what are your biggest problems about running/starting your business?

Just keep it simple. Have a low overhead and try to think small for now. Keep the most profitable services and get 8 hours of sleep and you will be okay.

sent from Yakima valley washington
 
We don't do part time here. I was thinking as things build up I could switch over and pick up a part time job elsewhere though. Also considered a decent sized shop to split lease and utilities with my friend who is a mechanic and looking to start his own thing. Cut costs by sharing a space with him.
 
And for right now going no shop is fine because my garage is large. I just would like a storefront and sign to draw people in.
 
Problem Like others have stated, I want to start my business but I work full time and I don't even have the luxury of having the same days off every week. So it's hard to even start small right now, between maintaining the family's cars, work, and life.

Solution ?? I'm going to do a few coworkers cars at low cost to see how I can handle it with my current position. Then maybe I can make a solid schedule with work. Then as things progress step down to part time.. Time will tell.
 
I am lucky to have a set schedule and I work 12 hour shifts. So I actually work only 2 days one week 5 the next week. I'm looking to try just over working myself for now and once my days off are full to a point where I can't handle it I may quit my job and look for a small part time night job or something.
 
Trutech74 said:
I am lucky to have a set schedule and I work 12 hour shifts. So I actually work only 2 days one week 5 the next week. I'm looking to try just over working myself for now and once my days off are full to a point where I can't handle it I may quit my job and look for a small part time night job or something.
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Without a doubt keep your day job until detailing can manage your financial needs
 
Joe@Superior Shine said:
DO NOT LOWER YOUR PRICES. Offer a premium service, build your reputation and charge more!
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I'll buy that for a dollar! If you offer a cut-rate service, you'll cut your own throat because it's *very* hard to get your rates back up where you're making a descent profit. Keep in mind, making a descent profit is OK. Too bad the PC people in our highly esteemed capitol tell us making money is evil. Being broke is evil. Charging a too low of a price for your services is the quickest way to being evil.

What to charge is highly objective depending on where you live. I live in NE Indiana, and if I see a Ferrari or Lamborghini, I'm telling my friends on Facebook, because we don't have too many exotic cars in our 'red-neck' of the woods. In more populous areas it's not that unusual to see one, or two exotic cars, so you have to charge what the market will bear.

The bottom line is charge a fair price for equally fair work and you'll be fine.
 
David Hayward said:
And for right now going no shop is fine because my garage is large. I just would like a storefront and sign to draw people in.
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I've been working out of my garage for 8 years. 5 years part time and 3 years full time. Store front is not a big deal in my opinion unless you want to grow and hire people which I never want todo. I like being a one many show and after 3 years full time I'm booked out for 4-6 weeks. Do great work at a good price and customers will come.
 
I will second (or third) Joe's statement of not lowering your prices. Instead simply improve the quality of your work. Location does matter though, and you need to make sure you're in line with what potential customers in your area will pay. I started at this almost nine years ago (been full-time for almost the last six) and have raised my prices on almost a yearly basis. If you do good work, they'll keep on coming, but it can take time to build it organically.
 
Pureshine said:
I've been working out of my garage for 8 years. 5 years part time and 3 years full time. Store front is not a big deal in my opinion unless you want to grow and hire people which I never want todo. I like being a one many show and after 3 years full time I'm booked out for 4-6 weeks. Do great work at a good price and customers will come.
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I need something other than my garage either way. It is plenty big for cars but I don't have the ability to fit full size trucks through the doors. I have a 2.5 car garage but with 2 single doors. Currently I'm looking at small shops around 1000 square feet for around 500 bucks a month. It's either that or build a 24ft x 24ft garage at my house.
 
jarred767 said:
I will second (or third) Joe's statement of not lowering your prices. Instead simply improve the quality of your work. Location does matter though, and you need to make sure you're in line with what potential customers in your area will pay. I started at this almost nine years ago (been full-time for almost the last six) and have raised my prices on almost a yearly basis. If you do good work, they'll keep on coming, but it can take time to build it organically.
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Right now I do part time and I'm fairly busy. To a point where I will stop booking for a week to relax. But if I were to go full time I would like the thought of possible walk ins. Never hurts to be visible to the world.
 
I see a lot of the same issues here that I had when I was starting off too. How to attract new customers? Go to where the cars are. Repair shops-i just ask if anyone ever asked about detailing, leave a few cards and a flyer or two. I have had calls from almost every shop I've been in from customers seeing my cards or the shop owner remembering me. Do an awesome job, and they will be repeat customers and refer friends and family. Golf pro-shops, lots of affluent customers there- Joe at Superior Shine did a great presentation on this from the last Detail Fest; find it on YouTube on AG's channel. Body shops, I have two that I work with on a regular basis now for full premium details. You always have to be looking and stay alert for opportunities. I'm about 275% of last years total sales with 3 months to go. It's not easy, but with the right attitude and positivity promoting yourself, they will come.......:dblthumb2:
 
David Hayward said:
I need something other than my garage either way. It is plenty big for cars but I don't have the ability to fit full size trucks through the doors. I have a 2.5 car garage but with 2 single doors. Currently I'm looking at small shops around 1000 square feet for around 500 bucks a month. It's either that or build a 24ft x 24ft garage at my house.
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Ya if I could find a 1000 square feet for $500 I would take it. Here that would cost 3k a month.
 
Pureshine said:
Ya if I could find a 1000 square feet for $500 I would take it. Here that would cost 3k a month.
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Wow that's crazy expensive. These are just some small shops in an industrial Parkway type thing not visible from the road. They even had a 2400 Sq ft for 800 a month.
 
David Hayward said:
Wow that's crazy expensive. These are just some small shops in an industrial Parkway type thing not visible from the road. They even had a 2400 Sq ft for 800 a month.
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I wish there's nothing like that where I live.
 
Costs in my area are fairly low. So many open units these days they are just giving them away I feel.
 
David Hayward said:
Wow that's crazy expensive. These are just some small shops in an industrial Parkway type thing not visible from the road. They even had a 2400 Sq ft for 800 a month.
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that should be telling you something about the area you are in..... Just saying.

if you look in my town on google you get 5 listings (including mine) for mobile or brick and mortar detailers. So with my town not being a mecca of people careing about their cars looks,, its hard. still trying to get local customers. all my paying customers are from another town due to working with them.

I hope you do good. honestly.
 
Well I'm in a huge residential town. But I keep busy. I'm 15 min from Cleveland though and there are a lot of high end areas in and around Cleveland also factoring in doing a lot of boats in the spring because we are on the lake with 5 local marinas close to me. I'm not going full time anytime soon but I hope some day im busy enough.
 
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