Ep. 19: [Son]: No College. [Dad]: Ok, then You Are Doing THIS

On this episode, 19 year-old Austin Smith told his ultra-successful father that he won't be attending college after high school. His father supported the decision and said you will absolutely be doing THIS one thing while getting your business started. And it's profound and frankly missing in too many young adults today (and even adults). 

How I know the guest:  I met Austin one day in 2019 walking out of a client meeting. Austin walked up to me said "Sir, I would love the opportunity to detail your truck. I am a huge Raptor fan and your truck is gorgeous!" So I took him up on it and got to learn more of his story along the way. It was fascinating and he earned his seat for episode 19. I hope he inspires you nearly as much as he inspired me!

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

In high school, I started doing travel ball and I wanted to play in college. So I was, I'd go to school, I'd go to workouts in the morning, I'd go to school, I'd go to a personal trainer for it. And then I'd, I was working very hard at it. I really wanted to play in college. What'd you play? What position? Third base. Third base? So I played third base. I really wanted to play in college. Then I think I realized how much better there are out there and how hard it really is to go pro. And I kind of looked at it as this doesn't make, why would I be putting so much money and effort into it if it's just, the outcome's probably realistically not gonna be there. So then I really, I started cleaning cars at the same time and I had to kind of make a choice.

SPEAKER_00 0:44

You're listening to the Interesting Humans Podcast with Jeff Hopeck.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

folks welcome to another episode of interesting humans and as as promised i've got a great one for you here today austin smith thanks for being here with us

SPEAKER_02 0:58

of course thank you

SPEAKER_01 0:59

this this story is uh is is just so fun to walk through and listen for me because i walked in your moccasins uh when i was when i was your age which you're 19 right

SPEAKER_03 1:09

19.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

uh i had the same crossroads in life and the outcome of your story is so remarkable. I can't wait to unpack it, especially the 11 points that your father emailed to you saying, son, I support you not going to school, but you're not going to hang out. These are the 11 points that we're going to get into. So I can't wait to unpack it. So start off. Let's hear about your business.

SPEAKER_02 1:38

Yeah. So my name is Austin. I own a company called Southern Detailing. We mainly detail high-end vehicles for the most part. We're also partnering with Atlanta Custom Wraps to help. We bring y'all PPF and do all the custom wrapping for that. We do wheel repair. We do lift kits. We do powder coating. We do window tint. We do everything. Do it all. We pick up everything. One-stop shop. If it's a car, you make it better. You make it prettier. Yeah, whatever you want. Where did this all start for you? My junior year of high school, I was trying to make some extra money. And so while my dad would golf on Thursdays, I'd pick up his car, bring it home, and clean it for him. since he's golfing all day. Yeah. So, occasionally him and two of his buddies had me do the same thing and then it just,

SPEAKER_01 2:22

we're here. Went from there. So, there had to be a tipping point for you where you had a hobby

SPEAKER_02 2:27

and

SPEAKER_01 2:29

then there was a, there had to be a defining moment to where you're like, wait, this could really be something a lot bigger.

SPEAKER_02 2:34

Yeah. I think for me, I started, I went to Johns Creek High School and I had a, my dad had a 14 foot double axle trailer that he didn't use. So I put all my detailing stuff in it and I would tow it to school because I had to, I had clients right after school. Like I had to get to the point where like I had to go straight from school. So I'd take up like four parking spots and everyone hated me for it. But I think that was kind of when I realized like the fact that I couldn't, I didn't even have time to go home from school and hook it up or whatever. The fact that I'd leave straight was kind of my, like, I think this could be big and do something. So you were what a junior? That was probably more summer junior year.

SPEAKER_01 3:15

Okay, summer

SPEAKER_02 3:15

junior year. Yeah, going into summer

SPEAKER_01 3:17

junior year. But 17, 18 years old,

SPEAKER_02 3:19

right? 17-ish.

SPEAKER_01 3:20

Yeah, 17. And it's important to note that your father's a remarkable, incredible entrepreneur. So I think there'll be a divide out here of families who are listening to to their kids come and say, I don't want to go to school because I want to own a business. But if they're not entrepreneurs.

SPEAKER_02 3:45

I think it's dumb. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Right? What are they going to say? I mean, I

SPEAKER_02 3:49

have a lot of friends who've, they're the same way. Their school's not for them, but their parents are a doctor or their parents are, or even just work a normal job, but they're like, without a degree, you're not. But you have to have a degree.

SPEAKER_01 4:00

You have to have a

SPEAKER_02 4:00

degree. Because if it doesn't work out, which I guess is a good point, you know, if it doesn't work out, a degree is great to fall back on. Yeah. But, I feel like you're missing your window for it to really be as great as it could be if you're not starting young. Right. So I think it's hard. So there's a point

SPEAKER_01 4:18

you actually started school,

SPEAKER_02 4:20

right? College. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

You started college. I went for six weeks. Six weeks. Six weeks. What'd you say to your dad, to

SPEAKER_02 4:25

your folks? I was like, this isn't working. I got to the point in school where I either had to – buckle down for two weeks so that i could pass that semester or i was out because i just i'd miss classes because of work or i wouldn't or i'd have to miss out and make a couple hundred dollars because i had class and i didn't do homework i didn't so i was like hey i need to know like right either i don't work for two weeks so i could pass a semester or um yeah i'd

SPEAKER_01 4:56

like

SPEAKER_02 4:56

to not be here

SPEAKER_01 4:57

but do you think it's a true statement that if your child is an entrepreneur you're never going to be able to douse that flame.

SPEAKER_02 5:07

I think that's true. Yeah, I think it is.

SPEAKER_01 5:09

If they are, they are. And there's nothing you're going to do. Because they're

SPEAKER_02 5:11

going to work harder at that than anything else. And I think if you work hard enough, there's no way it wouldn't work. It's natural.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

Yeah, I think so. I mean, it was probably for you like brush your teeth. You weren't saying like, I need to try harder at this. It was just what you love. It was just what I wanted to do. What do you think if, let's pause right here in your story because next up is the 11 points and this is just awesome. What do you think, what would you say to parents who aren't entrepreneurial, who have the son or daughter who just keeps going back that way? You could point them anywhere you want, but they keep going back to they want to have a business, they want to have a business. I think

SPEAKER_02 5:51

it's hard. I think everybody's in different financial points as well. I think I was very blessed to go where my dad did do really well. So it was kind of a... it was a point where I didn't have to work in high school. So it wasn't a, you know, you need to go get this kind of job or you make something that's very thorough. I don't know. I think it's a hard, it's, that's a hard question because everyone's in different spots. And I think, I think if you really believe in your kid, I think it's, I think it should be a no brainer. Yeah. But also I think everybody's different. I think, you know, your kid and you know that that could be, could be a good choice and they really might go for it. Or maybe this is a phase. I think a parent can kind of determine.

SPEAKER_01 6:37

So I want to unpack this a little bit more with you because it's a critical point where we know the child's passion is not going to go away if they're truly an entrepreneur. Right. Would you say for the parent, hey, instead of just getting advice for this child from just sort of anybody, let's get advice from some entrepreneurial friends that we have. Yeah. That would be a different.

SPEAKER_02 7:03

Oh, I would. Right. I even think for a parent, maybe work with the kid. Like if you want to stay in school, but they want to do this, like, all right, let's like my parents essentially did a gap year. Yeah. That's what they called it is like, all right, we'll do a gap year and see where we're at in the next year and then we'll decide. So. I think my parents didn't necessarily give me the go ahead right away to get out of school, but they, they were like, all right, well, let's figure like, let's give you, all right, you want to do it here. Here's your chance. Here's a year. Here's a year. So I think if I think parents should at least figure something out, whether it's all right, well, let's do online or let's do, you know, let's do half a semester this year where you're taking two classes a day rather than four. Or I think if the parent could work with the kid is the best option. I think that's the best way to go about it.

SPEAKER_01 7:47

I like that. So I've done and continue to do speaking schools. And I always make this point, say, if you wanted to build a lemonade stand and I just use this because it's silly and it's it's memorable. If you if you're going to build a lemonade stand, does it make sense to go out and ask advice from people who never built a lemonade stand before? Or does it make sense to go find somebody who built 17 lemonade stands and go, hey, it's a great idea to build a lemonade stand. Let me help you. Let's squash down that learning curve, right? Oh, I agree. Now that sounds so logical. But at the same time in our lives, and we're all guilty of it, we ask the advice of somebody who's not qualified to give it. Right. So I say this part, I say, and we'll get into your 11, just because somebody loves you Doesn't mean they're the most qualified to give you advice in that area. You've had the good fortunes of having both an entrepreneurial dad. Who's like, Hey man, I see it in you. He understands. So here's, here's what happens next folks. This is, this is just awesome. So pop comes back to you in an email and I'm going to read, I'm going to read this. Your dad comes back to you after you having a dinner meeting with him and asking if it's okay to come out of school. And he, he, uh, He fully supports you and he says, but you're not, you're not just going to hang out, be held

SPEAKER_02 9:18

accountable.

SPEAKER_01 9:18

You're going to be held accountable and you're going to grow. And this is unbelievable takeaways for anybody sitting in that seat of, Hey, I really think my kid's onto something, but how do I sort of measure it? Listen to what, listen to what your dad comes back with. So, son, you're going to have 11 areas, and I'm going to work through these with you to hold you accountable. The first one is going to be your business plan, which is obvious, right? Right. And he unpacks that, and he says you need to present a comprehensive plan, outlining your vision, mission, target market, et cetera. We'll post. I'm going to post to this in the video because it's just too good. Second one is he talks about financial management.

SPEAKER_03 9:58

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 9:58

Incredible. You don't hear a lot about that in college, right? So now you've got a dad who's seasoned, who's telling you this. 30 goes into performance metrics. Wow. I didn't learn performance metrics till I was 40. I'm right. So just what a blessing for you to know and already have this like measurement system down. He talks about time management. Incredible. Networking and partnerships. Now you're solid there.

SPEAKER_02 10:28

Very. You're solid there. Luckily. Because

SPEAKER_01 10:31

this is where I'm going to pause. So that was the fifth point. How I met you. Do you remember the first day?

SPEAKER_02 10:37

Yeah, I was. You had that Black Ops F-150. Yeah. And I thought it was awesome. Yeah. And so I flagged you down when you're driving. Where were we? And I was coming out of a chiropractor. I was coming out of a chiropractor. And

SPEAKER_01 10:48

I was coming out of a dentist or doctor appointment. That's how

SPEAKER_02 10:51

I got probably 80% of my clients.

SPEAKER_01 10:54

You walked up to me. Full confidence. And that was yours? I was 17. 17. Okay. 17. Walked up. Totally pleasant. I'll never forget the introduction. I love that truck. Yeah. I would love to have a chance to wash that truck. Sort of the rest is history with us, which is just so cool. It's crazy. Then he talks about this thing called continued learning. And I want to talk about this one with you. Okay. what did he mean there? Unpack that a little bit for us. Continued learning.

SPEAKER_02 11:27

So I think continued learning, he basically, he was like, you're not, the benefit of school is you're learning, right? And, you know, if you don't want to go to school and you want to be an entrepreneur or whatever, you're going to learn in that aspect too. You're going to learn how to communicate with people, how to deal with when things go wrong. You know, I have two guys that work for me. So when one wakes up sick, how are you going to communicate that with your clients? How are you going to, and I think he, I think that was something where I was like, you're not just going to go through the motions. We're going to learn how to be financially stable. So how to run your QuickBooks, how to, you know, budget out correctly. I think that that's just something that ties everything in together on that list is we're not just going to do it. Like you're going to learn from it. You're going to make sure you're learning. You make sure you're going to, I guess, basically understand.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Yeah. He mentions in here, continued reading of books. So I'm curious. There's not a lot of time in between when he wrote this email to you and as we're sitting here now. So have you started on anything? Is there anything you recommended? A, the Bible. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:33

I guess I will 100% start there. Great place to start. I'd say our biggest takeaway just from that whole thing was to be in the word. His thing was you're not going to, you cannot run a successful business if you're not doing it for the kingdom and you're not in God's word. So I think A, for a book that, that takes cake over. That takes. Yeah. That's like

SPEAKER_01 12:53

before number one.

SPEAKER_02 12:55

And he also, he, he mentioned a, he mentioned a book called extreme ownership written by Navy seal. Yeah. Um, and that's, it's basically, it's a book about leadership. Yeah. Essentially what it is. Um, I've not started reading it, but I need to,

SPEAKER_01 13:07

you won't set it down. And, and he, towards the end, they talk about a concept where you're, you're swapping the leader. So they looked at a group, the Navy seals and you, you, think wow every single one is absolutely the pinnacle the epitome of fit when they do this race up and down the beach and they're they have to carry the raft over their head if everybody's incredibly like top of their top of their game fitness how can there even be a first place a second like everybody should cross at the same time right but yet what they found was there were significant gaps In between the first and the last. And they looked at it and substituted one thing in the rafts. And this thing they substituted was they took the last place raft leader and put him in first and first in last. And that was... Really? That was the... Yeah. It was the leadership... Style. That's really cool. And you'll see what happens next. But that last place comes all the way to the front. It's incredible. So anyway, not to give too much away. All right. To continue on through the list then. So you have continued reading. Then he talks about feedback, which is interesting. I think it's very interesting how he suggests you need to establish regular communication channels and reporting mechanisms with us. Mm-hmm. So they're walking through this with you, which is, again, the bigger point here is it's not, son, we support you. Go hang out. See you later. Yeah, good luck. They're tethered, and it's just so incredible. Exit strategy, which you're going to work through that. Maturity, his point in there was just so cool. One of college's main purposes to allow you to mature, but he closes out this email by complimenting you on how proud they are of your maturity. It's special. All right. Then he says spiritual fitness. It's a big one. 100%. How does that tie into your life?

SPEAKER_02 15:09

For me, my dad loves Proverbs, and I've grown to love Proverbs, especially. That was a book I was in for a while, and he always touches on that as being a business owner. Proverbs has so many good little nuggets. There's a verse I love that basically talks about being lazy. It talks about the lazy basically are never going to prosper. It's something the eye of the sluggard... it depends on the version you read. Um, but Proverbs is a big one for me. I was in Romans for a while. Yeah. Um, and now I'm just starting back in Genesis just to kind of go back and something that I've refreshed on to go for. Yeah. Um, but that's out of all those things in the list. He said, that's, that's what matters most.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

Yeah, for

SPEAKER_02 16:01

sure.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

Special. I love that. And the way you're going to measure it, which is really incredible. All right. Then he says, mom and I are super excited for you and super, Proud of you. Just curious. This is a big thing in life. This is a big moment. Oh, yeah. How did that feel to hear that sentence?

SPEAKER_02 16:20

I mean, I've always known they're proud of me. I've always known they've loved me. But I think after having such a big conversation where it was like, I don't want to go to school and still hearing the fact that you know, not only are they going to help me through it, but they're also, they're relaxed too at the same time. Like it's almost like, you know, my dad's put all these things in place to walk with me and help me and use the knowledge that he's gained. Yeah. But they're also not all 10 step like, Oh no, what if it doesn't work? Right. So I think, I don't know, just even that last little sentence, it just seemed like it was more of a relaxed email in a way. Um, still a lot of things are very important, but it was more like, Hey, like, here you go. Here's how I'm helping. Like, here's how we're helping. Like, you're going to, you're going to kill it. Yeah. So I think, That last sentence definitely just made it seem a little more relaxed, not as tense, not as pressured.

SPEAKER_01 17:09

Because I know from stories that I've heard from speaking, people that reach out, people I've talked to after a speaking event, it's not the norm. This is way – I mean, this is totally the exception. I've learned that

SPEAKER_02 17:23

for sure. Just being around people and being around friends and even being around older adults. Just everybody always like – just compliments, especially my father, especially my parents, just like, man, you're so lucky to have. And I, I agree. I mean, I really am, but, um, yeah, it's definitely, it's a rare

SPEAKER_01 17:42

thing. Let's, let's, let's talk about your business now. So Southern detailing, you started what year?

SPEAKER_02 17:49

Uh, 2021. So beginning of my junior year

SPEAKER_01 17:52

in August. With your dad. It started with your dad, right? Essentially, yeah. I just

SPEAKER_02 17:56

cleaned it. I wanted to make some money, and so I picked his car up. How'd you get your second client? It was actually his good friend, Jim Alexey. I was golfing with him. And so same thing. Just I did his, went and picked up his car, his truck at the time, and brought it back. And then it just – there was Brian Davis in between there and some people just that he'd golf with, and then it – It just kind of happened.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

Now it's actually incredible. I mean, your business is incredible. So you talk like Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLaren. What kind of folks are these?

SPEAKER_02 18:31

We do a couple of celebrities' cars as well. You do? Yeah, we do some rappers' cars mainly. Any

SPEAKER_01 18:38

names you could talk about?

SPEAKER_02 18:39

Yeah, definitely. I've tied in with Atlanta Custom Wraps. I've grown a great relationship with them, especially the owner, Justin. Okay. And they – they basically do a ton of celebrities. And so I've gotten a lot of, um, record label paper out empire. Um, so we've taken care of key Glocks cars over there as well as, uh, young Dolph, um, who he passed away two years ago, but his car still stay and circulate through there. So mainly most of our celebrities come from Atlanta customer. What's your, what's your favorite car of all of them that you do? Oh man. Yeah. I don't know. The owner of Atlanta Custom Wraps has a McLaren that is all souped up. And I've been lucky enough to get a couple laps around the track in it. Have you? But we take care of that. We take care of some really cool 1,000 horsepower plus cars and some Corvettes. 1,000 horsepower. Yeah. We take care of a lot. I've ridden in a lot of fast stuff. Wow. Yeah. It is quite.

SPEAKER_01 19:33

Oh, sorry. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

No, we've gotten a hold of some crazy, crazy vehicles for sure.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

That's awesome. What's the future as you look out? What is the future for Southern

SPEAKER_02 19:43

Detail? I'd definitely like to have two full-time crews, for sure. Right now, we do close to 30 cars a week in a five-day weekday. I have two awesome guys that mainly work here in Johns Creek. This is where I started, so they do a bunch here. And I take care of a lot up in Kennesaw, Canton, Smyrna. We really travel everywhere. So I'd say... I'd like to, I'd like to get up to about 60 cars a week. I'd like to double it and then just go from there. Just keep growing. So doubling

SPEAKER_01 20:15

means doubling the crew size. Essentially. Now you're, are you going to these people's houses or how does your business work? We're

SPEAKER_02 20:20

going to, so we bring our own water and power with us. Um, so we'll go to, we've done gym parking lots while people work out. We've done, uh, very cool. We've done your work. Um, we've done a house and then we also, we do office washes as well. So, um, you know, will come every other Thursday to one actually right, right down the street, uh, the booster office. And so they all sign up and we do discounted rate for that since we're there. So as long as we have four vehicles, I'm able to block off the day. Yeah. And, um, we do, it's, it's about $20 cheaper per car. Usually we charge on size, but we just do one flat fee per car. And, um, we hang out there all day and just knock out as many as we can. Yeah. So we, we go everywhere.

SPEAKER_01 21:03

What were you like? Tell us, let's go back to childhood. What do you remember from your childhood? What kind of kid were you? How was school?

SPEAKER_02 21:11

School was fun. I never liked school. I liked my friends. Yeah, I mean, I liked my friends. I never enjoyed reading. I never enjoyed homework. I think like most kids, but I enjoyed my friends. I enjoyed my teachers. I think I definitely kind of enjoyed going. I've always cut grass since I was younger. My grandpa... I used to go over my grandpa's since I was six and cut with him. And I even saved up and bought a backpack blower in fourth grade because

SPEAKER_01 21:41

that's what I wanted. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 21:44

And when I was 10, my parents for my birthday got me a lawnmower and I loved it. Yeah. And then I started cutting a couple of neighbor's yards and here and there. Sort of the normal stuff. Pretty much the normal stuff. Just making, you know, 50 bucks a weekend. Right. Just cutting the neighbor's grass or whatever. Sports? Yeah. sports. I did, uh, I played baseball pretty heavily in high school. You did. So I started, I played baseball my whole life since I was six, but in high school I started doing travel ball and I wanted to play in college. So I was, I go to school, I go to workouts in the morning, I go to school, I go to personal trainer for it. And then I, I was working very hard at it. I really wanted to play in college. What'd you play? What position? Uh, third base. Third base. So I played third base. I really wanted to play in college. Um, Then I think I realized how much better there are out there and how hard it really is to go pro. Yeah. And I kind of looked at it as this doesn't make... Why would I be putting so much money and effort into it if it's just... The outcome's probably realistically not going to be there. Right. So, then I really... I started cleaning cars at the same time and I had to kind of make a choice. Yeah. Whether I was going to keep that business, which I could see working. Yeah. I guess I could... Get an instant outcome, which is the money, rather than putting all this effort into baseball and probably never seeing a dollar from it,

SPEAKER_01 23:03

essentially. Would you say you had support? 100%. Yeah, very much. When you decided you were going to like... Very much. Okay. You had support throughout your life. Then did you have support at the point when you made the decision to come out of school, to leave school? Yes. surrounded by people that you would say support?

SPEAKER_02 23:23

Especially my family.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

Great.

SPEAKER_02 23:24

For sure. Especially my family. Like my parents. Even friends and stuff. Obviously my friends. Yeah, my friends. I think it's hard for people, especially in this area and stuff, to really grasp what money is. So people were thinking I was making so much money when really I wasn't and stuff like that. But no, friends definitely thought it was great, especially when your friends don't like school either. So they're like, man, I wish I could do that. But it comes with its benefits and its doubts, ups and downs. Definitely like my social life is not as much there for sure. I still have friends. A lot of my friends are older and adults now, which I love, especially because I'm with them at work all day. And I have roommates still, but I don't go out really, which I'd pick this over anything. But definitely, yeah, I think I grew up a lot faster in a sense and kind of skipped that whole – Little college thing. Yeah. So. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:21

You can always get a bad. Oh, yeah. My girlfriend goes

SPEAKER_02 24:26

to UGA. So we do a little sorority events down there and stuff. Right. She's got an interesting,

SPEAKER_01 24:31

interesting degree.

SPEAKER_02 24:33

Yeah, she's doing genetics. And both her grandfather's a huge entrepreneur as well as her dad. So I got a lot of support from them as well. That's awesome. Especially so. Yeah, it's been great. They're in the home building business too. Yeah. So my dad and them could relate a lot. It was cool to hear advice from both coming from the same industry. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

I want to hone in now on the piece for... kids that are out there so i'm going to really focus on trying to get this into the hands of high school i want high schoolers to us to hear this and and know that you're not alone like you're not alone this is not like like there's nothing wrong with this yeah like you are not alone if you are an entrepreneur and you are born that way From the person sitting here who went through, and I'm 46, and I went through the same thing you did when you were 19. Yeah. You don't get rid of this. No. You don't get rid of this. You don't put it out. So let's talk. Let's pretend there's a room of high schoolers in here. Okay. All right. What advice would you give to them?

SPEAKER_02 25:49

I mean, I'd just say do it, I guess. Yeah. For me, I was very lucky, too. For my high school, I had a lot of support from the principals and all that. We did events with Portia while I was in high school, and I had to skip a couple days of school. Yeah. And I had principals that signed off on it for me just because they knew. We pressure washed the stadium, all that. Your stadium, you pressure washed it? So I had a lot of support from my school, which I think is a lot harder for high schoolers now to understand, too. Right. But just do it. I think just do it. YouTube's a huge help nowadays too. That's what I've learned everything from. I really have. I just went on and started watching videos. So I think anybody could do anything with the internet at their fingertips now.

SPEAKER_01 26:38

What do you say? I think the most common thing I heard over the years is the high schooler who goes... I get no support at home. My parents don't know what it's like to have a business. And then on top of it, they're asking their friends for advice and their friends never did it before. That's the norm. That's the norm is the isolated person who's going, is there something wrong with me? Nobody thinks I can do this. But inside they know, but yet they're not doing it. What do you say to that person?

SPEAKER_02 27:13

Man, I think it's, I think you got Delta hard, hard hand of cards for sure. Yeah. But just prove them wrong. You know, I think it's very cheesy thing to say. Everybody does say, but it is just prove them wrong and, you know, show them that you can work hard. I don't have to know who you are and I believe in you. You know what I mean? Yeah. I think it's very, and especially I know that the detailer world, we're all very connected through social media. So I even have people I've, owners, companies in Florida that I can always reach out to for advice or for support. Um, and I think that's starting to become the same around every industry. So even that, if you don't have support at home, like reach out to somebody you'd like to watch online, reach out. Um, but I, I think support will come as hard because support comes when you're winning usually, which isn't always great because it's people that needed to see you succeed in order to believe in you. Right. Um, But I think just, I don't know, it's a hard thing to do, but just do it. Build

SPEAKER_01 28:17

support. What would you tell that same person? How would you have them construct support around them differently? Because what they have around them is great and it's people that love them. But how might you go about that and suggest to somebody younger?

SPEAKER_02 28:35

I'd say through prayer a lot too. I think if you're I think if you're in the word and you are a Christian, I think definitely through prayer will help. God will bring the right people around you, even when you don't expect it. I think even like that, I went up and just gave you a card and now we're here. It's a great story. Even just meeting people, I think God will always bring somebody around you that you need to. I think even if you don't have support, I think if it's meant to be, God will God will put somebody there whether you believe in God or not. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:10

And if it's a business that you're focused on starting but you don't have the support, might that person go out and rebuild their little mentor network with people who don't own a business?

SPEAKER_02 29:25

Yes. Which makes the most sense, right? Right. I think it's – I don't know. It's just – it's such a hard thing to touch on because you never know people's – what position they're in, who's around them, all that. But even go work for free somewhere. That's great advice. If you want to detail, whether it's detailing or whatever, go find a shop. Just say, hey, can I sweep? Or can I just clean stuff up just so I can watch and learn for a little bit? Yeah. And a hundred percent, they'll support you even, even just by inviting you in. And you'll, you'll make connections through that as well. So I think, you know, work, work for cheap, work for free here and there. Yeah. I think that, I think that's how I would go about getting support if I didn't have it, to be honest. Yeah. Cause you'll find that person who does believe in you and, wants to kind of take you in. Do you get people reaching out to you? I would think you would. I do, yeah. That ask.

SPEAKER_01 30:20

Yeah, definitely. What are some things you've been asked?

SPEAKER_02 30:22

I get asked a lot about equipment, kind of how, what do I need? What do you think I should do? What do I need to get? And a lot of people, I may come across bad sometimes, but I don't want to sit there and tell them everything. Sure. A lot of times I say, go to YouTube, go find. I definitely give them an N on how to, because everything's, everybody's different with what they like to use, especially in this industry. And I use very expensive things and all that. And so I'll give them a brand or I'll send them here. There's a couple of guys you can go watch on YouTube. I was like, just find what you want to do. Like me, it doesn't do me any good to just tell you everything you need to buy. Right. Because then you might start doing some cars and realize you don't need this for what you want to do. You don't want to do this. That's right. Which some people definitely don't like that answer. Yeah. But I... If I were reaching out to somebody, that's what I was kind of told. There's more specific questions that people ask, like, hey, good stuff for interior. And I'll send them a link and stuff like that. But I think I get a lot of that. A lot of our main marketing social media, we do a lot of short videos and all that.

SPEAKER_01 31:26

Where can somebody find that? I want to make sure we post that up here. Where can

SPEAKER_02 31:29

somebody find that? We're heavy on TikTok and Instagram at southern.detailingATL.

SPEAKER_01 31:36

Okay. So tick and Instagram Southern dot detailing dot detailing ATL. Same handle on both. Same handle on both. Yeah. You got your stuff is just awesome. That's our biggest. Are you doing that stuff yourself?

SPEAKER_02 31:50

I do it myself. You do. Yeah. So we do. I was doing a lot with my iPhone. I recently, I bought a nicer Sony camera. I got, I actually got one for Christmas after looking for a while. So we're starting to get into more higher end. Yeah. But all you need is, I mean, you just need your phone. Just a lot of questions is people do what camera to use. So your iPhone, it's all you need. That's all you need. All you need nowadays.

SPEAKER_01 32:12

And the iPhone is just so, so, so good. I'm going to anticipate you're going to get folks at different, at varying ages reaching out here. My intent is to get this into as many hands as possible and, in that high school yes sort of oh yeah that high school because i know that was where it was for me like when i started my first business i didn't even know it was a business we were toying around and it ended up just being such a home run but yeah um it wasn't all home runs after that as it never is but uh yeah as much as it accelerated and We just crushed it. I lost it all in the stock market as a freshman in college. And it was the best thing that could have ever happened. Really? It was the best thing. And that's what I want to hear from you. Is there a time when things didn't work out or didn't go as planned?

SPEAKER_02 33:10

Um, I mean, definitely we, we, we had a client, um, I mean yesterday. So we do those office washes every other Thursday and it's a lot, it's great money for us. Um, and their clients have treated us great. Um, but usually I send my crew out to do that so I can go take care of other vehicles. So we had one guy that just signed up to do, um, every Thursday at 9am. And my, my lead lead employee woke up sick with fever and all that. So he couldn't, he couldn't take his equipment there and all that. So I kind of had to make a choice on what client I'm going to take care of. So, you know, I did text that client, just say, can you do this evening? Here's my situation. He basically, you know, said, forget it. I'm using somebody else. Yeah, definitely. You get people who you can tell don't understand business.

UNKNOWN 33:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:59

But I think there's a lot of stuff like that that'll come along where it's like you might feel pretty bad because you feel like you messed up. And it took Justin Norton, owner of Atlanta Custom Wraps, kind of helped me realize that if he can't understand business and he can't understand that you have to make choices sometimes.

UNKNOWN 34:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:18

they're for your benefit, then you can't let stuff like that bother you.

SPEAKER_01 34:22

Was that a client that was with you a long time?

SPEAKER_02 34:24

No, he just started, actually. So

SPEAKER_01 34:27

you didn't even do his car once? We've done it

SPEAKER_02 34:28

once. We've done his car last week once. His client recently had his vehicle wrapped. Yeah. So we did some stuff like that for him. But you get a lot of stuff like that. A lot of clients mad that, you know, maybe I include a normal interior, but there's a stain on the carpet. And you have to explain that, hey, we can't, like that's not included. Right. And they get a little frustrated. Well, I'm paying this much and that's not included. And it's like, well, here's our list of what's included. You know, you read it. Right. You understood. That's one thing I'll say too is detail out what you're going to do. Because people definitely get frustrated thinking something's included. I'll bet.

SPEAKER_01 35:03

When it's not. Do you – Do you get the feeling of being very, like you finish a car and then does it sit with you the rest of the day? Are you going like, oh, did I get that one spot? Did I get this one spot? For sure. Self-awareness. I think I

SPEAKER_02 35:22

had to realize too that I'll see more things than any client ever would. I think when I'm sitting there cleaning the car, they pay their $100 or $120 to get their car in and out. And it will look great to them, but I'll think about that spot that, oh, I didn't get the vents. Oh, well, that's not – they're not really paying for that. Or even leaving and you're spending a lot longer in a car than you should to a point you're losing money and all that. I'll definitely go home and think, man, I wish they paid more so I could do more. I think that's one thing that people – work for free when you start out. Yeah. A hundred percent. But at a certain point, like I think you definitely have to realize your worth. Yeah. And don't, don't do things for free, you know, right here and there, you know, take care of a client for sure. Sure. Throw extra stuff in for a client who's been with you a while and does well for you. We have clients who, the first price I ever had, they've been with me since. So their price hasn't changed. I lose money every time they go, but they've been with me since I started and through the ups and downs of maybe not doing a great job to doing a great job, et cetera. Um, and their, I mean, their price is $50 less than we usually charge now. Got it. So it's, that price will never ever change for them, but that's just because they've, they took care of me for sure. So, um, you know, you gotta take, you gotta take care of them.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

Yeah. Well, what kind of trends are you seeing in the industry just as a whole?

SPEAKER_02 36:48

Um, wraps are huge right now. Wraps and PPF. Um, and what's, what is PPF? PPF is a paint protection film. Okay. So that's essentially all something that's clear bra, um, clear wrap, all that. That's, they're starting to come out with color changing ones where you can, um, usually it's clear, but now they're coming up with black and that's self healing in the sun. So, um, over atlanta custom wraps we install it a lot we do dealerships as well and that's something that my dad just did stealth on his truck so we took it and it was black and we put the basic clear film on it that turned it matte right but that's that's starting to be the next big thing

SPEAKER_01 37:29

do you think we're are we

SPEAKER_02 37:30

going to see that right out of the manufacturer someday you think um they're they're starting to do from factory wraps so tesla's starting to offer it they are um And they're subbing out essentially to different companies. But the problem is you take a lot apart when you wrap a car because you want to be able to tuck edges. You don't want things pulling up. So we'll take out the headlights, the door handles, some stuff like that. But these cars coming from factory, it'll void warranty if things are taken apart. So you're going to be able to order a Tesla, I believe, that's already wrapped from factory. Interesting. Um, so color change is starting to be huge, especially with the camo wraps. Like my truck is wild, man. And that's the whole, that's the whole young Dolph thing. The young Dolph wrap, the Atlanta custom wrap started, which is really starting to take over and all the, the vehicle, uh, world. And what is that? What's that name called? Um, it's called the young Dolph camo. So that one of the rappers, young Dolph, it's very close to the guys, Atlanta custom wraps, and he did camo on his, all his cars. And he was, um, got it. You know, he was murdered a couple of years ago. So they kind of just started doing some tribute for him and it is just, it's blown up.

SPEAKER_01 38:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:42

Yeah. They take a percentage of each wrap of that to sold and give back to the family and they have a, they have a fundraiser they've started for him.

SPEAKER_03 38:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:49

Um, But a lot of people are starting to do it and add their own twist on it, change some colors and all that. That's definitely a big thing coming up too. Yeah. Is all the camo. It's starting to get

SPEAKER_01 39:00

huge. It's starting to get huge. Anything you're seeing in the AI world here?

SPEAKER_02 39:06

Not

SPEAKER_01 39:06

much. A lot of

SPEAKER_02 39:07

AI. They do a lot of renders, obviously. When the Cybertruck came out, they did a lot of different... JTX made a... camo one with a lift kit on it and stuff like that but not much i wouldn't say there's a whole lot of ai stuff going on right now the color change

SPEAKER_01 39:22

you think we'll ever see a day where you can open up an app and change the color of your car

SPEAKER_02 39:29

i don't know i don't think i'll ever see it i wouldn't i don't think we'll ever see it but i think it i think it'll be there

SPEAKER_01 39:35

yeah i had a truck one time a bunch of years ago and i must have wrapped it like three different times because i just i wanted sand camo well that's the cool thing about green camo yeah and i always had that idea of like wait if I want different colors, different seasons, I don't

SPEAKER_02 39:51

know how it would ever work, but there's also color shift wraps where the different, if you look at it differently, it's maybe a purple and maybe it's really, maybe it's more of an Amber depending on how the sun hits it. But I think it'll be there at some point, but I don't think we'll be alive to see it

SPEAKER_01 40:07

to be honest. That's incredible. Yeah. All right. Last question for you. Any other, actually two more questions.

UNKNOWN 40:15

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 40:16

Anything else from an entrepreneurial standpoint that you either have an inkling of an interest for now or you think like once you get your business to a certain level, you want to start pursuing something else?

SPEAKER_02 40:28

100% commercial pressure washing. I think for sure. We've talked about that. Yeah. Just because the money that's in it. Yeah. I think for sure. It's just great.

UNKNOWN 40:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:40

I'd love to do more videography and stuff as well. Photography. That's, I think that's where my passion is. As a business? As a business.

SPEAKER_01 40:47

Okay. So not just for your detailing. No, I'd like to do it as a

SPEAKER_02 40:50

business for sure to offer it out. But also just to be able to have the skill where, you know, and me and my friends drive up to the mountains to be able to film on the way there. Got it. Stuff like that. But I think there's a market there that's starting to grow a lot too. For sure. There's a lot of very talented guys out there. And with social media getting bigger.

SPEAKER_03 41:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 41:08

they're able to make a living out of it, even just by posting on social media. Interesting. Um, so I think that's also another big market coming. You

SPEAKER_01 41:15

like to like post on behalf of other businesses. Do I understand that the right way or what? No. So, so I mean,

SPEAKER_02 41:22

so say I'm, say I'm taking videos of your, your vehicle for you, you know, you pay, you love your vehicle. So you want some videos of it. Okay. Yeah. So you'd pay me a couple hundred dollars to film and edit whatever, but also, um, like Tik TOK pays very well. So, um, I could post that video on TikTok as long as it's a minute long and I meet the requirements to be monetized. I can make about $1.30 per view for qualified view. So a lot of people are starting to just be full-time TikTok and especially in the automotive world where they're making content about their vehicle. They're making content about their friends going to meets, etc., Um, and it's definitely a job that an easy just cause you have to be on top of it, but that's starting to pay extremely well.

SPEAKER_01 42:07

Is that some of the stuff that I see on your channel? Like you're just really good at

SPEAKER_02 42:12

essentially. Yeah. There's that around. Yeah. There's a lot of stuff like that. Um, and then a lot of just normal, we've started doing kind of daily vlogs, so we'll just kind of film like a normal Wednesday. Just kind of the cars we do, the process we go through, laughs that are shared here and there. We're starting to do mic'd up moments. So both of my guys will wear GoPros. Yeah, we'll all wear GoPros cleaning cars. That's

SPEAKER_01 42:35

awesome.

SPEAKER_02 42:36

Yeah, because we all talk while we're doing it. We find that on your channel or is it the vlog? It'll be on our channel. Yeah, so we'll post it to Instagram as well as TikTok. So it'll be there. We'll probably do it next month or two. So you guys are marketers too. Yeah, I mean, I try. I feel like that's the bet to be able to kind of find a relationship with somebody is the best way to market. In my opinion,

SPEAKER_01 42:57

I'm going to, okay. I've won. So I promised you more questions. So I have one more question before I get to it for everybody out there listening. Yeah. I bet you're going to have people going, man, what? He's such a good marketer. Why doesn't he write a, either a small book or an ebook or have a paid course? Yeah. on how to get your detailing because this is a common business how to get it up and going what tools so i want to just plant that seed for

SPEAKER_02 43:29

you i mean there's a lot there's a lot that there's a lot of people that do that now yeah um i hate that somebody has to pay for that though yeah i don't like that i get it i get it's business um i get it's part of people making a living but you know i'd like to be successful enough to the point where i don't need that money yeah and i'd like to I think course would be cool or do something where, you know, we bring a guy out a week where a kid can come hang out with us, come see how we do stuff. And then he's, Oh, that is incredible. Yeah. I would love to get to the point where I could do that. A hundred percent. All right. What's because the only people that work for us are college and high school kids. I'd like to keep it that way as well.

SPEAKER_01 44:08

All right. So if you're listening, And this sounds interesting. And you're in and around Alpharetta, Johns Creek. I'm going to go ahead and put the offer out.

SPEAKER_02 44:19

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:20

To reach out to us, Interesting Humans, the podcast. Your information will also be in the description of this show. Okay. Reach out and come and do... I'd love to. A day in the... Do you have a name for a day in the life?

SPEAKER_02 44:34

Just to... I don't know. Just come hang out with us. And, you know, if that's something you want to do or you just... You love cars. Yeah. I think I'm just now at the point where I'm able to do it. Just I'm established enough in the business where it's not... That's not going to be an issue. But... Yeah, we do a lot of cool cars. So even if you're just into cars and you want to come hang out or film or whatever. Yeah, you guys are like

SPEAKER_01 44:55

having fun for a living. Oh, we

SPEAKER_02 44:57

are. I mean, we all talk and hang out. Yeah, we're doing a lot of cool stuff. Yeah. Good for you, man. I love it. Yeah, I think that'd be fun for sure.

SPEAKER_01 45:06

All right, so here's that question number two and this will be the final one. Look back at your life. So you're 19. Yeah. Look back at your life. Point me to a pivotal point that helped shape, not you as an entrepreneur, but that helped shape you as a human being. One pivotal time.

SPEAKER_02 45:35

And one pivotal time. I don't know. I think I'd have to point one thing, but just more serious. Hunting with my dad. I think for sure, I think hunting with my dad, I'd say just even as a kid, just spending time in a deer stand with him and just talking about stuff that, you know, is, I think it's definitely shaped me for sure. Um, I don't know if he knows that, but those, I think those moments, Oh yeah. But I think those moments for sure.

SPEAKER_01 46:11

Yeah. Oh yeah. That's incredible. Yeah. He's going to love to hear that. I love hearing it. anything at all that you can remember any one of the conversations um you've ever remembered like a mantra or something he would always tell you things like hey you can do anything you you put your mind to or

SPEAKER_02 46:32

yeah i think there's always those i think just i think his biggest thing was all like always just be don't be everybody Like, don't be with everybody else. He says that a lot, you know. So,

SPEAKER_01 46:44

what is it? Don't be.

SPEAKER_02 46:45

Like, kind of don't be everybody. He always would say if it starts with, well, everybody, it's probably not a good thing. So, if I go to him, I'm like, hey, well, everybody's going to this. Can I go? Well, should you be going to that? Like, just because everybody's. So, I think that was glued in my brain for sure from him that, you know, don't. If everybody's doing it, it doesn't always mean, you know,

SPEAKER_01 47:12

try to be different. Or maybe that's a sign that if everybody's doing it, maybe you

SPEAKER_02 47:16

should not be doing it. Yeah, exactly. He's like, usually if it starts with, well, everybody's, it's probably not a good

SPEAKER_01 47:21

thing. Still like to hunt?

SPEAKER_02 47:23

Here and there. I don't go as much often. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:26

Now you're running a business now.

SPEAKER_02 47:28

Well, exactly. It gets a little harder. But I find time still once or twice a year. It's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 47:34

It's great. All right. To everybody out there, hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did. literally enjoyed being in this seat and just reliving. As I said, I was in the exact same crossroads. I took a different path. I went to school and I could tell you It wasn't the right thing for me, but I did it and I went through that path. So for everybody listening, as always, folks, I ask it. It's tremendously helpful if you just rate us on your platform, whether it's YouTube or we're doing video now on YouTube or the podcast platform of your choice. Just rate us. It helps the show so much. And as always, thanks so much for joining us in Austin. Thank you. Thank you for being here. It was awesome. Thanks.

SPEAKER_00 48:21

Thanks for listening to the Interesting Humans podcast with Jeff Hopeck.