO".. Well Tim Hughes is just like me and goes to any lengths to get what he needs, so he continually chiseled away at me until I saw the light and the opportunity in diversifying my services.
The fact that I have a piece of the wheelchair lift repair and service market allows me tell the detailing price shoppers to take a hike down the road, and I get to keep the detailing passion alive by doing the high end work when I find the right clientele for it.
I hope to inspire some newcomer or someone struggling with the decision of whether to quit or continue with this long winded post.
Paul Mitchell
New member
- Nov 6, 2008
- 787
- 0
Great story, Dave. You've got a great work ethic and I see great things in your future.
tuscarora dave
Active member
- Aug 21, 2009
- 5,408
- 12
- Thread starter
- #30
Thanks Paul.. I too see great things on the horizon.
Flash Gordon
Well-known member
- Feb 6, 2010
- 11,450
- 458
If I'm still seeing cross-eyed tommorow you'll ne hearing from my attorney
Have a safe trip Dave
cajundetail
New member
- Aug 19, 2012
- 32
- 0
Dave,
I have been truly blessed in my situation, my business has grown and is still growing. I have included a mechanic, so that has really helped me out.
we have a custom shop about 12 miles from my shop, and they have tinting, truck lifts, tires etc... but I have learned if you are not in their clique, they will not return calls etc... so guess what? He is my target, in this game you cant be choosy on who you work for or not!!!!
I also have been fortunate enough to do fleet services, for local trucking companies and loggers here in my area, I am the only one that does those things in a 75 mile radius, so I guess what i am saying to you is find something that only you do in your area and stress that most!!! When they find out=they wont be able to live without it!!!
Take Care,
I have been truly blessed in my situation, my business has grown and is still growing. I have included a mechanic, so that has really helped me out.
we have a custom shop about 12 miles from my shop, and they have tinting, truck lifts, tires etc... but I have learned if you are not in their clique, they will not return calls etc... so guess what? He is my target, in this game you cant be choosy on who you work for or not!!!!
I also have been fortunate enough to do fleet services, for local trucking companies and loggers here in my area, I am the only one that does those things in a 75 mile radius, so I guess what i am saying to you is find something that only you do in your area and stress that most!!! When they find out=they wont be able to live without it!!!
Take Care,
tuscarora dave
Active member
- Aug 21, 2009
- 5,408
- 12
- Thread starter
- #34
If I'm still seeing cross-eyed tommorow you'll ne hearing from my attorney
Have a safe trip Dave
Thanks Flash!! Sorry about your crossed eyes...that was a handful of words to read in one setting.. I remember that you were also in the chat room with Bill and I as all that history was in the making. Thanks for being a friend all this time.
Thanks John, I'm always thinking of better ways to do things or how to get in front of the right people. Sometimes I think about it so much that my brain starts to hurt. It's when I stop thinking so much, pick up the phone and start cold calling perspective clients that the workload comes.
Thanks for sharing your experience in this thread. In my area, myself and Barry Theal are pretty much the only detailers who are offering really high end paint correction services but I think getting a retail paint correction from Barry is kind of like getting Foo Fighters tickets. He has hammered out his foundation as one of the best retail detailers in the country and has a long waiting list for retail paint corrections.
I on the other hand am still hammering away but have certainly gained some strong word of mouth for doing excellent paint correction work.
With the commercial wheelchair lift service/repair concern, I'm actually in a really great position with being one of the few in the area to offer the service. The other companies that offer it are either too far from the capital city area, with lots of other service/sales offerings creating long wait times for that particular service, or they have been used already and have fallen short of the mark in regards to quality and or reliability. This is the feedback that I am hearing from my new customer anyway.
Additionally, I provide a complimentary quick wash for all the commercial wheelchair vans I service at my location. This is something that the other guys are not doing.
I am in the infant stages of the wheelchair lift service/repair business growth as I type this but will apply the same principles of high quality and great customer service just as I do with regards to detailing. The feedback from my new clientele is already good as they can clearly see that I am willing to take whatever steps necessary to meet their needs. I am definitely the only wheelchair lift mechanic in the area that can also do an all over vehicle reconditioning in the same stop.
psnt1ol
New member
- Aug 8, 2012
- 892
- 0
Dave,
I want to praise your courage in taking the leap. The same thoughts came across my mind countless times. I get paid fairly well in my regular job but I don't find enjoyment in it (not for a very long time). I actually get more fulfillment working on a vehicle 10 hrs straight while getting paid less then 4 hrs in my current job. The fact is this...I simply owe too much $$$ for me to quit at this time.
I also thought about buying cars and re-selling them for a profit but I live in a state that thinks its a privilege for people to live and do business there (therefore a premium must be paid).
I am also looking for ideas so this thread really helps. Good luck to you. I hope I can make the same leap in the future.
I want to praise your courage in taking the leap. The same thoughts came across my mind countless times. I get paid fairly well in my regular job but I don't find enjoyment in it (not for a very long time). I actually get more fulfillment working on a vehicle 10 hrs straight while getting paid less then 4 hrs in my current job. The fact is this...I simply owe too much $$$ for me to quit at this time.
I also thought about buying cars and re-selling them for a profit but I live in a state that thinks its a privilege for people to live and do business there (therefore a premium must be paid).
I am also looking for ideas so this thread really helps. Good luck to you. I hope I can make the same leap in the future.
Cosmin
Member
- Oct 31, 2009
- 742
- 0
Hi Dave ,
i would start with mind set , is the best start you can get , and is FREEE!
in your post you mention small business.... NO , think big , if you think it is small , than will be small all the time , and the money in the pocket will be same.
so think it as a successful growing business! it may be small , but the window is open to grow.
if i will add anything to my business it probably be PDR , after i will complete a course and i will practice on a few cars. i currently have one assistant , and that will give me a bit more freedom to go and get the PDR training.
now if you asking for ideas , based of the equipment you have you may wanna look into: pressure washer services - sidings, decks , driveways , as well as cleaning commercial vehicles , boats , apply tint , clear bra, touch-up paint. also a secure income comes from work with dealer , maintenance packages and other similar set-up.
also you can add service such as new car inspection / before the client sign the papers to make sure is defect free, add service where you assist the client with picking up his car from shop or drive him to a certain location/like airport etc...
i seen detailing company advertise for oil change etc
also look into different type of marketing , some may work some may not... be creative, join to car clubs in your area , do training classes etc , it may look like waist of time but it may pay down the road.
Cosmin
i would start with mind set , is the best start you can get , and is FREEE!
in your post you mention small business.... NO , think big , if you think it is small , than will be small all the time , and the money in the pocket will be same.
so think it as a successful growing business! it may be small , but the window is open to grow.
if i will add anything to my business it probably be PDR , after i will complete a course and i will practice on a few cars. i currently have one assistant , and that will give me a bit more freedom to go and get the PDR training.
now if you asking for ideas , based of the equipment you have you may wanna look into: pressure washer services - sidings, decks , driveways , as well as cleaning commercial vehicles , boats , apply tint , clear bra, touch-up paint. also a secure income comes from work with dealer , maintenance packages and other similar set-up.
also you can add service such as new car inspection / before the client sign the papers to make sure is defect free, add service where you assist the client with picking up his car from shop or drive him to a certain location/like airport etc...
i seen detailing company advertise for oil change etc
also look into different type of marketing , some may work some may not... be creative, join to car clubs in your area , do training classes etc , it may look like waist of time but it may pay down the road.
Cosmin
tuscarora dave
Active member
- Aug 21, 2009
- 5,408
- 12
- Thread starter
- #37
Hi Cosmin,
Thanks for your contribution to this thread Cosmin. I started this thread not just so that I could get Ideas about diversifying, but so the thought of diversifying could be brought up and commented upon in a common thread so that anyone reading it can get Ideas for adding additional services. I knew that once you came on board to this thread, you'd have some great things to contribute to it as you always do.:dblthumb2:
I was on the phone last night with an old friend who now lives near Austin TX . He was asking about permanent paint coatings, I told him to look at your website and give you a call when he's ready to have the work done