Story & Lesson Highlights with Janellie Maldonado of Raleigh, North Carolina

We recently had the chance to connect with Janellie Maldonado and have shared our conversation below.

Janellie , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I’m at a point right now where I know I’m being called to do something bigger than just run a detailing business.

I started Smart Clean Auto in Dallas with a simple idea, to help people feel better by keeping their cars clean and healthy. It started with me doing mobile details, one car at a time, showing up with pride and giving people more than just a service, I gave them peace of mind.

But as the business grew, so did the vision. I’m now rebranding to SnapDetail because I believe this can be a national brand that connects luxury, wellness, and real opportunity.

You see, I don’t just want to build a successful company. I want to make a bridge especially for legal immigrants who come to this country looking for a better life. Too often, they’re overlooked or undervalued. But the truth is, our Latino community, our immigrant community we are some of the hardest-working people out there. We don’t want handouts. We just want a chance to work hard and succeed with dignity.

That’s what drives me every day. I want SnapDetail to be more than a service, I want it to be a place that creates jobs, builds people up, and gives others the same opportunity I had to start something meaningful.

For a while, I was scared of dreaming this big. Scared of failing. But now I see this isn’t just about business, it’s about purpose. It’s about using what I’ve built to open doors for others. And that’s a calling I can’t ignore anymore.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Janellie, and I’m the founder and owner of Smart Clean Auto LLC, based out of Dallas, Texas and serving Raleigh, North Carolina. We’re currently rebranding as SnapDetail, a brand focused on luxury auto reconditioning and the wellness benefits of driving a clean, healthy car.

Like a lot of people, I’ve seen my share of good times and hard times. There was a point when I knew I had to change my life. I didn’t want to keep going down the same roads I’d seen too many people get stuck on. I wanted something better, something I could be proud of. Cars have always been my thing. Not just because they look good, but because they’ve always felt like freedom and possibility to me.

When I started Smart Clean Auto, it was just me, my truck, and a vision: to help people feel good by keeping their cars clean and healthy. Over time, that vision got bigger. I realized I didn’t just want to clean cars, I wanted to build a national brand that connects car care to wellness, and that creates opportunities for people who, like me, are working hard to build a better life.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I grew up in Dallas, Texas, and it’s the kind of place where it’s easy to get pulled into the wrong things. Especially when you come from a Mexican household where opportunities sometimes feel limited. I ended up around the wrong crowds, hustling in places like game rooms and making choices I’m not proud of.

But deep down, I always knew I wanted something more. I wanted to make my family proud and build something real for myself. There came a point when I decided I couldn’t keep going down that same road.

That’s when I decided to change my life. I started Smart Clean Auto with nothing but a truck and a vision to help people feel better by keeping their cars clean and healthy. Now, I’m working on growing SnapDetail into a national brand that’s all about wellness and creating real opportunities for people like me, people who didn’t always have the best options in front of them but still believe there’s something better out there.

Who I was before? I was a young woman trying to figure out my path. Who I am now is someone committed to showing others that no matter where you start, there’s always a different road you can choose.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me things success never could. It taught me humility, gratitude, and how strong I really am.

When you’ve been at the bottom, you don’t take anything for granted. You learn to work hard, to value people, and to appreciate even small wins.

Success feels good but suffering is what gave me the drive to build a better life, and the empathy to help others do the same.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Honestly, the public version of me is real but it’s not all of me.

What people see is someone driven, someone positive, focused on business, family and chasing big goals. And that’s true. But there’s also the part of me that still battles self-doubt, who remembers where I came from and the mistakes I’ve made.

I try to show up as myself as much as I can, because I believe people connect with real stories, not just perfect images. But there are definitely things I keep private the pain, the fear, the personal stuff that’s shaped me.

So yes, the public me is real. But like anyone else, there’s a lot more beneath the surface.

I hope the story people tell about me when I’m gone is that I was someone who turned my life around and built something meaningful.

That I came from humble beginnings, made mistakes, but refused to stay stuck. That I worked hard, built a business with purpose, and helped others believe they could do the same.

I hope they say I made my family proud, that I cared about people’s well-being not just their cars, and that I created opportunities for others to build better lives.

Most of all, I hope they remember me as someone who proved that no matter where you start, you can write a different ending.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.snapdetail.com
• Instagram: snapdetail.co