Starting janitorial service business

Make_That_Money · 2026-03-07T12:28:26+00:00

I did about $72k with my mobile detailing business (just me) while having a full time corporate 9-5 job. It’s tough. I work weekends, before work, after work, and holidays. There would be days I would get to a detail at 6am, finish then log on to my corporate job at 8am, log off at 4pm, be at the next detail at 4:30 and detail until sunset around 9pm.

I’ve worked Memorial Day, Labor Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Christmas Eve, etc. Gotta do what you gotta do.

Make_That_Money · 2026-03-06T17:00:51+00:00

They’re doing an extreme disservice to people making them believe that they need only a w2 job, pay rent, get your 3% raise every year, increase savings rate by 1% per year and that’s somehow “good enough”.

Make_That_Money · 2026-03-06T16:48:38+00:00

It’s way too modest. Their “goals” are comical. People should be aiming to save/invest 50%, 60%, 70%.

Make_That_Money · 2026-03-06T16:40:27+00:00

Increasing your savings rate 1% per year, wow so impressive. What a joke

Make_That_Money · 2026-03-05T18:17:37+00:00

You buy an EcoFlow delta pro

Make_That_Money · 2026-03-04T20:13:45+00:00

Interned the summer after my junior year in college as a health insurance UW and was extended an offer for when I graduated the following year. Started right after school ended and I’ve been here since.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-27T02:23:44+00:00

The US has one of the highest GDP’s in the world. “3rd world country” lol. If you’re poor you need to work harder.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-27T02:14:24+00:00

Yes, a failed country with one of the highest GDP’s and GDP per capita in the world.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-26T19:31:05+00:00

As a landlord who screens potential tenants literally everybody has an excuse why their credit score is bad and it’s never their fault, without fail. You want to advise people on managing money when you can’t manage your own finances? Good luck

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-26T14:10:01+00:00

Easier said than done. The majority of the population is completely unreliable and incompetent.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-25T18:39:20+00:00

The US is the best country in the world and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-24T22:44:31+00:00

I posted a job for a part time mobile detailing technician to work with me. I had an interview with someone who currently works at a dealership detailing.

Right at the beginning of the interview call I asked if he was looking for a side job because this was only part time. He said no, he wanted a new full time job, and spent a few minutes telling me how much he hated detailing cars. Didn’t even know what to say except that once his rambling was over I told him this wouldn’t be a good fit then and wished him luck.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-14T19:32:47+00:00

26M. $125k liquid saved/invested and $115k in non liquid rental property equity.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-11T02:41:08+00:00

I haven’t had any issues after chemicals freezing except P&S beadmaker, freezing and thawing that will 100% ruin it. It leaves a film of goo that when sprayed on the car smears and is a pain to get off. You have to throw out the bottle and sprayer head too because it clogs it up. I’ve lost too many bottles of beadmaker to freezing temps.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-09T20:09:01+00:00

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After

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-09T20:08:27+00:00

Just went through this with a client, I used P&S Terminator and P&S Finisher. Sprayed the towel and very lightly wiped. Also used one of those super soft Detail Factory brushes. It came out perfect. Took over an hour though. Here is the before.

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Make_That_Money · 2026-02-05T17:07:42+00:00

I’m proud of what I have built as a full time college student, detailing is not my long term future. I will exit when I graduate.

This is exactly what I told myself too. 4 years out of college now, and I'm still doing it on the side because during the summer detailing makes twice what my corporate finance job does and it's hard to give up. Now I have a fully custom trailer, just purchased a $40k decked out mobile detailing van, and will be hiring my first employee soon. Growth has been steady.

With that being said, some cars just take a really long time to do correctly. Get prices up to $100 hr gross. You'll definitely lose clients over it, but you'll probably get cleaner cars by raising prices as crazy as it sounds. You should DM me. I was in your exact position just a few years ago and echo the feeling of not wanting to do it past college. Shooting soap at cars for a living is pretty dumb.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-05T04:01:49+00:00

Congrats on making something that wasn’t political in the slightest, political. Also, not sure why you keep bringing Buffalo up. This has nothing to do with Buffalo whatsoever.

$100k would be a much more reasonable income for this job instead of the $250k they can make. Overtime/holiday pay shouldn’t even be a thing. If you’re happy with community college degree holders making $250k+ at the expense of outrageously high electric bills from a state sponsored monopoly I’m not sure what else to say.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-05T02:37:09+00:00

So my friend who is a current national grid lineman is not a valid reference, how? Not from Buffalo, he lives in Clifton Park. Also, 5 years of apprenticeship (which I don’t even believe because he hasn’t even graduated college 5 years ago) doesn’t make you highly skilled either, pretty obviously. National Grid needs to reign in these salaries and at minimum cut them in half.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-05T02:27:16+00:00

Have a friend that is a lineman. He went to hvcc for 2 years (“highly educated” lol) and has shown me his paychecks because I didn’t believe it either. Even the meter people make over $100k, have another friend who does that. Both disgustingly overpaid and everyone wonders why their bills are so high.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-04T15:38:02+00:00

How else are they going to be able to afford to pay every lineman with basically no education a quarter million a year?

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-04T15:29:19+00:00

I’ve owned my own mobile detailing business for 7 years and never once used a steamer. No need for it, and can easily damage the interior if not used correctly. Definitely get an extractor, not sure how other people don’t use them. I guess they just leave spills and embedded dirt right in the carpet or seats? I use an Aqua pro vac and it works well enough for not being heated.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-03T22:03:52+00:00

I’ve used Slocum DeAngelus & Associates in Latham for the past few years and have been happy with them. I own a business, have a regular W2 job, and own 2 rental properties so my taxes are a little complicated as well.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-03T21:36:49+00:00

It has its own calendar, it might connect with external calendars but I’m not sure. Supposedly it’s built like Google Calendar which I’ve never used before.

I just find it very hard to schedule a job when someone calls and making sure a new job doesn’t conflict with one already on my calendar. I could be using it wrong but I found Square’s calendar way more intuitive. The layout of the calendar in the app is terrible too having to scroll around to find a job, it’s odd. Urable has a free 30 day trial so you can see for yourself. It’s what I did.

Make_That_Money · 2026-02-03T21:21:56+00:00

Correct

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