[ HAWAII AT WORK ]
Darin Robertson owns Da Kine Detail, which does waterless car washes and auto detailing. Here, he is reflected as he polishes a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Detailer works
all over isles I started my mobile detailing business in March 2002 and originally named it after the cleaning products I use from Dri Wash and Guard International, a multilevel marketing company in Las Vegas. I changed the name to Da Kine Detail this year. But I still use and really like the Dri Wash and Guard products, because in my experience they work the best out of any products I have encountered, and I learned this the hard way. In 1998, I bought and used some Armor All products to clean and detail my car and ended up doing major damage to the finish. I had to pay a detailer $300 to restore the car. After that, my neighbor introduced me to products he sold, the Dri Wash and Guard.
After using the waterless products for about three years, I decided to start my own mobile detailing business using them. I will retire from the Marine Corps soon, and I wanted to start a business to generate retirement money and to have a career after the military. Plus, I liked the waterless aspect and felt other people would appreciate it, too, since we live on an island where fresh water is scarce. I'm constantly asked, "Doesn't it scratch your paint?" I always answer that if it did, I wouldn't still be in business after two years.
Darin Robertson
Title: OwnerCompany: Da Kine Detail
Web site: www.dakinedetail.com
Source of pride: Respecting Hawaii's environment by using a waterless cleaning product
When I first started, I was standing in Kailua Beach Park's parking lot, asking people if they would like a $20 waterless car wash. It was difficult work and very frustrating. You can only take so many noes in one day. After a few weeks, I put a door sign on my own vehicle and used home software to create pamphlets and advertising materials to help make my business look more professional. I then started doing home details by appointment.
Some of the approaches I have taken in this business are working golf courses, parking lots, parking structures and business buildings for sales opportunities. Individual mobile detail services are still a large part of my business. I employ two detailers who work with me in servicing the entire island of Oahu. On a typical day, we will each visit several customers and detail their cars, which will take about 20 or 30 minutes for a basic exterior detailing, or up to two hours for a complete detail job.
In the future, I hope to be able to expand this business by hiring employees in specific areas of the island so they can do details within their area, and continue to acquire parking structure contracts to make car care convenient for people who work and would rather do other things during the weekend than wash their cars. We don't need your keys, we won't drive your car and we don't really need to see you (other than for payment).
