What does it take to successfully start a small detailing business?

[Mike Phillips]

If you want to do this till you retire, then decide right away what aspect of car detailing you like the most and focus on it.

Do you like doing all of it?
Do you like doing interiors?
Do you like doing ONLY exterior correction?
Do you like doing paint chip repair?
Do you like installing tinted window film?
Do you like doing headlight restoration?


The reason you want to find out what you like doing the most is so you'll be the happiest at the end of the day. I've met people that are all different, that is they all like certain things more than others and when they're doing what they love they're happy. When they're doing the things they don't love they're not happy.

You have to be able to do a wide spectrum of detailing functions but it's also important to find the thing you like to do the most and specialize and focus on that aspect.


Hanging out on a good forum is also key, this is where all the newest pads, products, tool and procedures are talked about first and new technology tends to help make things better, faster, stronger, more profitable, etc.

[bkaup5]

It's nice to hear from you Mike .

Well since I am waiting on my GG6 and products to come in, I can't comment on paint correction since mine is all swirled up but from the washing/claying/waxing that I have done, it seems to be one of my favorite things to do along with cleaning wheels.

Interior I didn't like doing until this morning where I actually took my time and made sure to get everything out of the interior. It makes it a whole lot easier (comparable to paint prep I guess) to really make it more of a quick job and less hassle.