Wasting time!!!!

Detailingtime said:
WOULD is the key word here....I can detail no problem but man how does anyone make money at less than $75 a hour with insurance,taxes,overhead, Just trying to learn
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..........and there comes the true question!!

Glad you ask! I will not speak for everyone but most have 2 jobs (sometimes 3). The ones that detail full time depend on a couple of factors for "making it".

1) Volume
2) Employees to turn over even more cars (volume) without having to kill themselves.
3) Tips
4) Up sales on their packages
5) Specialty service (paint correction, coating and its prep etc..)
6) High end detailing

We would all love to do Ferraris and Lambos and other high end "Sunday cars" but the bread and butter are in the

1) Overworked
2) Multitasking soccer mom's
3) Neglected daily drivers
4) etc...

basically all kinds of regular Joe that are looking to beautify their current daily drivers but can't (or don't want to) find the time to do it themselves

As I told a buddy of mine, if you are planning on becoming an OB/GYN to look at good looking women naked all day long, you will be majorly disappointing. You will see the sick, unclean, overweight, elderly etc.... Once in a blue moon you will see a gorgeous women coming in for a yearly. You daily bread and butter are going to be the infected, problematic... (you get the picture)....Same with detailing!

I detail because it is therapeutic. I detail because it is a hobby which grew beyond a hobby. I detail because I personally love to do it. I am pretty good at it and do have my "dance card" booked for the next 3 weeks, therefore I can ask for a premium.
 
Just thinking here... I only want to do high end cars ONLY dont care how many i get in a year.. Just that it is High End and they wanna pay what i am asking.I am looking at making connections with 2%ers only...I have $10,000 to spend on start up..I know how i wanna do it but HOW WOULD YOU DO IT? I have a job now and can stay there as long as i want and detail 2 days a week.I have a place to detail no cost to me!!!
 
So you are doing this as hobby then! I mean, you can't be thinking of starting a business dreaming ( not thinking clearly ). I mean no disrespect at all to you bud, it's just my opinion so please bare with me here. If you make a good living that's awesome, if you are starting a business, this being your 2nd job, I mean you have to think realistic too. You first need the customers and let me tell you this, you need to gain their trust, loyalty. That doesn't not come ease at all. Once you do that then maybe, you can start thinking like that. I mean don't get me wrong, we all want to make the big money too right way but you need a strategy first, you need a plan first before you step into this, otherwise, you are just going to throw money away and trust me, it will not succeed like that. I could belie wrong but I have seen many things and thinking like this is not the way to start a business. Once again, please pardon me if I am being too forward or not, I am new here too as you are on this forums, we all help each other here, some good feedback always come from real detailers like us ad I am always learning here with AGs. If Renny was here from Attention to Detail, here would be saying probably the samething. I got his book as many have here and if I were you, I would take a look at his book too. He is spot on some mistakes all of us did when we first started our business as well.
 
Detailingtime said:
Just thinking here... I only want to do high end cars ONLY dont care how many i get in a year.. Just that it is High End and they wanna pay what i am asking.I am looking at making connections with 2%ers only...I have $10,000 to spend on start up..I know how i wanna do it but HOW WOULD YOU DO IT? I have a job now and can stay there as long as i want and detail 2 days a week.I have a place to detail no cost to me!!!
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I understand what you are asking but the question I have for you is what kind of skills and rep do you bring to the table?

Locals know me for my primary occupation, I have an impeccable reputation (professionally and as a detailer), and do run in pretty rich circles.... and I still have a hard time convincing them.

My portfolio includes high end vehicles ($150k+ cars), and even then they seem tentative and reluctant. I do review my work with them, educating them on the ins and outs of what I do and how I do it.... and even then!. It is always an uphill battle and one that requires practice to perfect.

Same as what was expressed before, $30/hr is a good average for regular services which may go up to $50-$60/hr (in my area) for high end services, but that is the glass ceiling.

If I were to ONLY deal with my high end clients, and expect them to pay me $150/hr.... I would not live to see next year.

My reputation was built through the high end artistry I bring to the table (portfolio) but lives because of the word of mouth (reputation).

If you refer back to my original post, you will see that your best tools are not some that are found on the AG website but on what you bring to the table (skills) and your reputation. This is further exemplified in the diversity of your portfolio.

You want to be known as the guy that does 1 high end Mercedes a year? Not exactly the motivating factor for me to bring a Ferrari to you.

Most high end owners are smart people, smart enough to know to avoid the "reputationless" elitist. I will take on any and all project (within reason) and provide a diverse portfolio, which even the Bentley owner oooooo's and aaaaa's over. They are settled by the fact that I show them the high end stuff but feel reassured that my skills are sharpen regularly enough.

High end owners don't care about how many polishers you have, how many variety of compounds, waxes etc... you have. They don't even care about my 2600sq.ft. shop. So it is not about the tools, but what you bring to the table....
 
Detailingtime said:
Just thinking here... I only want to do high end cars ONLY dont care how many i get in a year.. Just that it is High End and they wanna pay what i am asking.I am looking at making connections with 2%ers only...I have $10,000 to spend on start up..I know how i wanna do it but HOW WOULD YOU DO IT? I have a job now and can stay there as long as i want and detail 2 days a week.I have a place to detail no cost to me!!!
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In that case hire someone to do the daily work and save the SIVs for yourself. Everything previously said about doing your time to earn the respect & trust of your clientele would still apply, however.

Lucky Joe,
Wannabe Detailer

Sent from my HTC DNA
 
I almost have no overhead I run my business out of my garage. My insurance is $30 a month and taxes aren't bad at all really and I get a lot of right offs for running it out of my house. I right off my milage when I drive to customers house to give an estimate. Like this week I'm doing a Vett,2 motorcycles and set of rims to polish. I have to do all the work at his warehouse. I'm not mobile so I only do this for this customer cause he always tips very well for my time and he is the only one I do this for.
 
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Honestly think this guy is trolling. Look at his other thread
 
Trolling? What the heck is that Because i asked a question and asked for input?
 
I am pretty sure you got the answers already bud, did you read any of our comments. I don't think we have the answer for you to be honest with you. I mean, come on, you are leaving a dream not a reality right now.
 
Guys really what have i done wrong? Someone please tell me so i know not to do it agian?
 
Full detail at $399 Wash/Wax $150 w/Assistant Full detail 2.5 hours Wash/Wax 1 hour
 
Do you have pictures of any paint correction you have done? Sun shots preffered.
 
Detailingtime said:
Why do people waste their time on 96% of people who wont pay top dollar for detailing I am talking $500+ for a detail $200+ on wash/wax Just curious? Seems from reading alot the last few days quite a few people waste alot of time on folks that cant make you a very good living Just wondering.....I couldnt and wouldnt detail for less than +$150 a hour It is hard work and Yall should be getting payed.....
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LOL LOL LOL!! ^^^ Who is this kid?
 
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