Detailing business startup

[zachBMW]

I’m a 16 year old who is interested in starting up a detailing business/side hustle in the Pittsburgh area

does anyone have any recommendations on how i should go about getting started and stuff on the topic of that?

Also, any brand suggestions? I use a lot of Suds.lab products which seem to work well and have good results. Want more knowledge on it

[whofelt]

plenty of youtube videos on this topic.

[s_ribs]

Check check out Detailed Image blog section, and some forums like Autogeek and Autopia.

[M2taz]

I'd check out Rupes for more in depth knowledge and training, after the basics.

https://rupesusa.com/bigfoot-academy/

[BruinMan]

YouTube.com is your friend. Pan The Organizer will explain a lot and Adam’s Polish has videos on their products.

Advice: Charge what your time and material is worth and go beyond what is expected. Keeping a returning customer is less expensive than finding new customers.

Good Luck.

[rmedina]

Originally Posted by BruinMan

YouTube.com is your friend. Pan The Organizer will explain a lot and Adam’s Polish has videos on their products.

Advice: Charge what your time and material is worth and go beyond what is expected. Keeping a returning customer is less expensive than finding new customers.

Good Luck.

All good advice.
Cars With Keav
DIY Detail
Detail Groove

Good luck young buck

[louielouie]

Originally Posted by BruinMan

YouTube.com is your friend. Pan The Organizer will explain a lot and Adam’s Polish has videos on their products.

Advice: Charge what your time and material is worth and go beyond what is expected. Keeping a returning customer is less expensive than finding new customers.

Good Luck.

Used to watch Pan years ago but dudes a sellout marketer now.

AMMONYC is the goat.

[zeboom]

I had the same idea, and that's actually how I got my first BMW, haha. I started small but within six months, I was able to hire three team members and had two fully-kitted cars and booked 2 weeks out.
My only real training? YouTube. So, I'd definitely recommend starting there.

For learning the basics and getting solid demonstrations, AMMO NYC and IMJOSHV are must-watch channels. They both break it down really well.

On the business side, I’d check out Detail Groove and Hunters Mobile Detailing—they’ve got great advice on how to grow your detailing business.

If I could start over, I’d still do a few things the same. One of the smartest moves I made was branding myself early. I created flyers, business cards, social media posts, and even slapped a magnetic sign on my van. You don’t need to blow money on fancy marketing right away—think about maximizing return on investment with minimal cost. I ran free ads on Facebook Marketplace, which worked wonders.

When it comes to supplies, I bought everything I could need for a job but only used what I had to, keeping the rest in the package if I wanted to return it. Scalability was always in the back of my mind, so I'd recommend stocking up on consumables that are cost-effective, easy to find, and get the job done.

One key thing to remember: plan, but don’t overthink. It’s important to have a basic business plan—what you’ll charge, how you’ll market, what services you’ll offer—but don’t let the planning stage drag on too long. The best way to learn is by doing. You’ll figure out a lot as you go. I started asking neighbours with cool cars if I can clean their car for free, got some before and afters using them for my first ad.

also build relationships, not just with customers. Treat every client as if they’re important. If you focus on building genuine relationships instead of just making a sale, you’ll create a loyal client base that not only comes back but also refers you to others. Thats where most of my leads came in. Also make friends with your competitors, there is always more then enough for everyone to eat and most people don't mind sharing advice that took them a while to figure out.

The key is to stick with it, someone is going to doubt your vision. Every successful business owner has gone through it, and persistence is what gets you to the other side.

Good luck!

[zeboom]

Originally Posted by louielouie

Used to watch Pan years ago but dudes a sellout marketer now.

AMMONYC is the goat.

Agreed. He recently banned my comments on YouTube for mentioning some cheaper alternative products. It’s disappointing because he has a large following in the detailing space, and people respect him enough to pay those inflated prices.

[louielouie]

Originally Posted by zeboom

Agreed. He recently banned my comments on YouTube for mentioning some cheaper alternative products. It’s disappointing because he has a large following in the detailing space, and people respect him enough to pay those inflated prices.

What a guy... Pan just wants the affiliate kickbacks and $ from major brands.

Larry cares about the community, provides knowledge on technique/thought process on detailing which is arguably more important than the chemicals themselves and even though he has his own products, he's not shoving it down people's throats. Dudes a real one.

[Former USMC]

Greetings,

16 years old? I applaud the entrepreneurial attitude. Attitude results in behavior. Cleaning and detailing an expensive car can be rewarding or a nightmare…directly dependent on your skill level. Best of success.

Semper Fi