Exploring Life & Business with Mitch Webb and Saylor Penny of Midtown Detailing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mitch Webb and Saylor Penny.

Hi Mitch Webb and Saylor Penny, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Being in an entrepreneurship class, we brainstormed about starting a business. We both were passionate about cleaning our trucks, so we looked at each other and said, “Why not detailing?” From that conversation on, we worked our butts off to grow a successful mobile detailing business. Starting a detailing business can be a rewarding and profitable business. Before starting any business, researching and planning are priorities. We presented our business to potential clients in the Raleigh area and took off. We have detailed over 100 types of cars, trucks, RV’s, and off-road vehicles within the year. Yes, mobile detailing is a highly saturated industry, but we stood out. Through our social media, we create videos that will intrigue our audience and attract more clients. We get over 2k views per video and have a lot of interaction on our Instagram. A year later, we often reflect on the opportunities running a business has given us. We are beyond grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and keep all the cars on the road looking brand new!

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This quote by J.R. Rim highlights the most important thing about running a business, “Running a business is like driving. Adjust the steering wheel because no road is straight until you hit the highway. Drift, make sharp turns, and do whatever you can to keep moving and achieve your dream.” Yes, we have had rough patches just like any other business, but the businesses that learn how to get through these patches and make adjustments are the ones that succeed. Something that halted us as a business was when my co-owner, Saylor Penny, was diagnosed with Hodkins Lymphoma. He is the backbone of this business and our paint specialist. As a business partner and best friend, I found this challenging. To watch someone you love and have done countless details with say, “I have cancer, I can’t detail this summer” strikes you. Sitting there and watching as Saylor told me this was very difficult. I know how much he has done for this business and how many hours he has put in to stop just like that. But even a cancer diagnosis did not stop him. One day, I was talking to Saylor about how we would get through this, and he just looked at me like nothing ever happened. He said, “I’m beating cancer’s ass!” That summer, between chemo treatments, Saylor was in the heat detailing car after car. His perseverance and determination never cease to amaze me.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are Midtown Detailing, specializing in interior and exterior automotive detailing. Some of our services include interior detail and exterior detail. Our interior detail includes vacuuming carpets and seats, cleaning and protecting plastics, and cleaning glass. Our exterior details include full car foam down, non-contact wash followed by contact wash, wheels and tires cleaned, and engine bay cleaned and protected. We also offer extra services like seat and carpet extraction, paint correction, and our 3-year ceramic coating. We are mobile, which means we come to you. You could be lying on the couch, and we will come to you and get your car looking brand new. We blow our competition out of the water with attention to detail; it is called a detail, not a car wash. Our signature finish is our carpet stripping. What is carpet stripping? You might find out when you book a detail with us. Readers can use this link to book a detail, https://forms.gle/kVKj5GmTyeAJkv7q9

Can you talk to us about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes us happy is seeing our community grow. Owning a business is hard work, but seeing how your work impacts others is also very rewarding. A car detail is not just getting your car near perfect but changing the community. We also love inspiring young entrepreneurs trying to create their businesses. We work with young teens interested in business ownership and help them reach their goals by assisting them to brainstorm and develop plans.

Pricing:

• Full Interior and Exterior Detail: SUV $240, Sedan $190, Truck $220
• Paint correction starting at $300 (prices vary)
• Paint decontamination and clay bar $95
• Paint correction and 3 year ceramic coat $480

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midtowndetailing919/