Where to start

[Mel Craig]

Hey Firebird.. Wow, you have asked a lot here and I can see you looking for answers that are quite important in the rest of your career. First, I have to say its nice to know that you have reached out for help. I will start out by saying its "Extremely Important" for you to get the professional training you say you can`t afford. No smart business person gets started in business unless he first invest into getting the proper information and education in order to mitigate the risk. This business is a very confusing one to say the least. For the most part there are a lot of people doing what you are doing and making a few bucks on the side. If that is all your looking to do then keep going. There are so many variables in today modern and professional detailer. The one reason you pay for training is to be sure you don`t end up doing what some of us high end professionals had to do to get where we are today. Either you pay the price for learning it all now or you pay the price for figuring it all out on your own over many, many years!

Ok, some tips...

1. Don`t get to involved in information over load. It will only mess with your head and your ability to succeed.
2. Stick with one chemical company, learn what the product has to offer you, get the product wired. You will be much more productive and much more consistent in your work. Im a Meguiars man and have been for many, many years.. By brading yourself with a company like Meguiars it will enable you to look and appear a lot more professional. In any business when every you can brand yourself with another company that is bigger and better then you are that is very smart business.
3. Don`t experiment on your customers cars
4. Learn the art of making money in this business. So many people get hung up on offering the perfect finish but forget about them self and end up not making money as a result of taking way to much time.
4. Be sure you run your business correctly using quickbooks, a contact management system and be sure you get the right insurance. Garage Keepers Liability is what you are looking for.
5. Do not hang out with other detailers that have not been properly trained... This will only result in you possibly having major challenges if you want to ever grow your company.
Last but not least... I have a payment plan for our training programs that you may find very beneficial and could end up getting you the training you need.

Ok, I hope I was able to at least guide you in the right direction. You can check out our company website at: Auto Detailing | Car Detailing Business | Auto Detail Training go ahead and fill out the request for more info and I will be sure to send you my smart start guide to detailing.

Good luck to you in your business endeavors. This is a great business with the potential to earn a very nice income. Did I mention to you its important to get professionally trained before getting started? LOL..

Have a great year and looking forward to hearing back from you from time to time to hear how you are doing.

MEL CRAIG
Founder
The Detailing Pros

[ca.detailchick]

I want to detail legally as a side job. I haven`t formed an LLC yet and not sure how to determine if you should form an LLC or incorporate??? Is that a question for an attorney or an accountant?
I know I can get insurance as I`ve already checked into it. I already have the tools and chemicals. The part I struggle with is that I`ve cleaned cars all my life but detailed seriously for about 3 years now for friends and family but before I really "get started" I feel like I should take some "professional" lessons or get some "professional" training. Maybe I`m not giving myself enough credit. I feel confident that I can start but just because I haven`t received any official training I feel less confident.

I`ve searched and all I`ve found is training for $2000-$3000 and I can`t afford that. Do you advise that I just go for it if I am comfortable? I do the two bucket wash method, clay, polish, I`ve used CG EZ Creme Glaze and love BFWD. My cars are not perfect but I think they look great. I know you cannot achieve 100% correction normally. I used PC7424 and Meg`s MF Correction System. I`ve used Surbuf pads with M105 all successfully. I`ve detailed engines. I cleaned interiors and restored headlights. Don`t plan to use any rotary buffers. I treat someone else`s car like my own. I don`t want to do more than 1 per day. Should I just go for it? Please share your opinions. I wanted to hang out with a local detailer but can`t find anyone to ask. I would like to even watch a detailer in action so that I can see if I`m doing things the same way. Please help!!!
Thanks Everyone!

I say just go for it Firebird ! No offense to Mel Craig , Im sure the training would help you and be of great benefit but if you cant afford it Im sure you have enough online and hands on training to get you started .

Most of us dont have official training . The training I got from my friend who was going out of business was self trained and what I do now is very different than what he taught me although I did learn some valuable things ,others were just wrong I found out later or found my own techniques and products I liked better.

Youve had lots of online training through forums and hands on already and what you find in the proffessional detailing world will vary quite a bit than what you find here . In many ways you are already way ahead of many detailers out there who are already proffessional .

If you get stuck just ask your questions here and someone will help you !

Im not trying to discourage you either from getting proffessional training , its just the money involved can be very expensive.

Also since Mel Craig is in my area I would be glad to meet up with him and see the school for you if he is willing.

[mrclean81]

I wanted to hang out with a local detailer but can`t find anyone to ask. I would like to even watch a detailer in action so that I can see if I`m doing things the same way. Please help!!!
Thanks Everyone!

Where are you located? There are probably folks on this forum who are fairly close to you and may let you sit in on a job.

[firebird]

Mrclean81, I am located 25 miles southwest of Chicago. Far from So Illinois but nice of you think of that!
DC...thanks for your input. I just can`t afford Mel`s school but thanks for offering to check it out. Actually I found a detailing class in Chicago out of a shop. Will attend on 9/21 and found it on the forum here!

[mrclean81]

Mrclean81, I am located 25 miles southwest of Chicago. Far from So Illinois but nice of you think of that!
DC...thanks for your input. I just can`t afford Mel`s school but thanks for offering to check it out. Actually I found a detailing class in Chicago out of a shop. Will attend on 9/21 and found it on the forum here!

Good luck and let us know how it goes. Id be interested to know what bases are covered in one of these classes.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[Mel Craig]

BTW, anyone can get a Garage Keepers liability insurance package. I have our insurance company underwriting departments taking care of all our students from all over the USA with a garage keepers package. So, Im not sure what type of insurance or what insurance companies some of you are working with but anyone starting a business is eligible for business insurance. In fact, in order to get any commercial accounts or to do work on some business park properties insurance is a must. We set our students up with their insurance programs all the time. The insurance company is not asking them for experience because its a new business. Any new business has to have insurance! If you sign a lease on a building you have to have insurance. If your mobile and drive onto a business property you have to have insurance. Please do some research and get your insurance. Its very dangerous to be in business without it... For many reasons! Give me a call and I can guide you to the right channels to help you out..

MEL CRAIG