Barry Theal
New member
The true power of Autopia.org.
Every week I sit down on Friday for about 10 minutes and literally block myself from society. For ten minutes all phones are shut off, computers and anything that could interfere with what I call Barry time. Its always at different times never the same, I just do it when I feel the need is right.
My main reasoning on doing this is to reflect back on the week and think of what I could have done differently and try to find a way to do it better nexttime. Its more of a humbling experience. In the sense that I focus on mistakes and try to learn from them. This week was a little different.
First before I go further with my thoughts, Let me give you my background. ( since this is detail related ) I first started detailing cars when I was 16. At the time I caddied for a local country club in the summer. And in the winter of 95 I got my first job working second shift Monday thru Thursdays working for a local high volume production shop. After being there about a month of just waxing and detailing cars, One of the gentleman quit. There it was the opportunity arrived for the buffer position. I can remember going in there everyday and seeing these two guys spinning wheels at 3000 rpm’s with a wool pad and some old 3M heavy cut. The compound was so thick we had to scoop it out with a spoon from a paint can. And sling it onto the paint. Oh the fun it was as I sit back and remember the laughs. As my turn came around. That’s where I got the nickname Buffer Barry. As time passed I joined the Military and finished my term. At this point in life I was pretty lost not knowing on whether or not to go to collage or enter the work force. So it all began again. 21 years old and back to buffing at the same shop.
As years passed and the party days started. I fell into the heavy drinking and partying leading a life of an uncontrolled mess. While detailing always had a major factor in my life as I did it everyday. Heavy binge drinking led to 2 DUI’s. After complete sobriety over 6 years now sober! I always managed to have a passion for polishing and detailing. No matter what went on in my life , as soon as I picked up a wheel all thoughts disappeared and relaxation set in. Me against the paint. During my early 20’s I work for various dealerships and production shops. The time there taught me a lot about detailing in general. Often I was the highest paid and most talented at what I did. It wasn’t because I was better. Then everyone. It was simple I was never there to just work and get paid. Detailing was a passion, an obsession, it cleared my mind. Almost as if it was my new high. As time grew and days went by. The dealerships passed and new adventures began in the industry.
Fast forward to a few years. There I was sober a little more then a year, The news came. My wife was pregnant, with my son. At this point I began to scramble wondering where money was gonna come from? My wife was gonna have to take leave, and I was not making enough to support my family by myself. Keep in mind at this point I was also rasing my wifes two other kids. So there I was Me and a whole lot of mouths to feed. So the scrambling began, the economy took a ****. No pattime gigs were out there. So that’s when it all began.
The power of Autopia.org. our house had a garage and I said to my wife. Why look for a parttime job? At the time I had about $600.00 dollars to my name and no tools. Out of that money things needed to be paid and kids needed to eat. What did I do? I bought a dewalt and some compounds and some wax. My wife ready to kill me said what are you doing. I told her. Honey Im talented at what I do and there is no reason people won’t pay me to detail there cars. Focusing on exteriors of friend s and family. I started to make money as time passed on. I can remember searching on the internet looking for ways to better myself. My wife at the time was on this low carb kick and found some forum. So joking I said I wonder if there is a detailing forum. That’s when it all began. With some googling searching I found Autopia.org.So I lurked for a little and seen these talented pros doing incredible work and getting paid for it. I thought, I can do that with a little hard work and effort. It happened.
Getting more serious as months passed I came up with a name for my small parttime gig. Presidential Details. Not sure where it came from, but at the moment it just sounded cool. Taking advice and doing coutless research. I began to get real serious, spending countless nights on the forum. Thinking how can I get to that level. Guys like Todd Helme, Rickrack and Rydawg, David Fermani, Bob Willis. All these guys had something I wanted. They had a presence of true talent. I knew I had it. I just had to find it. Busting my *** on cars that shouldn’t have been detailed. Instead should have been salvages. I manage to find a way to make them respectfull again. At some points I was ready to throw in the towel losing money on jobs. Still that passion remained. Moving forward with every step, non stop dedication to what I love. The Art and Science in Detailing. In the past three years. I have put together a shop that not grosses more money in one month then most people make in a year. I have so much work, often traveling on weekends to work or exotic cars bymelf and handling the daily operations of 10 employees and about on average 40 to 60 cars a week, during the week. . Let me say its not easy mixing High end detailing with production work. It always comes threw and clients are always pleased. People now call and email me asking for advice. I always try to help when I can. Today its not as easy, but between, texts,emails private messages and phone calls. I literlly dedicate an hour each to day to help another fellow detailer. It really feels good to be able to give back.
Now back to Barry Time. Today I took my time while my shop was functioning, thinking about the past week. And it dawned on me that. All my hard work has paid off. All them nights weekends, and hours spent here on Autopia.org has finally given back to me. I look out my office door and people I trained are making me money. While learning from me. I am a now enjoying what life has to offer. This weekend on Saturday, I go to a car show where I got to sponsor it. Then Sunday I leave for Virgina to work On a very rare 1969 Ferrari. Seriously does it get any better then that? Enjoying the life that you have built? Being able to provide for your family? Waking up and wanting to go to work? I realized today Im now addicted to leaving the dream. It has been awesome.
So you ask why did Barry write this? Let me tell you. Outside of my hard work, Autopia.org has been a major success to all my acomplishments. It has introduced me to many great people. It a place that has powers far beyond the forum threads. When used right, it can be one of the greatest assets known to a detailer. Knowledge! Keep an open mind and it will help you. Autopia has given me more then I could ever put back in a lifetime. The most incredible thing is. Its Free. Due yourself a favor, As you read this ask yourself. What has Autopia.org done for you? If you do this. You will understand what I mean when I say. The true power of Autopia.org. Anyways enough rambling on. I would like to thanks all those has helped make my dream a reality. To all my fellow autopians. Thanks, your all my friends today. Hope you enjoyed some of my random thoughts! Now get back to lots of posting and share the wealth.
Barry Theal:becky:
Every week I sit down on Friday for about 10 minutes and literally block myself from society. For ten minutes all phones are shut off, computers and anything that could interfere with what I call Barry time. Its always at different times never the same, I just do it when I feel the need is right.
My main reasoning on doing this is to reflect back on the week and think of what I could have done differently and try to find a way to do it better nexttime. Its more of a humbling experience. In the sense that I focus on mistakes and try to learn from them. This week was a little different.
First before I go further with my thoughts, Let me give you my background. ( since this is detail related ) I first started detailing cars when I was 16. At the time I caddied for a local country club in the summer. And in the winter of 95 I got my first job working second shift Monday thru Thursdays working for a local high volume production shop. After being there about a month of just waxing and detailing cars, One of the gentleman quit. There it was the opportunity arrived for the buffer position. I can remember going in there everyday and seeing these two guys spinning wheels at 3000 rpm’s with a wool pad and some old 3M heavy cut. The compound was so thick we had to scoop it out with a spoon from a paint can. And sling it onto the paint. Oh the fun it was as I sit back and remember the laughs. As my turn came around. That’s where I got the nickname Buffer Barry. As time passed I joined the Military and finished my term. At this point in life I was pretty lost not knowing on whether or not to go to collage or enter the work force. So it all began again. 21 years old and back to buffing at the same shop.
As years passed and the party days started. I fell into the heavy drinking and partying leading a life of an uncontrolled mess. While detailing always had a major factor in my life as I did it everyday. Heavy binge drinking led to 2 DUI’s. After complete sobriety over 6 years now sober! I always managed to have a passion for polishing and detailing. No matter what went on in my life , as soon as I picked up a wheel all thoughts disappeared and relaxation set in. Me against the paint. During my early 20’s I work for various dealerships and production shops. The time there taught me a lot about detailing in general. Often I was the highest paid and most talented at what I did. It wasn’t because I was better. Then everyone. It was simple I was never there to just work and get paid. Detailing was a passion, an obsession, it cleared my mind. Almost as if it was my new high. As time grew and days went by. The dealerships passed and new adventures began in the industry.
Fast forward to a few years. There I was sober a little more then a year, The news came. My wife was pregnant, with my son. At this point I began to scramble wondering where money was gonna come from? My wife was gonna have to take leave, and I was not making enough to support my family by myself. Keep in mind at this point I was also rasing my wifes two other kids. So there I was Me and a whole lot of mouths to feed. So the scrambling began, the economy took a ****. No pattime gigs were out there. So that’s when it all began.
The power of Autopia.org. our house had a garage and I said to my wife. Why look for a parttime job? At the time I had about $600.00 dollars to my name and no tools. Out of that money things needed to be paid and kids needed to eat. What did I do? I bought a dewalt and some compounds and some wax. My wife ready to kill me said what are you doing. I told her. Honey Im talented at what I do and there is no reason people won’t pay me to detail there cars. Focusing on exteriors of friend s and family. I started to make money as time passed on. I can remember searching on the internet looking for ways to better myself. My wife at the time was on this low carb kick and found some forum. So joking I said I wonder if there is a detailing forum. That’s when it all began. With some googling searching I found Autopia.org.So I lurked for a little and seen these talented pros doing incredible work and getting paid for it. I thought, I can do that with a little hard work and effort. It happened.
Getting more serious as months passed I came up with a name for my small parttime gig. Presidential Details. Not sure where it came from, but at the moment it just sounded cool. Taking advice and doing coutless research. I began to get real serious, spending countless nights on the forum. Thinking how can I get to that level. Guys like Todd Helme, Rickrack and Rydawg, David Fermani, Bob Willis. All these guys had something I wanted. They had a presence of true talent. I knew I had it. I just had to find it. Busting my *** on cars that shouldn’t have been detailed. Instead should have been salvages. I manage to find a way to make them respectfull again. At some points I was ready to throw in the towel losing money on jobs. Still that passion remained. Moving forward with every step, non stop dedication to what I love. The Art and Science in Detailing. In the past three years. I have put together a shop that not grosses more money in one month then most people make in a year. I have so much work, often traveling on weekends to work or exotic cars bymelf and handling the daily operations of 10 employees and about on average 40 to 60 cars a week, during the week. . Let me say its not easy mixing High end detailing with production work. It always comes threw and clients are always pleased. People now call and email me asking for advice. I always try to help when I can. Today its not as easy, but between, texts,emails private messages and phone calls. I literlly dedicate an hour each to day to help another fellow detailer. It really feels good to be able to give back.
Now back to Barry Time. Today I took my time while my shop was functioning, thinking about the past week. And it dawned on me that. All my hard work has paid off. All them nights weekends, and hours spent here on Autopia.org has finally given back to me. I look out my office door and people I trained are making me money. While learning from me. I am a now enjoying what life has to offer. This weekend on Saturday, I go to a car show where I got to sponsor it. Then Sunday I leave for Virgina to work On a very rare 1969 Ferrari. Seriously does it get any better then that? Enjoying the life that you have built? Being able to provide for your family? Waking up and wanting to go to work? I realized today Im now addicted to leaving the dream. It has been awesome.
So you ask why did Barry write this? Let me tell you. Outside of my hard work, Autopia.org has been a major success to all my acomplishments. It has introduced me to many great people. It a place that has powers far beyond the forum threads. When used right, it can be one of the greatest assets known to a detailer. Knowledge! Keep an open mind and it will help you. Autopia has given me more then I could ever put back in a lifetime. The most incredible thing is. Its Free. Due yourself a favor, As you read this ask yourself. What has Autopia.org done for you? If you do this. You will understand what I mean when I say. The true power of Autopia.org. Anyways enough rambling on. I would like to thanks all those has helped make my dream a reality. To all my fellow autopians. Thanks, your all my friends today. Hope you enjoyed some of my random thoughts! Now get back to lots of posting and share the wealth.
Barry Theal:becky:
