We recently connected with Napolean Mcnair and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Napolean thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Taking a risk can be scary because you have no idea whats out there, I get it! But, how do you know if you can be great at something if you never try?!When it come to starting a business, many people have great ideas. Lingering in their minds for weeks, months, and years. You ask them why they havent moved forward with those thoughts and you’ll hear. Many are afraid to take that leap of faith because its to much of a risk. Before starting my business, I was one of those many people.

Prieor to starting my detailing business, i was working somewhat of my dream job. Going to work everyday with a tie, working for the state, and receiving a secure pay check. Life was good! My boss at the time, gave incentives to the employee with the most seen clients. This is something my coworkers and I would get excited about. A reward, as it showed how hard youve worked. On this particular month, i knew i had seen the most clients. However, my boss never gave an incentive for the month. Curious and confused, i went to her office to ask if she planned to announce a winner for the month. The answer she gave, i wasnt prepared for; “Napolean, I dont reward fish for swimming!” At that moment, i didnt understand what she was saying. Driving home, thinking.. “fish swim all day. So in that analogy im the fish doing its job”. I can remember thinking, my boss of four years only sees me as a swimming fish! All i could think was, im worth more than that. About 4-6months after that, they let me go. No explanation, no warning, nothing! I had heard people say “youre just another number at your job. That day, my number was called and replace.

The year is now 2020 and im looking for all types of work. I landed a delivery job at Amazon or( popular delivery company). Something that i wasn’t used to but it paid the bills. The deliveries didn’t stop but Covid 19 was in and i became a victim. Stuck and stranded in the house, i couldn’t stop watching the satisfying detailing videos, Shampooing car seats, glitching rims, and happy customers. Post Covid, i decided to face my fears and take one of the biggest risk of my life. Starting my auto detailing business! You mean, from ground zero?! No clients, no equipment, no product, nope, none of that. I just knew that i wanted to start a detailing company and that was that.

Fast forward to now, 2024, I’m so glad that i took a risk and choose myself. Now, we’re one of the top growing detailing companies in my area. I’ve learned way more than i could imagine. I’ve had countless conversations, walking away more wiser. I’ve traveled to many different cities within my state and surrounding state. Ive had the opportunity to shampoo clients couches, pressure washed houses, decks, and driveways. My small business has also given me the opportunity to have freedom! Freedom to use my time at my leisure.

If you’re thinking of starting a business, i say do it now! No need to waste time. My tools has provided me with with many different opportunities that i didn’t know was out there. My bosses words of ” i dont reward fish for swimming” still echoes to this day. I believe that whatever industry you decide to go with dmonate. A little “dedication, hard work, and pacente- Nipsey hustle will take you far.

Napolean, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Growing up with a name like Napolean in an urban part of Greensboro, NC was comical. Id always hear, “Napolean dynamite, Napolean the short guy, or Neapolitan the ice cream”. Growing up on the east side of Greensboro, didn’t provide much of vision. The occupations in my neighborhood were typical: nurses, warehouse workers, teachers, and of course the local dope dealers. When people would ask what i wanted to be, id tell them an entrepreneur. My uncle Joe reminds me of that often, thanks unk! Although i was saying that as a teenager, i had no real desire of owning a business. Let alone having any idea of what business id want to run.

In high school, my mom would let me borrow her car. Anytime i’d have it for a weekend, id have to go wash it at the car wash. No automated car wash, im talking about the hand wash spot. Where you do majority of the work, yourself. Was it the finishing result of a shiny car, was it the hard labor in cleaning the car, or was it how the girls would react to me in a clean car. Im not sure what it was but im sure me and everyone there had something in common. Love for our vehicles. One of my mentors, Mr. Rick, owner of Heads Up Barbershop and Beauty salon, would say ” regardless of how much money people have, everybody wants to look good”.

I never really had a desire to go to college but once i heard of a junior college with dorms, away from my hometown, i knew i had to get out of town! I graduated college with my associates degree in business admin. I choose business because it was the easiest. I knew my family would be happy seeing me walk across the stage, again. Graduating, i never really expected to use the degree nor the classes. Fast forward to now, everything has prepped me for being the small business owner i am today.

As you previously read, I got my business idea from tik tok and experience. I saw how detailing businesses were profiting off of the their tools, knowledge, and resources. Sitting up late at night watching those videos thinking, i could do the same. I talked to my uncle Darrell about the idea. He told me to use his driveway to start, just clean up after myself. Yes, a location but no tools. I purchased a pressure washer and bought some product at Walmart. As i grew with the business, i eventually cut those guys out for product. Not shaming any brands but you can go get those products and do it yourself. However, clients hire us to do a job. So its only right that we use top tier product like majestic solutions!

One day, I watched a youtube video of a mobile detailer. The difference between these guys and everyone else was he was in his car. Reading the comments, i saw all the equipment to become a mobile detailer. I eventually worked enough weekends to get a generator, transfer pump, and a 16 gallon tank. No more washing cars in my uncle’s driveway. I was now a mobile detailer in my Nissan Altima. Yes, my car! When i would arrive to most clients, they would offer their water or power. Id pridefully decline. My only request, hand over the keys and ill get to work!

Eventually, id saved enough for a van. However, i didn’t want to put all my savings into a van. I asked a couple of mu friends to invest into a company van. A year and a half after starting, i now had majority of the things needed to officially become a mobile detailer.

When i started in my uncles driveway, i had little to no knowledge about detailing. Of course, i had years of experience washing my own car. However, detailing and car washing are two different things. In a small defintion, car washing is fast and simple. While detailing is more detailed with their work. Getting inside the nooks and crevices of the car. We started off with a basic package which included just a wash and vacuum. As i grew with the trade, i was able to save for a Bissell shampooer and a dual action polisher. My cliente started to change so i added more packages that were more on the expensive side. To my surprise, people would book. By the time i had gotten my van, we had 4 different packages, and a wide variety of tools. The services we offer now are: paint correction, shampooing, waxing, and ceramic coating.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

People think you need a-lot of money to start a business. Or that you need to have all the equipment. Wrong!! Depends on what type of business you’re thinking of starting, you dont need much. Of course, if you’re looking to start a logistics company, you’d probably need a lot. However, when it comes to certain trades, YOU DONT NEED ALOT OF MONEY TO START WITH!!

I watch a-lot of YouTube videos on detailing. One of my favorite detailers to watch is Hunters Mobile Detailing in LA. One of his videos explain all the things you need to start as a detailer. I grabbed a pen and paper, drew a line down the middle, with one side that said ” i can afford” and the other side with ” I cant afford”. The 3 main things that i needed were: a pressure washer, shop vacuum, and product like soap, sponges, buckets, tire shine, etc… After i paid rent. With my next check from Amazon, i went to Walmart and bought about $250 worth of equipment and product. I could’ve left most of the product i purchased because it wasn’t on my list. I was just elated about the start of something new.

Once i had all that i need to start. Next, it was time to inform my family, facebook, and my friend group. I didn’t get many responses right away. By the end of the week, i had 4 appointments booked. By the end of the weekend, Id detailed 8cars. Very time consuming but i had did it. I was proving to myself that i was more than a swimming fish. Im now a business owner!!

No, you dont need much money to start but as you grow with the business. Set monies aside for certain things. For any business, things break, things get old, and always try to stay up to date with the latest trends with your business. Spend wisely, save, and alway reinvest back into your business.

How’d you meet your business partner?

In business, you’ll meet a plethora of people that will say”ill help you do this”, ” i can show you that”, or “im going to help you get to the next level”. The golden rule my grandma would always say is “actions speak louder than words”.

I have had so many people tell me what they could do for my company. Almost every time, i get excited. That excitement would soon spoil to anger and heartbreak. Why? Because i dont want to treat this as job. I want to treat it as a career. Filing taxes, hiring employees, and sooner than later have someone run it while i sit back and manage.

Ive had two different business partners that i got rid of because they simply didn’t have the same drive as me.

My business partner now, is the best! Crazy part is, i dont know much about him! We met on FaceBook about a year ago, we talked up a contract for about a month, and now his company has helped us scale tremendously. From learning to run FaceBook ads, to making a website, and pushing me to match detailing pricing in my area. I thank him and his company often. It would’ve took me awhile longer without him.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Polificdetailing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polific.detailingllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?viewas=100000686899395&id=61557385190615
• Other: Google link: https://g.co/kgs/ZJ6Kb49

Image Credits

Picture with me in a tie is when i worked for the state, Happy:)