Question for all detailing entrepreneurs: If you were offered a gig to manage a high volue wash/detailing shop would you take it? If so, how much would it take for you to accept the gig and reduce hours spent on your business?
It would need to be more than double what I make/would make if I were a full time high-end detailer. Nothing short of $125 000/year, and even then, I'm not sure I'd take it as I'd have to bare with the awful work production detailing does.
managing is not really detailing......... but I dont see anything wrong with it, if you have to make a living then do it. But like the man said above, there is a stigma attached to high volume places.
If its something you wont be happy doing... don't do it! If the pay is right and the people you meet are great! It could work to your advantage..... I encourage this! At least giving it a shot you become closer to knowing what you don't want to do?
Most high volume car washes dont know the meaning of detailing. I personally wouldnt take the job just for the fact that seeing things done the wrong way makes me cringe each time. I would end up wanting to change things around so that the employees know how to actually detail properly and most likely the owner or company wouldnt go for it since its a high volume place.
Have you ever had to manage people before? How much autonomy would you have over personnel decisions especially hiring and firing? How strong a motivator is money for you? Personally, although I have high-end tastes, money, per se, doesn't really turn my crank. I would much rather make $35K - $45K doing something I enjoy, can take pride in and that is low stress than $75K - $90K in a job I don't enjoy and that is pushing my blood pressure to redline. That, however, is just me. For me to take a painful but high material reward position I would have to have a clear exit strategy and an idea of how this is going to help me in long run beyond the immediate money in pocket aspect.
Thanks for the feedback guys. I currently have a full time office job, but recently found an opportunity to get into the automotive deatiling world full time. I have a major passion for cars and detailing and am at a crossroads of a major career change. Here's a little more background info on the opportunity at hand: A major automotive group that owns a strip of luxury and highend dealerships is planning to launch their own detailing service. Currently they own a complete facility that is being ran by a popular local car wash company that manages washes for cars on the lot as well as some minor detailing (mainly just wax), but they are firing the car wash company because of too many complaints of crappy service. What they want to do is start from the bottom and take over the facility to manage washes for cars on the lot and start selling quality detailing packages to attain and keep repeat clients. When I spoke to the director managing the launch, he said he wants to break the ideaology that you shouldn't take your car to the dealership for detailing services because they will do more harm than good. He's quite knowledgeable about the proper way to detai and he really wants to make it a profitable business on the detailing side by offering real professional detailing services. The dealerships they own include some big names (Rolls Royce, Porsche, Lotus, etc). I've applied for a management position and am onto the 2nd round of interviews. I have some management experience in the corporate world and of course have quite a bit of detaling knowledge since I run a successful part-time detailing business. I'd really love to get out of the cube I work in and into the auto industiry because I have a huge passion for cars. This opportunity seems like a dream job, especially since it invovles detailing and some pretty expesnive and rare vehicles, but my concern is that it'll be such a big change for me and I dont really know everything to expect that will come from this change. I'm not sure of what their salary range is because I haven't received an offer yet, but I'm sure I'll be taking a substantial pay cut from my current corporate job. I've worked with a team to detail a car before, but not in a high volume shop where I'm sure there will be stress to crank out cars while still maintaining the quality they want to set. As part of management, I'll be in charge of the staff and quality control, but I will still be required to help detail if necessary. Just wanted to see what you guys thought. There are definitely some pros and cons and I'm still weighing my options.
Sounds like a good opportunity for someone moving UP into it. But for you to take a pay cut and not know the security is risky. My immediate concerns would be with the necessary increase in expenses in order to improve quality and service and the responsibility to create the changes. Sometimes changing a negative image is harder than starting from scratch. I'm curious to hear about how this goes, though. Good Luck!
The golden rule of changing jobs: never take a salary decrease no matter how sweet the plum on the table looks. Your electric bill won't go down just because your take home pay is less. I hope things work out well for you.
You made it sounds like a corner detailer. I would do it. You would be surprised how well networked high-end dealers are.
