Current business owners: if you had it to do over again, would you?

misterzippo

misterzippo

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If you currently own a business and had the chance to go back to when you first started what would you do differently?

What advice would you give to your self? Would you not even do it knowing what you know now?

I'm starting this thread to try and get an understanding of what being a detailed for a living is truly about.
 
I only have a part time business but I would have read Renny Doyles book first.
 
misterzippo said:
If you currently own a business and had the chance to go back to when you first started what would you do differently?

What advice would you give to your self? Would you not even do it knowing what you know now?

I'm starting this thread to try and get an understanding of what being a detailed for a living is truly about.
Click to expand...

You know, for me this is kind of a hard question to answer. Owning a business is all about trial and error; you never know what methods and techniques will enable you to succeed and which ones wont until you try them and test your markets.

I'm very pleased with where my business is today, especially now that I've seen first hand what works for me and my company and what doesn't.

If you're looking to get into detailing as a business venture, just remember to start slow and easy. Don't jump into the full paint corrections and buy everything right off the bat. Start washing and waxing for your friends and see if you like it and see what they think. Ask them for referrals to their friends. Order a few different products and see what you like working with and what gives you the best results. It's all about trial and error.
 
misterzippo said:
I'm starting this thread to try and get an understanding
of what being a detailed for a living is truly about.
Click to expand...
So you: 'want to go there'...without ever: 'having to be there'?

IMHO...
A person truly can't comprehend how another feels about their
choice of profession...until they take a walk in their shoes.

"Walk a mile in my shoes,
Walk a mile in my shoes.
Hey, before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Walk a mile in my shoes" ~ Joe South
 
I would have focused more on educating myself on the business side of the endeavor. Detailing is tons of fun and can be very rewarding, but if you don't know how a business functions, how to market properly, how to network with your clients, etc. you are going to have a frustrating first couple of years.

Like another poster said, business ownership is a lot of trial and error, but with the right drive to learn and take things in the right direction from day one a lot of the error can be avoided.
 
I've owned a business a lifetime ago and had I not been much younger it would have nearly killed me. Had nothing to do with cars.

Incredibly long hours, endless concerns about family things like healthcare, time for family things, not getting sued, monthly cash flow, and having something to show for at the end of each month. The financial concerns can overcome you if you let it.

One nice thing about approaching the golden years is that now its about enjoying all the things I sacrificed when I was younger.

Owning a business will age you faster than anything else you can do. Hopefully not enough to take away from the good things about being your own boss. Life has many challenges but looking back I can say that owning my own business was the most challenging thing I ever experienced but it was my own doing. I chose it, as it wasn't thrown upon me.

I do remember the good things as well like the incredible feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction when things were working.

I think looking back I can say that had I not tried my hand at owning my own business I would have always asked myself "what if I hadn't"?
 
I would definitely do it over again and, yes, I would do it differently. That said, most of the differences would be a result of things which I have learnt along the way so you could argue that I would never have learnt had I not made the mistakes.

It is about persistence and a bit of sense, most of the time. The biggest lesson I have learnt is how to spot the spoofers and save yourself time which will never turn into long term business.
 
"Cashflow Quadrant" - Robert Kiyosaki

Read this book to appreciate the difference between owning a job, being owned by a job and creating a system... especially in this industry.

Lucky Joe,
Wannabe Detailer

Sent from my HTC DNA
 
rustytruck said:
I only have a part time business but I would have read Renny Doyles book first.
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That is a BIG +100 !*!*!*!*!

Not completed it myself, and a lot of it I already knew, being born into a family that was successfully self employed since WW2, the principles are one in the same. Also I started *my* first business Jan 85 and ran it for 19 years. (Plus we had 2 more along the way.)

Renny Doyle's book however should be required reading for those wanting to seriously approach the detailing business.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using AG Online
 
I am not in the auto detailing business but I have been fortunate enough to have had a successful business for several years.

One thing that I am very surprised is that very few, if any, detaliers use an online appointment calendar like SnapAppointments. This way customers don't have to call you and ask you if you are available on a certain day. It is free if you only have one calendar. No, I don't have any affiliation with them at all.

I am shocked by how few detailers post up examples of how much time it took to do certain jobs. Tattoo removal companies are masters at this by showing examples of how many treatments certain tattoos took to remove. Then they list their treatment rates, which can change over time. It will give people an idea of how much things can be. Of course there are always going to be exceptions but it will put them in the ballpark.

My business email is linked to my cell phone so the minute I get an email I can reply to them at my earliest convenience. Ninety percent of my business now is done through email.

Build relationships. I have never discounted my product but at the same time I have given my customers plenty of gifts. Build a great relationship with one of the restaurants in town. Make it a habit to buy a $100 gift certificate and put your company name on it, too. That way the client remembers who is paying for their dinner and so does the restaurant. The restaurant is more likely to recommend you to others. It is against the law in most states to give away alcohol, so it has to be used towards food. Most people are going to invite another couple with them and then they are going to say who gave them the gift certificate. The next thing you know you have a whole network working for you.

Invest in shirts with your company name/logo on them. If not, a plain solid color shirt. Always wear a new clean shirt for each job.

If a car has your company name on it, make sure it is clean. I always laugh when I see a mobile detail van and it has what looks to be 6 months of brake dust on his rims. Image is everything.

Last but not least, always try and have a smile on your face.
 
Yellow06GT said:
One thing that I am very surprised is that very few, if any, detaliers use an online appointment calendar like SnapAppointments. This way customers don't have to call you and ask you if you are available on a certain day. It is free if you only have one calendar. No, I don't have any affiliation with them at all.
Click to expand...

I actually tried that, but currently have it commented out on my site, primarily because it seems most customers don't know enough about detailing to make the first appointment without a real conversation, so the snap appt doesn't help. It might be good for follow up appointments. I'm just getting started. I'm getting more traffic, so I might try putting it back up to see how it goes.
 
davisautodetail said:
I actually tried that, but currently have it commented out on my site, primarily because it seems most customers don't know enough about detailing to make the first appointment without a real conversation, so the snap appt doesn't help. It might be good for follow up appointments. I'm just getting started. I'm getting more traffic, so I might try putting it back up to see how it goes.
Click to expand...
I don't think the client can't make an appointment through snap, it just shows them if you are available. Then it is up to the business to block it off in the calendar. I have a friend who uses it for his service business, pet related.
 
Yellow06GT said:
I don't think the client can't make an appointment through snap, it just shows them if you are available. Then it is up to the business to block it off in the calendar. I have a friend who uses it for his service business, pet related.
Click to expand...

I just put it back up on my normal and mobile versions, contact page and both of my detailing menu pages. At the very least, it might get a soft commitment from someone who doesn't want to call (I actually do a lot of business by text).

I'll report back on it later under a new thread, sorry for the hijack!
 
Id be a CPA by now - BUT, instead I own a detailing company that is becoming very successful! With that said, I look 10 years older than my actual age, I spend all my time away from my family, and I struggle exponentially with the daily endeavors of keeping both clients and employees satisfied. I do hope that in a few years, B & B is a million dollar company, but even if it isn't - I can say I put my heart and soul into something and no matter what, it is a learning experience that will help me grow into a better person :)
 
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