Episode 7 : 17-Year-Old CEO Builds a Successful Car Detailing Business | Teen Entrepreneur Success Story

Cash Kid: [00:00:00] Hey everyone, welcome back to the Cash Kid Podcast. Today, we're highlighting the ultimate teen entrepreneur, a 17 year old who's running his own car detailing business and making serious money while still in high school. Not only is he handling multiple clients, but he's also managing a team of employees, proving that age is no barrier when it comes to entrepreneurship.

Cash Kid: With big aspirations to plan to go to a business school. This senior is already on the fast track to success. We're excited to dive into his story, how he grew his business, and what the future holds for him. This is an episode you won't want to miss. So let's meet today's Cash Kid. If you aren't already, be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube at Cash Kid Podcast.

Cash Kid: Or sign up for our mailing list at cashkidpodcast. com. Stay tuned. The Cash Kid Podcast is underway.

Cash Kid: Eli Slaton, welcome to the show. And first off, tell us a little bit about yourself. 

 

Eli Slaton: Thank you for having me. My name's Eli Slaton. Um, I'm 17 years old and [00:01:00] I'm a mobile car detailer in Birmingham, Alabama. I love working on cars. And so that's what I do for people. I help clean up their cars and get them how they like them.

Cash Kid: How did you come up with the idea to start a car detailing business? Like, how did you get it off the ground? 

 

Eli Slaton:I've always loved cars. There's something about bringing a car back to life that's just satisfying. I noticed that many people didn't just want their cars washed, they wanted them detailed, really taken care of, inside and out.

That's when I thought, Hey, I can do this as a business. I started small, just detailing cars for friends and family and in my community. I used what I had at first, basic supplies and a lot of hard work. But as I made money, I reinvested it into better tools and equipment, which helped me deliver even better results.

Word started to spread and more people wanted my services. That's when I realized this could be something a little bigger than I [00:02:00] thought. I officially started my business, and then from there, it's just been consistent improvement and growth. Yeah, that's really interesting about how you took something that you weren't sure about, and then you ended up turning it into like a full grown business.

Cash Kid: So, you've grown your business now from the point to where you're managing employees. What's it like being a teen and running a team? How do you keep everything so organized? 

 

Eli Slaton: Yeah, managing employees as a teenager is definitely an interesting experience. Uh, right now I have about 10 part time employees, and each one plays an important role in making sure our clients are happy.

At first it was overwhelming, and I think about how to organize everything. Scheduling appointments, assigning tasks, and keeping track of details. It was kind of overwhelming. But, I quickly realized the importance of systems and communicating. I use scheduling apps and tools to stay organized, and I hold regular meetings with my team to make sure that we're on the [00:03:00] same page.

I also try and lead by example. If I, if I want my team to go above and beyond for our clients, I need to show them what it looks like. It's not always easy, but it's rewarding to see my team come together and deliver high quality detailing services. 

Cash Kid: Yeah, I mean, you really have to keep them in line, but then you also have to manage them and get your entire business going.

Eli Slaton: So, being a senior in high school while running a successful business might keep you busy. How do you balance school, work, and your personal life? Balancing school, business, and personal life has been one of the biggest challenges for me. Being a senior in high school means I have to focus on my classes, but running a successful business with over 300 clients now and a team of employees means I have a lot of responsibilities outside of school.

What helps me most is staying organized. I use a business planner to map out my day and make sure I'm [00:04:00] prioritizing my important tasks. For example, I might use a couple hours in the morning to work on schoolwork, and then focus on detailing in the afternoon, and still make some time to relax and hang out with friends and family.

Eli Slaton: It's really a balancing act, but when you care about what you're doing, you'll find a way to make it work. 

Cash Kid: That's really important because if you can't balance school and do your business, you might be doing too much because school is still very important. So what challenges have you faced as a young entrepreneur, especially when it comes to managing both clients and employees?

How did you overcome those challenges? 

Eli Slaton: Yeah, starting a business as a teenager definitely comes with some challenges. Uh, for me, one of my hardest parts was gaining credibility as a young entrepreneur. Some, some clients and even potential employees doubted me at first because of my age. I had to prove myself, try to prove myself by delivering [00:05:00] consistent and high quality services while also being professional as best I can.

Another challenge was learning to manage a team of employees. At first, I tried to do everything myself, like answering calls, detailing cars, and scheduling appointments. But I quickly realized I needed to delegate trust to other people. To overcome this, I invested time in training my employees so they could meet high standards I set for my business.

Every challenge taught me something valuable and helped me to become a better entrepreneur. 

Cash Kid: Yeah, I feel like if you never had challenges in your business, really you weren't able to like, learn or have the skills to like, overcome something. So being able to have a challenge is always like, don't think of it as a bad thing, but think of it as a way that you can overcome and build better skills.

Cash Kid: So, you're making big money with your business. What's your approach to pricing and how did you scale up to where you are today? [00:06:00] 

Eli Slaton: Yeah, when I started, I kept my prices competitive to try and attract as many customers as I could over time. As I gained more experience and my reputation began to grow, I was able to adjust my pricing to reflect the premium services that I try to offer.

Um, a big part of scaling my business has been offering different detail and packages that allow clients to choose the level of service that fits their needs. Whether it's just a basic detail or something more advanced like ceramic coating and paint protection, paint correction as well, upselling services and like headlight restorations or pet hair removals, they also help increase revenue.

Today, all of the clients I've loved doing their cars, and I've tried to build a business that's not just about making money, but about delivering value and creating [00:07:00] happy, loyal customers. 

Cash Kid: So, what are some leadership skills you've learned about managing employees, and how do you motivate yourself with a team to deliver a great service?

Eli Slaton: Yeah, running a business has taught me a lot about leadership. One thing I've done, or one thing I've learned, is to be a good leader. It isn't about telling people what to do. It's about trying to work alongside them. And showing that you care about their success. For example, I make sure to take the time to train my employees and check in with them regularly because I want them to feel confident and supportive.

Because that really translates into their, their service and work ethic toward by clients. Motivation is also a key part. And I like to set goals for the team and try and celebrate when we do hit those goals. Um, so like something as simple as getting a five star review, um, on Google, [00:08:00] we're trying to just "Hey team, we've done a great job on this one.

Let's, let's go out to eat," you know, something like that. Yeah, it's leadership's definitely something I'm still learning. Um, trying to get better at. 

Cash Kid: Yeah. I mean, when you set a challenge, you probably want to have like a reward for it. Cause otherwise it's not as motivating. So being able to try to get a five star review and then go out to like dinner or something.

It sounds like a great idea or a way to motivate your employees. So you've gained a lot of real world business experience. How do you think these skills will help you when you go to business school? And what are your long term goals? 

Eli Slaton: Well, this running this business has really been the best real world education that I could ask for.

I've learned how to talk to customers, market my services. Manage money and even negotiate and navigate through challenges that with hiring and training employees. [00:09:00] These are skills that you don't get in the classroom always. Uh, so I know they'll help me when I go to business school, my longterm goal is to keep growing as an entrepreneur in marketing.

And I want to expand my detailing business and possibly, possibly even explore other industries. Um, I'm passionate about creating opportunities, whether it's for myself, my team, or my future clients. 

Cash Kid: Yeah, so what's next for your car detailing business? Do you see yourself expanding or are there other entrepreneurial ventures you want to pursue in the future?

Eli Slaton: Yeah, my I'm excited about the future of my detailing business. One of my goals is to expand our services and maybe even open up a dedicated detailing shop while still keeping our mobile detailing option available. I've also thought about franchising the business so other young entrepreneurs could follow a similar, a similar path, almost a [00:10:00] turnkey business for them to just start creating revenue at a young age.

I've always loved to look for ways to grow the business. So, what do you do with the money you're earning? Are you saving, investing, or reinvesting it back into the business? Like, what are your financial goals? Yeah, right now, most of my money I earn goes back into the business. I try and reinvest 70 percent of it as much as I can, whether it's upgrading the equipment or buying high quality product, uh, be it marketing takes up a lot of budget. Reinvesting is really what keeps the business growing and moving at the same pace.

At the same time, I'm putting money aside in savings and learning about investing. My goal is to build a strong financial foundation now so I can continue to expand my business and explore new ventures in the future. I want to make sure that hard work [00:11:00] is going to pay off in the long run. 

Cash Kid: Yeah, definitely having a financial goal is a way to keep your business on track, as well as making sure that you're financially set up for life.

What advice could you give other teams who are thinking about starting their own business? Especially ones that involve managing employees and scaling up. 

Eli Slaton: My advice is really simple. Start now. Don't wait until you feel completely ready because the real truth is you'll never know everything about business, especially at the beginning.

I'm still learning stuff and it is completely okay to learn as you go. Focus on something you're passionate about and take it one step at a time. I try and surround myself with people who are like minded and who support you. Don't ask or don't be afraid to ask for help and advice from people for sure.

Most [00:12:00] importantly, I'd say be patient and stay consistent. Building a business takes a lot of time and if you stick with it though, it is well worth it in the end. I can totally agree with everything you just said there. 

Cash Kid: Is there anything that we haven't asked you that you would like to share with our audience?

Eli Slaton: Just stick to it, uh, keep it, keep trying, learning. Uh, YouTube, it teaches you a lot. Um, I, I actually learned how to do most of my detailing stuff on YouTube in the beginning. So if there's something of particular interest to you, learn how to do that skill. Or that service really, really well. And then get to the point where you can sell it to your friends, sell it to your family and take it to the next level. If it's something you enjoy. 

Cash Kid:Eli, we appreciate your time and your expertise. Thank you for joining us on the Cash Kid Podcast and boosting the financial knowledge of fellow Cash Kids everywhere. Remember anyone can be Cash Kid. You [00:13:00] just have to learn how to become one. Cash Kid, out.