Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Scott Shivelhood. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Scott thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

I wish I had started my business sooner for sure! I held a few jobs in my 20’s that just weren’t right for me. I decided in 2016 I wanted to work for myself, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted the field of work to be. The first business I started was landscaping. I worked at it for a while, but it became tough because the market was so saturated with landscapers. I then moved to pressure washing homes and businesses. In January of 2017, after struggling to find my place in pressure washing, I decided to start my vehicle detailing business. I loved working at a local detail shop out of high school and realized the market was huge and growing, so I went for it! From that moment forward, we have been steady with business. Had I started the business sooner, we could have grown sooner, added more employees sooner, had more shops, etc. While I wish looking back that I could have started the business sooner, I think it was God’s timing that brought me to where I am today. I may not have been able to succeed in the same way had I not had life experiences, work experiences, a partner in life to support me, or found my passion yet.

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

My name is Bryant Shivelhood. I am 34 years old. I am married to my wife Randi, and we have two dogs. We live in Statesboro, GA. Elite Mobile Detailing’s shop is also in Statesboro, GA. My field is detailing in the automotive, marine, and aircraft industries. I got into the detailing field during my past experiences at a detail shop and by seeing a need in our local community. We provide Ceramic Coating services, Marine and Paint Protection Films, Restoration services, Detailing services, and Training Services to the Statesboro area and much of the southeast. We are mobile, and we travel to Savannah, Tybee, Richmond Hill, Augusta, Charleston, HHI, etc. We also sell detailing products through our sister company Surface Works, both online and in person at our shop. Our mobile capability is popular among our customers, as it gives our customers the flexibility to be onsite as well as prevent them from having to transport their items before or after we perform the requested work. Our customer service is one of our greatest assets. We pride ourselves on being as customer oriented as possible. We love to build personal relationships, not just work relationships. We want our customers to be able to call us when they have a question, a problem, or just want to chat. I think we are most proud of keeping repeat customers. Very important to us is that our customers feel comfortable using our services time after time. Repeat customers lets us know we are giving them the highest level of quality, and we want to maintain that trust.

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

Absolutely! I fondly recall the very first time we had to pivot in business. It was our second year in business, Winter 2018. We had just taken a leap of faith to rent a shop, and work slowed, almost to a screeching halt. We had no idea why, as just months before, we were booked two to three months out. We realized that boats were mostly put away in storage for the season, vehicles weren’t really being traveled, and aircraft wasn’t moving as much. We had to think quickly, and I decided to go to Gelcoat/Fiberglass Repair school to add another skill to our shop. Winter is the perfect time for gelcoat and fiberglass repairs because most vessels are not in use during this time. Boat owners look to get repairs scheduled in this off-season. Gelcoat repairs kept us busy through that slow winter. We have had to add new skills to compete and update our shop with the latest products and trends. I am glad we ran into that issue early on to ensure our employees have scheduled work year-round. This year’s pivot was adding workshops to new and established detailing sites to enhance their scope of work, as our philosophy is to support the industry to ensure quality service to our customers.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Believe it or not, I started with one polisher, a bucket, a mitt, a bottle of soap, a bottle of compound, and a bottle of wax. That’s it. Luckily, I had just enough in savings at the time to get the $250 worth of products I needed. I had a full-time job when I started, so I was only able to do my detailing on the side. As I made money during the side jobs, I used that to buy upgrades and additional equipment. As my side jobs began to flood in, I decided to move to detailing full-time. I never looked back, and I am happy to say that I started a business that never put me in a single dime of debt. I am so grateful for that!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://elitemobiledetailingpros.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitemobiledetailingpros/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Elitemdllc
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elitemobiledetailingpros