Part-Time to Full-Time

[AutowerxDetailing]

I'm curious how you all with full-time detailing businesses made the transition from part-time detailing (as a hobby or business) to full-time detailing cars every day.

I would love to quit my day job and get out to detail cars every day of the week but due to my current schedule I am only available 2 days a week to dedicate to my true passion. I've started a business (website, business cards, flyers, etc.) but I end up turning away most of my customers because my availability is so limited. I've even taken some jobs overnight just because the customer needed the job done right away but I couldn't do it during the day.

I would love to hear stories about how you progressed your business into a full-time detailing enterprise!

[SeaJay's]

I got laid off from my day job. I always had dreams of doing it full time, but my day job paid really well and I owned a home. I couldn't just up and quit with bills over my head.

So, they laid me off...allowed me to collect unemployment which enabled me enough time to sell my house, and hit the ground running with my detailing.

It's tough some weeks (like this one! it's been raining all week), but it's definitely nice. I don't make nearly as much as I did, but I'm doing something I love doing and my bills are getting paid. I was always told that money wasn't everything. And it's true for the most part. I'm making about half the money I was and I struggle here and there. But I'm doing something I love and I'm my own boss. If uncle Sam and the state of Mass didn't take so much I might actually be doing pretty damn good! lol.

[Ford2000]

I lost my job 24 years and started my own detailing business
last year was my 1st year
and did over 150 vehicles
only april to nov
this year i plan on doing more

[Josh@BR]

I worked full time at a car dealership detailing cars since I was 18(I'm 25 now) and at 19 I got promoted to detail manager and got trained to do full details there which they didn't offer before. I made pretty good money for being 19 which allowed me to buy my first sports car which was a brand new blue 2006 Subaru WRX. I'm not bringing the car up to brag or anything but it was the start of my passion for detailing that led me to want to do my job better and learn more about detailing.

At age 20 I started doing full details for friends and family for about $100 a car. I did a pretty good job for the price and after about my 5th car I bought the ever popular Porter Cable 7424 and that opened a whole other world to me lol.

When I was 23 I decided to start my own business on the side while working full time at the dealership(5-6 days a week). I detailed cars for my business on weekends and in the evenings after work. This wasn't so bad when I first started the business but as my services got more popular I found zero time for myself.

Shortly after I turned 24 I knew my business was going somewhere and I needed to work more for myself so I decided to have a talk with my boss at the dealership. I basically told him that I needed to work part time there so I can work more at my business or else I would quit since my body was taking a beating. I was kind of expecting him to tell me to f*ck off have a nice life but he knew how good I was and since business was somewhat slow there (it's a Saab dealership lol) he allowed me to work there on Tuesday's and Thursday's which gave me 5 days a week for my business if I needed it.

I turned 25 in December and on January 16th I put in my 1 month notice at the dealership since I was steady busy all winter and wanted to prepare for Spring. It was such a scary feeling thinking that I have to completely provide for myself now but I felt I made the best transition to full time possible. I'm making much more money now and I'm really excited to see where my business can go.

Sorry for the long story but I tried to shorten it up the best I could. I never really got a chance to write that out before lol.

[Agfan]

I lost my job 24 years and started my own detailing business
last year was my 1st year
and did over 150 vehicles
only april to nov
this year i plan on doing more


How did you advertise or get your name out there to do 150 in 7 months? Did you do just customer cars? Just curious.

[armanslr]

I can't help you since I just detail on the side but your website is one of the best I've seen from the posters on autogeek and i am sure you will do great if / when you start working full time.

[AutowerxDetailing]

I can't help you since I just detail on the side but your website is one of the best I've seen from the posters on autogeek and i am sure you will do great if / when you start working full time.

Thank you, I sincerely appreciate the compliment. I usually work on the site at night when I can't sleep. I've spent hours and hours on it getting everything just right. I'm currently working on search engine optimization to hopefully get some better placement. I might start up some AdWords campaigns that I will schedule for my days off so hopefully I can scoop up some same day business when I am actually available.

Thanks everyone so far for sharing your stories! You are giving me the inspiration that I, too, may one day be a full-time autogeek!

[rustytruck]

It seems like going full time is really a huge step because of the cost of benefits. Some people don't realize how much they cost because they never see the actual amount. At my job I make in the low 60's but at the end of the year they send a benefit statement that lists all compensation that figure is in the high 80's it includes family health plan 5 weeks vacation 2 1/2 weeks sick pay 5% base pay into 401k. company payment into pension account and a few other things I'm forgetting but the point is you need to take in a lot more money than just what you were earning. probably more than 30% just to cover benefits plus the cost of day to day operations. That being said I love my side business starting to get really busy but would never consider quitting my day job. Good luck with whatever you choose.

[SeaJay's]

How did you advertise or get your name out there to do 150 in 7 months? Did you do just customer cars? Just curious.

Here is what I have done to promote my business. Some items work better than others.

Ad on craigslist

Leave flyers, brochures, or business cards in all the local places that will let you. Pizza shops, hair salons, etc

sign up for as many free sites as you can - angieslist, yelp, yp.com, thumbtack.com, hotfrong, manta, the list goes on and on.

Facebook & twitter accounts for my business - and be active. Ensure that people following you see your work etc.

Website - which you already have

And google Ad Words - which really has paid for it self. I've only done this since Feb and I've paid about $200 towards it but have received probably 8-10 details from it already, so it's paid for it self.

Donate a free detail to a good cause - helps get your name out there.

[habeba86]

Here is what I have done to promote my business. Some items work better than others.

Ad on craigslist

Leave flyers, brochures, or business cards in all the local places that will let you. Pizza shops, hair salons, etc

sign up for as many free sites as you can - angieslist, yelp, yp.com, thumbtack.com, hotfrong, manta, the list goes on and on.

Facebook & twitter accounts for my business - and be active. Ensure that people following you see your work etc.

Website - which you already have

And google Ad Words - which really has paid for it self. I've only done this since Feb and I've paid about $200 towards it but have received probably 8-10 details from it already, so it's paid for it self.

Donate a free detail to a good cause - helps get your name out there.


:whs: