Newbie looking for business

[tx-skydiver]

Hi folks,

I hope this question is ok. It is my first post so I'm not sure. I apologize if it isn't cool and mods can feel free to delete if need be.

I am currently (still) employed and make very good money - however, I am primed to be layed off at any time. I no longer want to stay in my industry or work for the corporations any longer and want do my own thing where I have more control of my destiny.

I was thinking of doing PDR and was checking out a couple of different sites that specialize in training. I found a third option today on this site and called them. The guy was awesome and spent 1.5 hours on the phone with me.

Bottom line is that he says PDR isn't the place to be and I needed to look into detailing as my foundation with a couple of other services to offer...but not PDR.

Do you all agree with this?
Why not PDR? - Can't more $ be generated faster with PDR over detailing?
What kind of money is generated by this business? Are 6 figures attainable?
How is this economy treating your business?

Thanks.

[AppliedColors]

PDR is getting really crowded. It takes years to learn...you may make only $10k - $15k in your first year.

PDR techs used to make 6 figures frequently. Maybe 5% still do. They travel the country all year and perform PDR on hail damaged cars. It pays less than it used to, is difficult to learn, and requires that you be away from friends/family.

You can interact with hundreds of PDR technicians on DoorDing.com:
Door Ding: Paintless dent repair forum on doording repair tech tips, hail damage, paint repair and discussions

[Legacy99]

[quote=tx-skydiver;1198213]Hi folks,

I hope this question is ok. It is my first post so I'm not sure. I apologize if it isn't cool and mods can feel free to delete if need be.

I am currently (still) employed and make very good money - however, I am primed to be layed off at any time. I no longer want to stay in my industry or work for the corporations any longer and want do my own thing where I have more control of my destiny.

I was thinking of doing PDR and was checking out a couple of different sites that specialize in training. I found a third option today on this site and called them. The guy was awesome and spent 1.5 hours on the phone with me.
I don't know your financial position, but starting a detailing or PDR business during these tough economical times just doesn't make sense. If you have some good clients already lined up, then that might make a difference. If not, why not get a full time job and do this on the side and see if you can make a living doing what you like best.

[ShineShop]

Originally Posted by tx-skydiver

Hi folks,

I hope this question is ok. It is my first post so I'm not sure. I apologize if it isn't cool and mods can feel free to delete if need be.

I am currently (still) employed and make very good money - however, I am primed to be layed off at any time. I no longer want to stay in my industry or work for the corporations any longer and want do my own thing where I have more control of my destiny.

I was thinking of doing PDR and was checking out a couple of different sites that specialize in training. I found a third option today on this site and called them. The guy was awesome and spent 1.5 hours on the phone with me.

Bottom line is that he says PDR isn't the place to be and I needed to look into detailing as my foundation with a couple of other services to offer...but not PDR.

Do you all agree with this?
Why not PDR? - Can't more $ be generated faster with PDR over detailing?
What kind of money is generated by this business? Are 6 figures attainable?
How is this economy treating your business?

Thanks.

I would definitely tell you that out of ALL the auto reconditionong services you can offer, detailing provides the lowest return and the most amount of work. Reason being is detailing is the cheapest to get into and people for some reason have the impression that it is a goldmine. 95% of the people that have opened a detailing business in my city since I opened are GONE. Most of the people I know in the detailing business relate the same story about their area.
PDR has a FAR greater profit margin and operating expenses are next to nothing. However, as mentioned earlier it is difficult to learn and takes a while to get the hang of it. Paint touch ups and minor repairs has a great profit margin but start up costs are higher and there are environmental concerns. Window tinting is another avenue that is worth exploring but is extremely competitive and takes a while to get good.
There is no magic bullet in this business. You can make money if you are a good business person AND good at what you choose to do. I can't tell you how many very smart people I have met that opened a detail business and failed because they couldn't detail cars and great detailers that failed because they couldn't run a business.

[MCWD]

Originally Posted by ShineShop

I would definitely tell you that out of ALL the auto reconditionong services you can offer, detailing provides the lowest return and the most amount of work. Reason being is detailing is the cheapest to get into and people for some reason have the impression that it is a goldmine. 95% of the people that have opened a detailing business in my city since I opened are GONE. Most of the people I know in the detailing business relate the same story about their area.
PDR has a FAR greater profit margin and operating expenses are next to nothing. However, as mentioned earlier it is difficult to learn and takes a while to get the hang of it. Paint touch ups and minor repairs has a great profit margin but start up costs are higher and there are environmental concerns. Window tinting is another avenue that is worth exploring but is extremely competitive and takes a while to get good.
There is no magic bullet in this business. You can make money if you are a good business person AND good at what you choose to do. I can't tell you how many very smart people I have met that opened a detail business and failed because they couldn't detail cars and great detailers that failed because they couldn't run a business.

Excellent breakdown. I agree with you 100%. Additionally, I would like to add that your going to have to work crazy hours to make a decent buck. When your legit the bills are huge, and until you really make a name for yourself people are hard to come by. If you truly want to pursue the business, learn, practice, learn, and practice some more. Never stop learning, don't think that its going to be easy bc your the boss, make sure you set yourself up for a year of little to no profits, attend some expos to get your feet wet. I don't know what field your in and making money in, but I would suggest sticking with what you know... Maybe detail on the side to make some money, but todays maket is tough and starting a business although not impossible, it def will be a challenge. Best of luck to whatever you decide. Feel free to pm me to ask specific questions.

[ShineShop]

Oh and I forgot to add that if you really want to make some serious money detailing you are going to need staff to grow and be able to accomodate being able to do a lot of work. That is the main problem with the detail business is lack of qualified staff and cost of labour. It isn't as bad in the US but the minimum wage in Ontario where I live is going to $9.50 in February (goes to $10.25 in another year) and when you add in the employment related expenses that is really around $12.00 an hour. That is the cheapest employee I can hire and trust me you can't find ANYONE decent that will work for minimum wage so this pushes your costs per hour of labour to $15 and beyond. It's no wonder that the lowballers never make any money when they are paying out the bucks in wages and not getting any money for it.

[brwill2005]

All good advice here. Now may not be the time to start a business. While my best customers have not cut down on their spending with me, I have noticed a reduction in the responses to my advertising. If you really have the desire, go for it. It is a challenge and can be extremely rewarding to watch your business grow. My advice is to keep it simple with a low cost mobile operation. By that I mean use a fuel efficient vehicle and pick your equipment and supplies carefully. Do not skimp on advertising though. You should be spending most of your money on marketing to build your client base. Also keep your service menu simple. Offer a few packages for which you have the process down firm.

[Showroom Shine]

Originally Posted by MCWD

Excellent breakdown. I agree with you 100%. Additionally, I would like to add that your going to have to work crazy hours to make a decent buck. When your legit the bills are huge, and until you really make a name for yourself people are hard to come by. If you truly want to pursue the business, learn, practice, learn, and practice some more. Never stop learning, don't think that its going to be easy bc your the boss, make sure you set yourself up for a year of little to no profits, attend some expos to get your feet wet. I don't know what field your in and making money in, but I would suggest sticking with what you know... Maybe detail on the side to make some money, but todays maket is tough and starting a business although not impossible, it def will be a challenge. Best of luck to whatever you decide. Feel free to pm me to ask specific questions.

I agree with what both of these guys said. I have been Mobile Detailing going on my 6th year. I still work a fulltime job too. I put my heart and soul into my business. I would like to quit my job too. But with the economy so bad right now I would not think of quiting. Plus I live in Ohio so my detailing is seasonal. I do not have a building either. I have some really good client's, and I will pick up more. The Detail industry says people are keeping their cars longer and having the paint corrected and having them detailed more. Consider the ups and downs of going fulltime. Overhead, employee insurance, utilities,business insurance, workers comp, rent, etc.
Do your homework and ask others in the business with fixed locations. Good Luck and keep us informed.