how did you know you were ready?

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House of Wax

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For those of you who do details for money, how did you know you were ready to start charging? I'm in the process of doing some "freebies" to hone my skills, but not sure at what point I'll be "ready to go" and start actively pursuing jobs for cash.
 
I starting charging after my first couple of friends cars. I didn't charge what I charge now cause I do it for a living now :)
 
I'm on my 3rd and last 'freebie'. I feel confident, but I still plan on doing family/friends cars are discounted rates while I'm designing my business cards and logo. I don't think that my confidence is souring by any means, although it increases drastically with each vehicle. The first paying vehicles I complete will go to more products, that's for sure.
 
You know when you are ready when your jedi detailing skills are done...

seriously, you know when you are ready when you are efficient and can do work efficiently and then end result is good on each car
 
I think that's where I need the most work.....getting efficient in each step. I feel like I probably take way too long to do everything
 
hoamskilet said:
I think that's where I need the most work.....getting efficient in each step. I feel like I probably take way too long to do everything
Click to expand...
Better to do it right and slow then shoddy and fast. Work on the skill first, the speed will come.
 
agree with that. I've also been filling in the missing tools and products that I need and figure the more cars I do everything will naturally speed up.

I'm guessing I have a more picky eye than 90+% of the people I'd do a job for anyway.....it's just a matter of figuring out when I'll feel comfortable charging a complete stranger and being confident
 
Here is one:

My lady's sister just bought a new Cadillac car. Looked beautiful, was black with a ton of metallics.

I looked at it and saw it had a few swirls (looked at it for like 1 minute because she had to leave)

I am pretty confident that I could polish up the paint and apply sealants on other paints. (So I could on this one)

But Opti Coat would be her best bet. So I wouldn't feel comfortable charging a client for opti coat (since I haven't done it yet)

But for a polish and sealant I do have the experience.

So maybe once you have the experience and are confident that you can do the job?
 
Well I am just starting too. The way I feel is this:

1. I have almost no question left. I have studied pretty much every aspect of detailing I can think of and I know how to do pretty much everything.

2. I have done several car for free and while I can still improve on my skills and speed, I feel I know what I am doing.

3. I have taken the time to assemble an arsenal that can cover pretty much anything I can run across.

It might be different for you, but for me those 3 points make me feel it's time to start. I will be offering a discount until I feel I have mastered everything and my speed is what it should be. By that time I should have a good client base.
 
In Renny Doyle's book he talks about blogging, daily if not 3 times weekly. (So what I got from that was to just make it part of my life, Detailing in this case)

(Not exact words and I am not trying to quote him or the book btw)

So I started a FaceBook page called Detailing Art showing off my work and some people have actually started contacting on how much do I charge?

And I try to post a few videos or pictures I find online (always giving credit, where credit is do)

I contacted a Professional Detailing FB friend (known for his mirror finish work) of mine about starting up my own business and how I am not working at the body shop anymore.

He said something a long the lines of, when people start seeing your work and they start knowing what you do. Then you'll start becoming established.

This was like a year ago so I do not remember the exact words.

This reminds me of the saying: if you build it, they will come :D

^ in a way this has been true. I have even turned down people because they wanted major correction. I know how to do it, but I am not yet established.

So I have just referred them. I have washed and waxed customer cars, light polish too.

So for major correction as of now (to play it safe) I have only done close friends and family.

So step by step
 
Blogging is an awesome way to start putting your mark on it and not to mention it's your personal site as well that you control the media on it. You can check mine out in my sig, feel free to ask any questions about it and pass any criticism. I'm always open for a better way to do something.
 
When you have people asking you all the time if you can do their car next. That is the best time to start because you have a small but interested customer base. If you are looking to make a few hundred bucks here and there with friends and family then it is a good gig. Starting a business is expensive (especially if you only have part time hours to dedicate to it) so it may be best to just do it on the side.
 
Side work is all I'm interested in. I've got a good full time job that I don't want to quit. The actual goal is to build up my skills/portfolio and eventually try to get hooked up with some car clubs or something in my area to do some more interesting cars for people that really care about their rides
 
hoamskilet said:
Side work is all I'm interested in. I've got a good full time job that I don't want to quit. The actual goal is to build up my skills/portfolio and eventually try to get hooked up with some car clubs or something in my area to do some more interesting cars for people that really care about their rides
Click to expand...


This is my ultimate goal. I have a full time, great paying job. I work many hours, but enjoy detailing as well. I just want to do one full correction a month, maybe some small cleanup jobs here and there. I do it for fun and because I'm an enthusiast, so I want to help other enthusiasts out that will appreciate and enjoy the hard work.
 
hoamskilet said:
For those of you who do details for money, how did you know you were ready to start charging? I'm in the process of doing some "freebies" to hone my skills, but not sure at what point I'll be "ready to go" and start actively pursuing jobs for cash.
Click to expand...
Your ready!

hoamskilet said:
I think that's where I need the most work.....getting efficient in each step. I feel like I probably take way too long to do everything
Click to expand...

Your ready!
af90 said:
Better to do it right and slow then shoddy and fast. Work on the skill first, the speed will come.
Click to expand...

I agree!
hoamskilet said:
agree with that. I've also been filling in the missing tools and products that I need and figure the more cars I do everything will naturally speed up.

I'm guessing I have a more picky eye than 90+% of the people I'd do a job for anyway.....it's just a matter of figuring out when I'll feel comfortable charging a complete stranger and being confident
Click to expand...

It will come......your ready!
rustytruck said:
When you have people asking you all the time if you can do their car next. That is the best time to start because you have a small but interested customer base. If you are looking to make a few hundred bucks here and there with friends and family then it is a good gig. Starting a business is expensive (especially if you only have part time hours to dedicate to it) so it may be best to just do it on the side.
Click to expand...

I agree
 
You should always be ready to charge for something that someone would pay to have done elsewhere. Unless you are just doing it as a hobby and not investing much money into doing "freebies".
Now there is a difference in charging someone for something and running a business to support yourself. You know you are ready for the later part of that statement when you have ready Renny Doyle's book and have taken action on everything he says. Pretty much when you don't have any more major questions and have spent at least a year researching everything. There is a lot to it obviously.

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