Profile in Success

Detailing is an appearance business. Detail professionals are judged not only on the visual appeal of their work but the appearance and branding of their business as well, a fact Jim Thomas knows firsthand. »

Success in any business requires the ability to identify current and emerging trends and being prepared to meet them. When Dustin Richard, owner of Blue Marlin Car Wash in Houma, LA,  »

Most car washes don’t open their doors and instantly have a 30,000-strong customer base, but then again most car washes aren’t Hamilton Car Wash & Detail Center. »

It is not uncommon for a high-performing car wash to have a few awards and plaques hanging on the wall — when you provide good service people tend to notice. »

The car wash industry is littered with stories of mom and pop owners that have operated a single location for decades and someday plan to pass the keys off to their son or daughter to carry on the family tradition — this is not... »

Print is dead. Pundits have been using those three words to torment the publishing business for nearly 20 years.  »

While most things are certainly bigger in Texas, not every success story in the Lone Star State needs to be supersized. »

Car washing has always been a community affair. Despite the presence of deep-pocketed investors that are slowing changing the car wash landscape, the majority of washes around the country are operated by members of the local... »

Traditionally car wash ownership is a lifelong pursuit. The industry is filled with stories of owners and operators that cut their teeth scrubbing fenders in their teenage years, working their way up through the ranks to... »

In an attempt to keep things simple and to maximize profits most detail shops operate under the package system. »

You have to love car washing to do it right. Most successful operators pour their heart and soul into their washes — to them it is more than a business, it is their identity. »

Despite its reputation as a water and energy plunderer the car wash industry has reinvented itself over the past few decades into an environmentally cognizant and responsible industry.  »

To enjoy a fruitful detailing career an operator needs to possess more than a collection of car cleaning skills. Successful detailers need to know how to produce a perfect car, of course, but they also must have a love for the... »

When it comes to making a wash profitable you can pinch every penny and look to cut costs, or you can invest in equipment and materials to ensure customers drive off the lot satisfied and with a clean car. The owners of Diamond... »

Car wash owners often think of labor as just an expense. Their employees are a necessary part of the organization, but are rarely the focal point of the business. »