Gratitude For Those Who Influenced My Journey

Well before I started running a business, I was on a quest for personal betterment that is ultimately never ending.  I was in a dark place not necessarily because I was a totally horrible person, a need to be someone greater wore on me.  I often questioned my self-worth.  The irony of starting a niche business, years later!  “Act as if what you intend to manifest in life is already a reality,” words of Wayne Dyer.  These were one of the many lessons I took to heart on an continuous path of self-actualization.  One thing that has helped me is, including but not limited to pricing, I did not passively ask consumers permission to treat myself like a legitimate premium operation.

Mike Phillips

I could speak to the obvious.  Selected twice to be on television detailing quarter to half a million-dollar vehicles.  But afterwards he provided assistance on the website that I did not specifically ask of him for.  It helped realign my personal brand.  It was a turning point.  But I could go deeper into what the experience with him on did for me.  He gave me confidence not only in reaffirming my detail skills, but CONFIDENCE TO CARRY MYSELF LIKE A LEGITIMATE LUXURY OPERATION.  I should also mention everyone on both shows were kind and gracious to me.

Mark Barger

Mark was kind enough to receive a phone call from me one day, to give me some encouragement, before he applied a ceramic coating to a car.

I never subscribed to the (my market) ‘pitty party’ that most detailers complain about.  But there is something to dealing with those doubts about your capacity for success to the area you are working in.  Seeing Mark working in a small garage, in area considered more rural and lower income than most of the United States, should be a kick in the but to many.  It was definitely an inspiration to me.  I thank you for that.

A Car Show Visit From A Sponsor, Empire Auto Spa.

There was a time in which I had raised my pricing to what I thought was appropriate for a premium provider.  I had worked likely a lot longer than most detailers for a single stage paint correction service.  I focused on working on smaller areas, fitting my polisher in appropriate spaces, and emphasized long polishing cycles over using multistage aggressive pad/polish combinations.  A manager for Empire Auto Spa visited the car I was working on.  Just to show where my mind was, my private concern was whether such an established shop would consider my work to be up to standard.  He asked some questions.  I told him that I used the Rupes Mini for most of the car.  He seemed a little surprised saying, “that must have taken you all day.” As I went to explain all of the curvature he said, “oh I know WHY you would do that.  But how much did you get paid for this?”  “You need to be paid much more for this.  It looks really good.”  I thank you for further elevating my expectations in an environment where so many people told me the opposite.  This raised my consciousness to another level.  Not only was I given encouragement to raise my prices, but my efforts were validated along with that encouragement.  I also found new clients who agreed with him about the value I provided in my rural area.

Jonathan Monson

He did not mean to do this, I don’t think.  But in ‘stirring the pot’, it served as a reminder the importance of holding consumers accountable for their unrealistic expectations, to attract more of the clients that want my services.  His advice also may have kept me sane speaking at Mobile Tech Expo for the first time.

Renny Doyle

I have not always had the best experiences at my local chamber of commerce.  But at Mobile Tech Expo, he inspired me to give it another attempt with a completely different mindset.  Focus on giving.  In fairness it was not that my focus was entirely on my business, but being so determined to prove my validity to what I thought was safe place (business owners) led to some frustrations.  Also reading his book was a step in deciding officially that I wanted to run a detailing business.  It was not an easy decision for me.

I have another person to thank, and an overall message to those who have made it this far.  A business owner, whom I used to work for, inquired about my detailing services.  I told him a price for a basic (to me), but premium service.  A wealthy man, who knew of my character well, had already heard pricing much higher than what I quoted him.  He said he would contact me the next day.  I did not hear from him or see him for several months.  During a chance encounter he randomly asked me, “do I still do that high priced car stuff?”  A little bit of backstory, it was during a time I had strongly considered moving on from owning a detailing business.  It was also during a time I noticed he publicly supported a competitor, whose pricing was not dramatically different than mine.  The irony being the hurt from the evidence of what he thought of me as a PERSON, turned into motivation.  In many ways, I thank you as well for adding a log to the fire.  I think of those moments when a new client tells me over and over how grateful he or she is for services that I provide.

There are going to be people, especially in this profession, who overtly and covertly will tell you what they think you are not.  Don’t believe them.  Focusing on them can also serve as a distraction from the many people that said there was more to you than what others see.