You have my utmost respect for going in full time. But are you all in? Going all in is a must. You only have option A and there can't be an option B. Treat it like a business, not a $5 start up. I have found that most people that invest little money into their business usually get little results because the potential for loss is minimal (there are exceptions, especially here on AG). The motivational differences between someone who invested $150 into a whatever business is drastically different from someone who just invested $1million into a McDonalds franchise. Put yourself in a corner, explore outside your comfort zone. You will be surprised at your abilities and willingness to do what others won't do when there is no option B. Fight or flight.
What RFrommann said is absolutely right, your vehicle will not get you jobs, period. But the thought that you are 10K or 25K in the hole, or you have a $300 a month payment on your vehicle will wake your butt up in the morning to fix that. And what GSKR said about having a vehicle shows dedication is without a doubt correct. It also shows you are not some Mickey Mouse company working out of your trunk. Lastly, VP Mark hit the nail on the head with obscurity. How fix that? Either you have a big budget to spend on advertising or a massive social network that can reach thousands of users, or you walk your smiley little face in front of people and tell them what your business is and how you can serve them.
My business is a bit different than most detailers. I don't advertise, I don't Yelp, and I don't do social media. What I do do is make lots of contacts, in person. I kick (kiss) ass and take numbers. I don't care about giving my business card out because they won't call me anyway (I had 1 guy call me yesterday lol).
I've said this in another thread, but being a business owner is about being a salesman and making contacts. In your business, when you do a job at a customer's home, when you finish, do you leave? Or are you knocking on every neighbors door to let them know who you just served Jimmy next door and what you do? Leaving a card on their door/car won't do anything, that is as cold of a contact as it can get. But if you get a chance to get face to face and tell them that you just detailed the Johnson's car, assuming they know their next door neighbor, that instantly becomes a warm contact. In sales, they call this friendship borrowing. Borrow the friendship of your customers to make friends with their friends.
When a customer comes to your home to pick up his perfect car, you have to ask them for referrals right then and there. Search up on youtube how to ask for referrals. The art of asking for referrals is not easy, and I am no expert at it. But if you make it a priority to get good at this, you will not run out of work.
Be bold. Best of luck.
Oh yah, how did I start out? I bought myself a 2014 Savana, shelving, mostly 5 gallon jugs of chemicals, fully insured myself, website, uniforms, flyers, hired 2 employees. But most importantly, this is my only option. The mentality was: I'll either make it, or send the roses.
