As a small business owner, I’m often asked, “How long were you in business before you made a profit?” My answer is a clear, factual, and not all that enlightening: “It doesn’t happen overnight.” Can I be more specific? Nope! It all depends on your ability and the market you are located in.
You will need to decide how fast you want to and can grow while still offering exceptional service. Then, map out how you will perform that level of service and stick to the plan.
Think of the tortoise and the hare story. You could do a ton of wholesale or low-end work making very little profit on each job and be very busy, or you can do high-quality work at a fair price.
Maybe you won’t’ be busy every day, but you will have time to focus on marketing and those clients that desire your skills. You may make the same money per year doing either one of those plans, but only one will leave you room to grow both your business and your lifestyle. Remember, detailing is a lifestyle business, and when built correctly and given enough time, will offer you both an income and a life you can be proud of. You can build it fast if you like, but beware that a fast-paced build-up could also burn you out. The more organized and well planned out your business is, the faster you can experience success.
