How I Made $150,119.50 Detailing In My 2nd Year of Business

[Mike Calloway]

Hey everyone,

Hope everything has been great with you. I just wanted to thank everyone who contributes to this section and others on the forum. I spent a ton of time in this section of the forum trying to figure out how to turn my passion for detailing into profit.

I watched Cosmin make a nice amount of money and wondered how I could do it. So I went on a search, a search to make 6-7 figures detailing cars.

I decided that I wanted to stay mobile to keep overhead down and profit margins up.

My first year (2013) I started out of my car and I made $20,000 in revenue. That wasn't enough for me (I purchased our first van in August of that year).

I then worked like heck in figuring out the right branding, price points, and marketing channels to grow 10 times in one year.

Last year (2014) I made $150,119.50.

This year (2015) we are of course making more but the great thing is that I'm moving into a passive role so now our team is detailing and making clients happy while I focus on marketing.

I want you to know that it is possible to make 6 figures in this business and create an awesome lifestyle. I benefit from being in a great part of the country DC, MD, VA. But I believe that with the right business model, you can make some great money detailing.

I still have some ways to go and there is still a ton of growth left and lessons to be learned ahead. Just wanted to inspires others like many have inspired me!

[Kamakaz1961]

That is so cool to hear that you are kickin some serious booty!!! Awesome and I hope you make it to $250,000 - $300,000 soon!!

[Mike Calloway]

That is so cool to hear that you are kickin some serious booty!!! Awesome and I hope you make it to $250,000 - $300,000 soon!!

Thanks so much! I hope we do too lol

[Rsurfer]

Congrats...is that gross or net? If the latter, great, if gross, that could mean you made nothing.

[Ccrew]

Congrats...is that gross or net? If the latter, great, if gross, that could mean you made nothing.

No offense to the OP, it's still a feat but this is the first thing that came to mind for me. $150,119.50 is great but not if you spent $150,119.50 to make it.

[haris300]

Congrats to you! I love hearing about fellow detailer's successes. Sounds like you really love doing what you do.

[Mike Calloway]

Congrats...is that gross or net? If the latter, great, if gross, that could mean you made nothing.


No offense to the OP, it's still a feat but this is the first thing that came to mind for me. $150,119.50 is great but not if you spent $150,119.50 to make it.

Agreed. $70,000 in profit. Could have been much more had I not made some bad marketing decisions and overspending in certain areas (lessons learned).


Congrats to you! I love hearing about fellow detailer's successes. Sounds like you really love doing what you do.

Thanks brother! Hope it helps

[jarred767]

This is awesome to hear, however your title says "how" you made that much, but you didn't really say "how" you did it other than now you're in a passive role and you stayed mobile. I'm on a quest to increase my bottom lines too, (last year revenues were roughly $85k with $70k being profit, but that's after almost 10 years), but as a one man show, I feel like I'm bumping up against the wall and not really able to increase revenues too much more without either hiring someone on (I'd rather not) or renting a shop (at least an additional 12k a year).

Curious if you could elaborate any more on the "how" you increased revenues that much in one year.

[Cosmin]

I watched Cosmin make a nice amount of money and wondered how I could do it. So I went on a search, a search to make 6-7 figures detailing cars.
Just wanted to inspires others like many have inspired me!

congrats!
i am glad to hear that my story inspire others.
there are a lot of money to be done with detailing and other services related, you have to stay focus and don`t give up.
i think the first 2-3 years i reinvest most of the profit back into the business. is no way around.


*funny , that`s my 666post :)

[glisten]

This is awesome to hear, however your title says "how" you made that much, but you didn't really say "how" you did it other than now you're in a passive role and you stayed mobile. I'm on a quest to increase my bottom lines too, (last year revenues were roughly $85k with $70k being profit, but that's after almost 10 years), but as a one man show, I feel like I'm bumping up against the wall and not really able to increase revenues too much more without either hiring someone on (I'd rather not) or renting a shop (at least an additional 12k a year).

Curious if you could elaborate any more on the "how" you increased revenues that much in one year.


<This.

[Calendyr]

This is awesome to hear, however your title says "how" you made that much, but you didn't really say "how" you did it other than now you're in a passive role and you stayed mobile. I'm on a quest to increase my bottom lines too, (last year revenues were roughly $85k with $70k being profit, but that's after almost 10 years), but as a one man show, I feel like I'm bumping up against the wall and not really able to increase revenues too much more without either hiring someone on (I'd rather not) or renting a shop (at least an additional 12k a year).

Curious if you could elaborate any more on the "how" you increased revenues that much in one year.

If you are a one man team (just like I am) you are effectivelly converting your time into money. Problem with that is we have limited time. So if you are working full time, there are no way to increase profits being a single guy without increasing the price for your services and this is very hard to do if you are already charging a premium price (which I assume you do since you made quite a chunk of money doing it alone).

I am very interested in what the OP did to make that much gross. I expect to see a team in there dividing the work. That's pretty much the only way to increase profit once you have a good client base and no more free time.

[SKorch630]

Well, assuming by his posts, that he's got a team. That being said, his profit numbers in 2 years is obtainable. Now, the guys who are a one man show, you WILL run into constraints because YOU only have so much time in the day. The key here is to "be earning money while you sleep" so to speak.

There comes a point where you will run into walls like jarred stated. Working from your garage, perhaps not enough space, and not wanting to hire another person, which will equal no increased profit. You have to spend money to earn money. It requires a solid business plan, marketing, time, and work. I don't doubt that with all of that, anyone can make 7 figures in this industry. It all depends on how bad you want it.

[Calendyr]

Well, assuming by his posts, that he's got a team. That being said, his profit numbers in 2 years is obtainable. Now, the guys who are a one man show, you WILL run into constraints because YOU only have so much time in the day. The key here is to "be earning money while you sleep" so to speak.

There comes a point where you will run into walls like jarred stated. Working from your garage, perhaps not enough space, and not wanting to hire another person, which will equal no increased profit. You have to spend money to earn money. It requires a solid business plan, marketing, time, and work. I don't doubt that with all of that, anyone can make 7 figures in this industry. It all depends on how bad you want it.

You are absolutely right. In my case I have trouble getting clients so expanding is out of the question at this point. Once I do have a full schedule I plan on hiring a helper or two to keep growing. Would love to have a fixed place to do detailing too, would help with people who don't want to do the work at their place (get a lot of that here in Montreal, most people don't have a parking space or a garage and simply park on the streets).

Would still love to read how Cosmin and the OP went about it.

[jarred767]

If you are a one man team (just like I am) you are effectivelly converting your time into money. Problem with that is we have limited time. So if you are working full time, there are no way to increase profits being a single guy without increasing the price for your services and this is very hard to do if you are already charging a premium price (which I assume you do since you made quite a chunk of money doing it alone).

Yeah, I do whatever I can to reduce costs as much as possible, I know that revenues are somewhat capped as a one man operation, so cutting expenses is the a great way to increase my bottom line.

I've also started looking into renting a small shop so I'm not affected by the weather (I'd still be primarily mobile, just another option). Problem us that commercial spaces aren't exactly cheap, which makes it a tough trade off.

[Rsurfer]

Yeah, I do whatever I can to reduce costs as much as possible, I know that revenues are somewhat capped as a one man operation, so cutting expenses is the a great way to increase my bottom line.

I've also started looking into renting a small shop so I'm not affected by the weather (I'd still be primarily mobile, just another option). Problem us that commercial spaces aren't exactly cheap, which makes it a tough trade off.

My advise, don't get a shop till you have the customers to support it. That overhead never sleeps, it goes on 24/7. If you got sick for a few days, your mobile operation doesn't cost you anything except for insurance. If you have a storm for a few day's no one will want to have their cars detailed and yet that overhead goes on. Having a shop, the rent and higher insurance never stops. They are other examples, but you got the idea. Good luck to you.:props: