Detailing as a Career?

Success Rate

Many people seem to think that being a professional detailer must be the coolest job ever, and in some ways it is. Working on both everyday driver vehicles and amazing exotic cars day in day out and doing something you love to do for a living is pretty awesome, but there is also a harsh reality to being a detailer that you should be clear about from the very beginning.

A large % of the people attempting to open a detailing business fail; as too many focus solely on the actual detailing side of the business and never learn how to run a business properly. Establishing creditability is one of the biggest challenges for small start-up businesses.

You also need to decide what niche market you want to concentrate on-.
Paint correction - catering to higher end clients, usually ‘exotic’ or specialised automobiles, this market sector provides lower cash flow and higher profit.

Volume type work – aimed towards the average vehicle owner, which caters to ‘wash & wax’ type clients, this market sector provides a higher cash flow but small profit margins. High turnover (volume) provides the biggest profits

If you think that detailing is just a job think again, because it isn’t. It’s more like a lifestyle choice, and the spirit of what it involves will need to run deep in your veins if you are to succeed and thrive as a detailer.

The ultimate question is this: are you trying to open and invest in a properly functioning business or just trying to creating a job. Usually a business needs to operate for a period of months before it breaks even, so it’s a very poorly paid job. You could be the best detailer the world has ever seen but unless you learn how to correctly operate a business properly you're just setting yourself up for failure

If you know deep inside that you will work as hard as it takes no matter what, and that paying attention to minute details day after day and vehicle after vehicle appeals to you even though it will be extremely challenging then this type of commitment will help you to succeed

 

Wow, lots of great info! Thanks to everyone thats sharing so much.
Looks like im not the only one thinking about doing this for a living.

 

I just received my first shipment from DD and found this thread while browsing the forum. Sounds like my situation now. I graduated in July with my MBA, finished an internship with the Department of Energy last month, and am in the process of searching for a full-time job. Like others here have mentioned, the idea of working for a large company, parked at a desk for 8 hours a day, pains me. I've always detailed my family's vehicles but have never got into full paint correction. I would definitely get some good practice in on my own vehicles before doing it for clients, but I have been debating starting a full service wash-wax business in the mean time.

Where I live in New Mexico, there aren't a lot of high-end cars or clients that would be willing to spend several hundred on details, so I'm thinking a lower-priced but high quality service would be a good entry point in this market. An internet search reveals only 4 or 5 full-service detailers in the metro area, and the majority of people here use large commercial washes that turn out cars with streaked windows, water spots, and greasy armor-all applied over dirty interiors. I'm thinking an in-between service could fill a niche and allow me to build a client list and eventually expand into other services.

I have saved up quite a bit while working during school and I'm a little nervous about taking a gamble and investing in a business, but then again I'm at a time in my life where I don't have a lot of fixed expenses or a family to support so now may be the time. Any advice from the pros here? What do you think of starting off with basic services versus a full service paint correction operation?

 

My opinion is to start slow and try to build a customer base by doing work on the weekends. Build a portfolio, attend local car meets, spread out some business cards and move up eventually. For me, being in school limits me on time as I can only afford to do this weekends. Even then being honest, it's very slow. But just keep doing good work, show them you care and word of mouth will follow. There isn't much exotics where I reside, but you have to deal with what you got. Your business will succeed if you have the edge, go find what your edge will be.

 

Here you are again,Southwest Shine !!

Congratulations on your education and post grad work ! You and your family should be so proud !
I would if it were me, want to follow up with the DOE and see what kind of positions are available, etc., because this is what you just spent 6 years of your life doing, right ?
Even though it may entail days working inside, its not forever - you are free to put in your 2 weeks notice and walk out the door anytime. But, while you are working, you are getting yourself out there, connecting via Linkdin, etc., with other professionals, and maybe you find that perfect job designing and working outside designing the next best wind farm location, etc... And think of all the $$$ you are putting away for your future and your future plans..

Along the way, you keep on Detailing on the side, getting your skills and knowledge base stronger, getting your name out there again and growing your Inventory of equipment, supplies, etc...

I have also been doing this pretty much since I was a little kid at my Dad's gas station/repair shop and body shop. I am a car-guy/detail-guy through and through. Its in my genes.

What I did after leaving a very nice career in Telecom (while Detailing on the side as well), of almost 40 years, was go find a good, I mean a really good Independent german car shop, (actually found both Bimmer and Audi, and am going to see another Porsche shop soon), ask them who Detailed their Client's vehicles, and proceed to show them on their own Client's vehicles, the imperfections in the paintwork, how it got there, and how I could remove it and make their vehicles as good as when they were purchased new.
I knew I could say this and back this up. I got their account and for a few years now, have had an un-ending line of Bimmers of all types and years to Detail just from one Independent shop! I have also Detailed alot of the cars from the people that work in the shop and of course, then they want their Mom's, Dad's, etc., kids, cars done, so it just keeps going. I am also blessed to live in a very affluent neighborhood, so I have had a few exotics and high end vehicles in my garage from time to time, and it really helps advertise me without spending money specifically on advertisement. Throw in a few very nice airplanes from some of the pilots in the neighborhood and its as much as I want it to be.
Pay wise, let me just say that it is a lot harder work for the money than the jobs you can have in your education's career field for sure. If you are young and I believe you are, you will come out of doing this line of work with a very toned, strong body, with killer arms and upper body, especially if you do it all alone, like I do.

Paying for Liability and Insurance on your shop space, paying the State the taxes they want that you collect, renewing your license annually, overhead, supplies, machines, lights, your increased electrical and water/hot water bill, rent if you have to rent a shop, keeping accurate books, that are subject to audit, getting time to spend with family, friends, etc., going through those long days and nights to get that huge Suburban done, so the next one can come in right behind it, and so on, is really the reality of this line of work at the end of the day. If you are ready and willing to take all that on yourself or pay someone else to help carry some of it, then by all means, go after your dream !

There is a huge difference between the "Custom" Detail Shops and the rest the "Production" Shops out there. Some make a lot of money because of the huge volume of quick jobs they do rather poorly, and then there are the rest of us, constantly un-doing what messes they make. There will never be a shortage of work for those that do it right and have put in the "time in grade" to learn and hone their skills to the highest level so that their customer base is always growing with lots of repeat business.
If I wanted to Detail boats, I could do that too, but prefer to send these to a good friend of mine who is the best boat Detailer around. He also refers me people too.

The comments made earlier about this being a "hobby" and or a "full time job" are very wise and true. When you decide how you want to approach this, either as a hobby or a full time job, or perhaps a little bit of both, that will also be a deciding factor on what you really end up with.

I wish you the best in your plans for your future!
Dan F

 

These may be of some help - Essentials for Starting a New Business - http://www.autopia.org/forum/detail.../136439-essentials-starting-new-business.html
Becoming a Professional Detailer - http://www.autopia.org/forum/detail...ng/136438-becoming-professional-detailer.html