We recently connected with Kentrell Jackson and have shared our conversation below.

Kentrell , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

What does it take to be successful? To be successful, you have to first and foremost get a good perspective on life. Life can be complicated with many trials, tribulations, and unforeseen circumstances. One thing in life based on my experience is that you always can count on adversity to become either your weakness or your tool to build your faith.

I was raised to put God first and then family and success will follow. You have to be disciplined and govern yourself without being told what to do. For the longest I can remember I always had two to three jobs and at one point I juggled that along with college. While my peers were out worried about having a good time many didn’t see that one day there would come a time when you have to be responsible and be prepared for the time we are living in.

There is steady uncertainty with inflation, tariffs, wars, rumors of wars, dishonesty and the list goes on. The question is how can we rise above this and still thrive in a time when it seems impossible. My answer is first understanding that delayed gratification is not the means of denial. There are going to be times when you have to sacrifice and become self-sufficient to get ahead in the long run. Life is like a marathon or playing a chess game. Each move is critical to your success and for every action, there is a reaction. The things you plant five to ten years early can bring forth fruit in a season you least expect it. In other words always remember to be a saver, planner, executioner, and develop an unstoppable work ethic. When one door closes that means it’s another door opening somewhere else. Usually our problems become the means to great opportunity.

I started my business out of uncertainty. I grew up from a working-class family but by no means did I have a silver spoon. The schools I went to weren’t your ideal top-tier programs, I didn’t have a lot of resources or outlets growing up so I had to become creative. Life is about figuring things out. The true definition of education is learning life as you go. You never going to stop learning and you never can become complacent. I take calculated risks and bet on the odds God gave me. When I first started my business I did not know exactly what I was doing but as I got into it I figured it out through grind, grit, and determination. I will do sixty-plus hour weeks if necessary, not saying you have to do the same but if the ship is sinking, I’m not going down without a fight. I’m trying to patch the whole to keep from drowning.

You can’t give up and you have to understand that success is internal. Just because you become a millionaire or billionaire doesn’t make you successful. Success is the foundation of happiness and that is where it starts. I’ve had money and at times still didn’t feel successful because I had to go back to my roots and understand who I am first. The best thing to do is to reflect more than you deflect the truth of what makes you happy in life. I get a kick out of helping others like friends and family and watching my son grow up. I want to plant a legacy to be passed down to generations. So the goal in life for me is to become a blessing to bless others around me.

Thanks for reading and I hope you find something positive you can take from this interview! ~The Purpose of life is finding your purpose! Peace, Love, and Success ~ Kentrell Jackson

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into the Auto Industry back in 2006 about a year after graduating high school. My first professional job was as a Car salesman. An older guy from New York named Gene took a gamble on a kid off the street and gave me a shot at creating a career. During those years the economy was very unstable, and car sales were tough business because of what happened with 9/11 and other trade issues with things like gas and the housing bubble. Many people could not get approved for a simple car loan and the prices of gas were at an all-time high.

I met a guy named Ian who was an excellent car salesman and an even better person. He originally wanted to detail for the dealership but was talked into selling cars for a living. I didn’t understand what professional detailing was until I saw the guys in the back of the dealership with constant work and I was struggling as a car salesman. I noticed that the economy wasn’t affecting them as badly because they stayed busy. The guys in the back would be working side by side and I became fascinated with the results of how they can turn a salvage-looking car into a piece of art that looks showroom quality. I wore a suit and tie every day to work with my own cooperate office but still was trying to figure out how to put gas in my car lol. Long story a little shorter I stayed in the car-selling business for about another 2 years and then I tried other fields, but I ended up back in the car business around 2011 and I became a Distribution Warehouse Manager for Car Quest Auto Parts.

During my time at the Warehouse, I circled back around to the detailing world because I needed to make additional income, and I remembered the passion of those guys back when I was selling cars and thought to myself, I could make this my business. I started out in the local neighborhood, on the job, and word of mouth detailing as a weekend warrior. Later came contracts with dealerships and steady clientele from building a reputation from quality over quantity. The business didn’t come overnight it took years to develop a skill beyond amateur detailing. I later went off to receive training and gain certifications dedicated to detailing.

Once I started my detail shop that is when things all fell in place. Now I’m more into mid-tier to high-end detailing, I work on all kinds of projects from Cars, Boats, and Commercial Trucks, to RVs. I have staff that also help, and we do it all from Ceramic Coatings, Window Tint, PPF, Auto Detailing, Car Rentals, and Car Consulting. Our main objective at Supreme Finish is to give a one-of-a-kind experience and make it convenient providing you a one-stop shop for the Auto Car Care Industry. Cars are always going to be needed, and we will be here when you need to be served. We are located at 3125 Gresham Lake Rd Suite 103 Raleigh NC 27615. You can visit our website at www.supremefinish.com or call us at 919-794-7261!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I opened my Auto Detail Shop in April 2019 and about nine months later the Pandemic came in like a storm and caused massive chaos creating uncertainty with the shutdown. I just signed the lease for three years and I was already nervous about taking on the risk of starting a business with no investors or support just what I managed to save up. Business came to a halt for almost 6 months until I started to re-strategize my plans. My business fell under the essential category due to the fact I was sanitizing cars to help combat COVID-19. The following year 2021 business peaked in sales and things shifted back around. The customers began to walk back in the door of course following the CDC guidance rules and regulations, but it ended up working out. I think what helped us was the fact we targeted the customers who were looking for someone who could help with the uncertainty Covid concerns and create solutions to a rapid problem at the time. In business, I learned that you must adapt to the times and understand how to meet the needs of the people. When there is a problem try to become the solution to the situation. The finances and provisions will come to provide for your vision afterward.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There are a few books I’ve read that will help any Entrepreneur and they are Think and Grow Rich, The Power of Broke, Profit First, Rich Dad, and Poor Dad, and Gurellia Marketing.

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