You do not have to take on every customer. You actually do not have to take any customer. You get to choose, based on what you are willing to put up with in terms respectful behavior, bottom line, your ethics, and your ability to provide a service. You do not have to offer every service. You get to choose what services you offer.
Plan for everything and expect the unexpected. This includes adversity that is not fair. No matter how prepared you are, which you need to be as well, you will get the unexpected consequences. Mental toughness, to think adapt and not be distracted is important.
STOP feeling obligated to run your business by the rules of people who do not have your best interest. That includes jealous detailing business owners. That includes random people who do not care about their car pretending to be customers. That also includes customers who often are not your target. This lesson, that is a hard lesson learned for many people, is tied to the four other lessons here. You are a business owner, that happens to perhaps detail cars. This is said often and may resonate with some people. But nearly everyone misses the mark on the difference of listening to this and hearing it.
Being a business owner is not something you try; it is something you are. Most people who start a detailing business do not learn or are ultimately able to accept this. It is why most business owners fail or cannot conceive of a level of success you see from other famous names. ‘I try ads’ is a statement of failure. Replace with sales funnel process that involves multiple ads to gradually convert someone you also targeted as ideal into a customer. That is advertising! It may often be comprehensive, not just a single Facebook or Google post.
See a theme here? Ofcourse, there are consequences as with any decision you make in business or life. But there are consequences for not taking control, i.e. responsibility for your business. I have seen those consequences do significantly more damage to businesses and more significantly to individuals’ mental health.