mathews31

Just curious if anyone thinks they will realease a Easter detail spray? Or anything special for Easter? I think a cool idea is a Easter mystery basket haha. I think it would be cool

I heard he evaporated in a crazy car crash......  Racing through the Swiss Alps in a LaFerrari, and launched off a cliff, doing well over 200 mph.  He was racing a Bugatti Veyron, and winning, when he swerved to avoid a mud puddle, he didn't want to dirty the freshly detailed supercar.....the beautiful car took flight, and exploded into smithereens.....big insurance claim!
 
Hahahahaha!  Well, hello friends!  Seems as our little business grows, the days are long, the travel frequent, and the downtime is fleeting.  As our little family grows, my 'off time,' when I used to hang on the Forum, is now filled with soccer or basketball, homework, etc. ( The Forum is where I went to chill out, not so much to work.)   Crazy to think, when we started Adam's Forums in 2008, we had 0 kids, 3 employees, and plenty of free time!  
 
Now, a decade later, were are blessed with 41 employees, 3 kids, and a pretty dang busy business. We now attend over 40 shows each year, and I see many of you around the country!
 
It's good to be here on AF, and I feel our guys, Dan Tyger, Chris Toth, and Dan Wolf, are handling this forum responsibility well.   I'm humbled to have you reading my words, and using our goods.  ADD has the best of me, so I try to keep communication to a few mediums, emails, in person, and phone calls.   If you want to connect with me on any matters that cannot be resolved here on AF:
 
Adam@AdamsPolishes.com
Office: 720-473-7100
Or, find me at the most of the shows scheduled on our Event Calendar!
 
Thanks friends, and here is a snapshot of who I am hanging with at every possible second:

Who is Adam?
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hey,
 
Kristian here from the UK. Should probably explain what I'm doing on an American detailing forum!
 
Having always adored the American car scene, I picked up my dream car in 2015 - a Mustang Ecoboost, in "Magnetic Metalllic" (dark metallic grey). I decided from day one that I'd take good care of it & my detailing obsession has grown from there really (and still growing!). Through social media I gathered that Adams was a great brand & although it's not big over this side of the pond, we can now get Adams products, so I tried a few. I always had in mind that I would stick with a single brand, one that made awesome products whilst being good value. Well, what can I say - I'm hooked on Adams products! I like the simplicity of the product range, the videos are brilliant & Adams seem to do everything I would ever need. It's also great to be able to support an American brand 
 
Anyway, enough of my life story! Looking forward to reading the forum, gaining more detailing knowledge & perfecting my game...
 
Oh, one more thing - as great as the turbo engine was, I upgraded after 18 months to the V8  this colour looks so pretty in the sun!
 

Interior shot, LPS>BrilliantGlaze>Americana>H2O G&G
 

As we’ve been talking about hosting our first clinic, it got me thinking about all aspects of detailing and business ownership. I frequently see people here who are thinking of opening their own business and it inspired me to share some thoughts and lessons from our first official year in business. 
 
First though, a little back history. I believe to understand where you’re going, you need to understand where you’ve been. So to understand Detailed Reflections and our story, the history becomes important. 
 
I have a successful career as a firefighter/paramedic. Detailing for me has never been the way to “pay the bills.” What my career provided for me though was a means to explore something that I’d always wanted to do with minimal risk...owning a business. 
 
Like many, I started detailing my own cars. Once friends found out that I did that, and could do it well they started asking for “help” detailing their cars. In other words, they asked me to detail their cars. As I went along, I learned all the time. Suddenly I found myself finally feeling confident I could do this and charge money for it. Not to mention, I got tired of giving away time frequently. Like many, I have a family and activities I enjoy.
 
Next thing I knew, I was collecting cash for detailing cars here and there. I realized how much time and money I kept reinvesting. New product, tools, etc. At that point the idea was hatched that I would go out on a limb and open my own business.
 
I’ve use the “I” a lot so far, and there’s a reason for that. When I talked to my wife about opening a business, she suggested I partner with the husband of someone she works with. He was working as a detailer at a small shop that did production detailing. Think more car wash than true detailing.
 
I was a little apprehensive about bringing someone else into the mix. Little did I know it would be one of the best things I could do and the strength of a friendship born through a common interest and business venture. After some conversation over dinner, “I” became “we.” He didn’t have the financial means to invest in everything needed to take on business ownership, but he brought an incredible work ethic with him and has grown tremendously in our time working together. I still hold ownership (for now) but he’s every bit of a partner a business owner could ask for. 
 
This was lesson one. Don’t be afraid to take a chance. It might not work, but it just might lead to the best decision you’ve ever made. To watch Marquis grow in his craft has made it worthwhile. His knowledge of the business side is growing and his worth ethic is among the best I’ve seen.
 
Now that we had a legal LLC, it became a game of constantly navigating new tasks. Paying sales tax, tracking EVERY expense, scheduling, acquiring clients, ordering product, shopping for price. The list goes on. 
 
Which brings us to lesson two. Track EVERYTHING. Literally, save every receipt. Track mileage. Be diligent in recording expenses. You want to know where every dollar is going. You’re not spending, you’re investing. Most of the money we take in goes back to the business. Advertising, product, etc. You also want to know if you’re profitable. 
 
Lesson three...it takes time to be profitable. You’re going to make ordering mistakes. You’re going to need to grow your equipment to set yourself apart. You’ll need to try different products to see what you like and what you don’t like. You need to set yourself apart from the competition. 
 
Lesson four...don’t sell on price. You can easily get sucked into a low cost bidding war. Some people will walk because they can “get it cheaper elsewhere.” Let them go. The price customer isn’t likely to become a client, and they usually expect the most for the least. If you don’t value your time, product and knowledge who else will?  That being said, don’t gouge people because you can. It’s poor practice and will bite you. 
 
Lesson five...clients and customers are different people. A customer is a one time transaction. A client is multiple times. They come back. They talk to people. They engage with you. These are who you want to be your clients. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. Customers are still good revenue, but don’t provide the continued returns that a client does. 
 
Lesson six...know your costs. This is a cost of operating. And it’s how you establish an hourly rate to estimate pricing. How much is your time worth?  How much do you pay your employees/partners?  How much is your product?  How much does your business need to make to grow?  How much are your expenses (rent/insurance/phone/etc)?  Once that’s done, work it backwards. You should have an hourly rate you try to achieve on every job. 
 
Lesson seven...sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. In the end, make the client happy. There’s jobs we’ve misquoted and done for little to nothing at the end of the day. There’s jobs we’ve made more than we thought. Keep the client happy. It’s how they return.  Don’t sweat the small things. A job that doesn’t make money is simply a mistake. Learn from it. 
 
Lesson eight...be honest with customers and clients. Under promise and over deliver. It’s better to wow a client with more than they expected than to disappoint them by promising something you couldn’t deliver. An unhappy client will tell everyone. 
 
Lesson nine...don’t give clients what they didn’t pay for. Does this mean never throw someone a bone?  Not at all. If someone pays for a one step polish, that’s what you need to give them. You can’t do a two step for the price of one. You’re not doing your business any favors. That being said, if a small spot needs more attention, just do it. The customer will thank you and it’s a few minutes. 
 
Lesson ten...buy smart. Research products. Reach out to vendors to see what they can offer you. Reducing costs is a good way to improve profit margin without increasing costs to clients and customers. You owe it to yourself, your business and your clients. It’s how you offer a fair product at a fair price.
 
Lesson eleven...you’ll make mistakes. Own them. Fix them. Learn from them. Move past them. That’s all there is about that.
 
Lesson twelve...growth takes time. Experiment. It’s not easy to acquire clients as the new guy around. Word of mouth is the best advertising. Incentivize people to send business your way. Try new things. Network. You never know what great connections you’ll make. Talking to people is the best way. 
 
And thirteen...have fun. If you’re not enjoying it, it’s not for you. The friendships you’ll make are invaluable and don’t have a price on them. 
 
And on trying new things, we are working on a clinic!  All of the topics here will be in play. Well, except price. The clinic is free. But the networking, sharing knowledge, etc. All will be on display. 
 
If you’re thinking about owning a business...do it. There’s enough work to go around and it’s rewarding. Even if you weren’t successful, you will have done something few people dare to do!
 
Anyway, just some rambling thoughts from a first year business owner. Hopefully you guys will be putting up with me for a while!

The general rule is more durable products are applied first...in other words, sealant (like PS or HGG), then wax, then glaze. BUT...it can also be personal preference based on desired effect. Some like to apply glaze between sealant and wax, for example. So really, neither you nor your buddies can lose. Just take them out to lunch and split the bill 50/50.
 
See this article for more on longevity and layering info:
 
 

H2O G&G would protect longer than Adam's Patriot or Americana paste wax or Buttery liquid wax.

I swear the other day on InstaGram I saw an adams product that cleans the WeatherTech floor mats. I can't find it anywhere on the site though. Is it coming soon or am I losing my mind?

Ha Ha, no orange peel here. Actually there is some, there almost has to be a little or you wet sanded to deep in the clear.

I too got several when they were on the closeout special, and I like them.  I use them mainly for wiping after claying, as they are perfect for this.  I need to find more uses for them.

My mouth dropped when I saw your car, welcome to the forum

Gotta be honest, that's a novel idea, great creativity

You've learned the right way to do it.  It's really one of my favorite products in the Adam's line.  Your rides look great! 

I  agree post up some pics when done......I love my Racedeck FreeFlow floor.
 
 

Thanks for the comment on the paint. Wetsanding it made all the difference in the world, the paint was always beautiful before, but it ( I ) needed to go to the next level to satisfy my ocd !!
I still need to give it a coat or two of Patriots wax before it hits the road in the spring but it will do for now. 
Here's a couple pics  underneath the hood minus the new throttle body going on soon
 
 
 

I posted up some before and after pics of the wet sanding I did on my Shelby on another post on the forum and since I just got it back from adding a new hood, new side and rear splitters, and had my rocker panels, pass and drivers side painted, I thought I would show you the end result. Although there is no wax on the hood (needs to set up first) and only a coat of Brilliant Glaze on the car, the paint after wet sanding and buffing REALLY makes the paint POP !! Couple more things to do still but spring is on the horizon !! 
 
 

Congrats on the new car she's quite the looker..

thanks for the gift got it the other day, greatly appreciated
 

I'm fairly new to Adam's, and very new to the site. I was always a was and wax with whatever guy until I found Adam's and discovered there was so much more to it. I'm hooked and always looking to learn more. This is my daily driver truck with paint sealant and then buttery wax after we got a good rain, love it! 

It's the elusive 4-bucket wash !!!  It's like spotting Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster !!!   Finally, there's photographic proof !!!

Had a day above freezing here in Canada, so broke out the new Worx HydroShot and gave it a whirl.  All my outside faucets are shut off for winter, so this system kinda made sense...only issue I ran into is battery longevity, might look into getting a second battery to ensure I can also wash my wife's truck in one shot.... car is white, so hard to tell how dirty it was, but there was a fair amount of salt on it and with just the HydroShot most came off before breaking out the car shampoo and finishing it off with a detail spray dry.  Car had LPS applied to it in Sept. and still beads ups, so still working...maybe next time I'll top it off with some G&G.

Wait, didn't she just get a new car last year?! Way to spoil her, though!! Imagine what she'll get it you're gone for 6 months next time. ZR1, anyone?!
 
 
 
Looks great ,Rich!

Well this all happened yesterday but now that I’m finally home again after 3 months, we went and got the wifey a new car. I’ve never been a GM fan but damn she looked too good in the Camaro to pass it up, so here she is. Breyanna names her Hydra. It’s a 2018 2.0L turbo, plenty for her and honestly for me as well. With the paddle shifters this thing will pull you back in the seat.. pretty insane really out of such a small engine.
 
 

Here is my baby it's been so cold here lately I cant get a chance to wash him i cant wait for warmer weather