Desi Steele: The Art of Car Detailing

 Desi Steele, the dynamic force behind Desmorize Detailing. Desi transports us from her early days behind a convenience store counter to the start of her own Delaware-based car detailing operation. Her narrative spins a tapestry of determination and entrepreneurial spirit, all while navigating the challenges of a male-dominated industry. With a proneness for precision, she melds the worlds of auto detailing and art, drawing parallels that resonate with anyone who's ever pursued a craft with passion.

Our conversation steers into the deeply personal realm of cars as carriers of memory, echoing the universal truth that they're more than just machines; they're vessels of our heritage, lessons learned, and adventures yet to come. We talk my parents' cars and their lasting impact, a sentiment Desi knows well as she, too, fosters cherished bonds with the vehicles she revitalizes. Sharing in the excitement of an upcoming restoration project, we underscore the anticipation of peeling back the layers of time to reveal an automobile's former glory. Join us for a journey through the artistry of detailing and the heartwarming reflections that make every car's story worth telling.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:11

Welcome to the women entrepreneur spotlight. Today. I have with me Desi Steele, owner of Desmarize Detailing in Dover, delaware. Desi, welcome, how are you Good, good, I like to ask two questions to get us warmed up. And if you could have any superpower, which one would you have?

Speaker 2: 0:31

Probably like time. Yeah, like like to go back in time, like just to revisit a moment, not change anything, but just like revisit a moment and just be able to like experience. That again I like that.

Speaker 1: 0:50

Now you're the first one to have time as a superpower. I like that a lot. All right, so what's your favorite app on your phone, and why? Photos, yeah yeah, we all have our photos, absolutely, oh my gosh. And once upon a time, photos didn't get uploaded to the cloud or anywhere else, and I have lost a lot of pictures on some of my phones, so it's so great that we're able to upload those pictures.

Speaker 2: 1:16

Yeah, it's just they mean a lot until, like, you lose somebody and then it means even more.

Speaker 1: 1:23

Absolutely that's right. It's our, it's our life's journal in pictures. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 1:29

So I lost several people within the past moments and memories and I always try to like enjoy the moment, because we all don't know when our last is.

Speaker 1: 1:45

Absolutely, that is for sure. I'm being able to look back at the pictures is looking back in time, right? So tell us, how did you get started in the car detailing industry?

Speaker 2: 1:57

Well, it all started that I needed a job and I did have a small job, nothing too serious, it was just like a little convenience store job and I wasn't getting the money that I needed and I was like I could do better. I ended up looking around. I had people help me. They help people find jobs, oh okay. Or to start a business or go to school. They asked me what I want to do, what I was interested in. I said I want to get in the cart.

Speaker 2: 2:32

So it was either being a mechanic or detailing. And then another one was art. Oh wow, I do drawing and stuff. But I was trying to get into the art field, business wise, but you got to be in the city to do that. That's where you're going to make it. But if you don't want to move and you're trying to do it in an area like this, it's like two times harder. It's a lot more work. That it is my style is not crazy, but like I like pop culture and stuff, oh cool. So not a lot of people like that. They like there's a niche though you got, you got to find your specific people, yeah.

Speaker 2: 3:20

And I just wasn't finding it. So that's when I went into the car business we're looking around and I applied for a dealership and I was there for three years and I got to the point where I was starting to get bored. Got to that point again. I could do better.

Speaker 1: 3:38

That's a great mantra. Though Got it, I can do better, I like it. So then, from there you went into the detailing.

Speaker 2: 3:46

Like when I decided to go on my own, I kept pushing on with the detailing.

Speaker 1: 3:51

And so what was the turning point for you that you decided that you wanted to start your own business?

Speaker 2: 3:58

I knew I could make more money. The dealership I was at I saw that the big boss do whatever he want when he wanted and I was like I want that. I want to do what I want when I want. I don't want to have to ask anybody. Can I take the day off? I was like I'm taking a risk Because if I don't do it I'm never going to know.

Speaker 1: 4:23

So you pick the detailing industry, which is usually looked at as a male dominated industry. So when you were starting out doing the detailing, did you run into opposition? Did you run into people telling you, because you were a woman, you wouldn't be able to get very far with it with the detailing?

Speaker 2: 4:43

Not really. Actually, when I actually started working, wherever I worked at there was actually there was like half and half. It was like girls and guys, OK. So I didn't feel like I had to prove anything. I don't know how to be fake, I'm just like myself. I'm like either like me or you don't.

Speaker 1: 5:07

And that is the best way to be authentic to yourself. Yeah, you know, so when you were first putting your business together, did you have a mentor? Did you have people that you know helped you create your business plan? If you had one, put the business together.

Speaker 2: 5:27

The manager that I worked with. He had a lot of experience. He kind of had his own business plus was still working, and he taught me some things. You know what to look for. Every day I learned. I still learn after I left there. You know, he ended up starting another business and now he's got his own detailing business. Oh cool, I don't really. He's got it going, so I don't like try to bother him that much. So before I even went to working my job, for three years, my boyfriend he does auto body and paint. So we, by watching him before I even decided to go in the car industry, I would watch him, you know, do body work and stuff like that. So once I got on my own then he kind of like became my mentor.

Speaker 1: 6:21

So that's great, that's great. And just going back to your manager, that was even for your manager to step up and help you. Not everybody's willing to share their knowledge of whatever business they're in, in case there might be competition. And it's so nice to hear that your manager, you know, wanted to help you and did help you and gave you some foundation to build your own business. And then, having your boyfriend as well as your mentor because I feel and I say this to other women have said it also having a mentor, having somebody that you can reach out to and say, hey, this isn't working. Have you tried this? Let me know what works for you is very important.

Speaker 2: 7:02

Or like am I doing this right? That's that's what I really want to know, because I'm not going to do something like. I'm the type of person where, like, I'll keep asking you and be like is this right, am I doing this right? Can you show me a way for me to understand better? And then, when I get to that point where I Don't bug you anymore, I'm good?

Speaker 1: 7:26

But that's how to do it. I mean, when you have what you have going for yourself asking the questions and making sure Some people are, some people are afraid to ask the question, because sometimes people don't want to show you that they're vulnerable, venerable or that they don't know something. So it's it's about asking questions and finding that information, and you continue to do that. So kudos to you, thank you. Yeah, absolutely so. Are you a detailed person outside of work as well? Oh, my god.

Speaker 2: 8:00

Yes, like it's like my everyday life, like the way I think and plus, being an artist, I'm such a perfectionist it drives me nuts, like if you show me a picture of I do portraits too. So, like my, one of my old pictures, my of the pop culture, my favorite ones, the 60s, I love the 1960s, I don't know why good years, and I Did a collage of, like Twiggy, jimmy Hendrix, oh wow, the boxer Hippies in a band, jfk, martin Luther King all in one picture.

Speaker 2: 8:43

Wow and I Looked up a picture I liked and I painted it and made sure it looked just like that person, and then I kind of incorporate all together like in a puzzle, and if I see one thing that is not Right I will make sure it looks just like it. So like there's that, yeah the way I think. I don't really care how I look.

Speaker 1: 9:09

I like what I like, but there's that detail part of you, no matter what yeah, and I like things a certain way things in its place.

Speaker 2: 9:16

I don't like things where they just randomly sit around like it has to be put back.

Speaker 1: 9:23

And you are meticulous with your before and after pictures that I have seen on Facebook are incredible. And you, you are detailed, absolutely 100%. I mean my gosh.

Speaker 2: 9:35

There isn't a piece of lint left by the time you're done like if I look at a photograph I can see like every different shape, shades, different shades of color. Sometimes it's annoying Like I just see the depth of things and I'm like right, because people there are.

Speaker 1: 9:52

Then that's a difference too. People either see the surface or they see what is behind everything. And for you, who have that, you have that creative mind, you have that detail mind. You know nothing's black and black or white, it's just everything. That's all the detail behind all the hues, all the depth, textures, like everything, which is why, when you detail a car from top to bottom, inside and out, they look like they've just come off the showroom.

Speaker 1: 10:23

Yeah, absolutely have you had a detailing job, though that has made you absolutely crazy, but you wish you didn't take it on oh, I like a challenge like I.

Speaker 2: 10:35

I noticed I've been on my own for a year and a half, been detailing for I guess four years now, four and a half all together. There's times where I'm like in the middle of something and I'm tired. I work late like I don't take a break. There's times I don't even eat because I know if I take a break I'm losing a half hour or something. And I usually tell people you know you could drop it off the night before or in the morning and have it done by the end of the day, because that's what they expect. So when I'm in like situation and I'm like I'm tired, like why is this happening? Just like something little, and I'm like I'm not gonna stop, I'm gonna figure it out, it happens I've actually had a car one time where it took me two days. Wow, it was so bad, I don't know. They just like let it go and I'm not judging, like that's my job, I'm here to clean your car, right yeah, yeah, I mean, and some people you know, basically you know they're in their car traveling.

Speaker 1: 11:37

you know Monday through Friday or they don't have the time, and it accumulates, and it happens and then they have you.

Speaker 2: 11:46

Yeah, and I try to be like straight, honest and forward with them like I want them to get an idea and understand. It's a process. It's just not like vacuum, it's like layers. Sometimes I have to vacuum two or three more times because I'm blowing in between the crevices and underneath and the more stuff comes out.

Speaker 2: 12:06

Sometimes yeah, like sometimes I if I know I'm running a little behind because I know my routine and I know how I work. I'll tell them you're probably gonna have to pick it up the next morning, or, like I'll ask questions Do you have cloth seats, leather seats? Like I want to know what they're looking for and if they have cloth, I let them know ahead of time.

Speaker 2: 12:25

It might have to stay overnight because, depending on how bad the seats are and how long it takes me, depending on how long it dries, not even that, like the colder weather, the better it gets, like the colder weather, the temperature, the moisture, like that takes even longer because the heat's not making it dry faster. So there's a lot more to it. So like I just want people to be aware and to know this is really time consuming, sure.

Speaker 1: 12:50

And I'm sure your customers appreciate that, that you even tell them that beforehand.

Speaker 2: 12:53

Yeah, some of them want the same day, especially if they got cloth seats. And they'll be like oh okay, thanks, and I'm gonna keep looking around. I'm like, okay.

Speaker 1: 13:02

You don't have to tell me what you found, but did you find anything in the cars cleaning it out? That's been crazy. Ah, done so many I don't even know Like lifting up the couch cushion and finding money.

Speaker 2: 13:15

I found some money. I did find I think it was $3 under a seat one time, the kind where it like lifts up this way. Yeah, oh, wow, okay, anything. I find I put it like in the middle console and then be like, oh my God, I've been trying to find that.

Speaker 1: 13:28

You actually found that and I'm like, yeah, Was there a time that you kind of stopped for a moment and thought, what am I doing? Is this what I wanna do? Did I make the right decision?

Speaker 2: 13:40

I have thought of that. I think about how far I've come and I've been a year and a half. I'm not gonna quit now, like I wanna see where this goes. I still wanna do go into my art. I always think timing is everything. Sometimes I try to like rush into things that I wanted to get done of, like so many ideas I've had that I want to do for my business, and it's just like not that right time.

Speaker 1: 14:06

Right.

Speaker 2: 14:07

It'll come. So, for example, I don't want to give up my drawing, but I know I still need to make money. So I mean, I like what I do. So I thought of with my artwork to like make like a little, maybe little scratch and sniff things of my art yeah. To like incorporate with my business yeah, absolutely Like.

Speaker 1: 14:26

Make like little decals Incorporate both. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 14:31

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 14:31

And you have your detailing business to fall back on as you do your artwork and build that side of the business up.

Speaker 2: 14:39

Yeah, I haven't got to the decal part yet. I really want to, but I just not just yet as much as I can.

Speaker 1: 14:45

Yeah, I like it. Yeah, I mean, you have a plan in your head. You have things that you want to accomplish, like you said, when the time is right. So how do people get in contact with you before we go any further? How do they make an appointment? Where do they find you? Social media, etc.

Speaker 2: 15:00

Well, you can either like I'll drive around and go to like other car businesses mechanic places, window glass places Like I'll drive around, drop off my car. You can also find me on Facebook and I like Facebook more than Instagram because you could like do so much more. Okay, People can make an appointment on my page and what's the page?

Speaker 1: 15:21

What's the page that they find you at?

Speaker 2: 15:23

Desmarize detailing, and then they can also message me if they want to, through my page Also. Call me, email me Also, message on Instagram. I want to say that's it. Most of the time I'll get like phone calls, little bit of emails, or like they'll make a book, an appointment on Facebook. Okay, mostly appointments and phone calls, right, perfect. I'm hoping to get a website soon. That's my plan for this coming year.

Speaker 1: 15:54

If you need a recommendation, I'll give you somebody after we're done talking.

Speaker 2: 15:58

Okay, that would be great, because I'm trying to find something that's not too expensive.

Speaker 1: 16:03

Okay, so what advice would you give another woman entrepreneur thinking of going into the detailing business?

Speaker 2: 16:12

Don't rush it. Never rush into something. Be careful in how much you spend. Spend a little out of time, kind of plan it out, that's important right there, Just to really plan it out.

Speaker 1: 16:29

Don't overspend in the beginning, because it's very easy to do that with any you know. Start up business yes.

Speaker 2: 16:34

And advertise, advertise, advertise, advertise.

Speaker 1: 16:40

It's got to be constant Besides going to the different businesses around town. Are you part of other groups, communities on Facebook? You mean like Well, I guess you know, for me there's like the Delaware events I'm a part of and I'll advertise in there.

Speaker 2: 16:56

Oh yeah, I was doing like the Dover yard sales, myrna yard sales and they just kept declining so I was like, okay, it's not working anymore. I went to the Myrna Clayton residential like now I'm like through all the residential, oh, that's good. Delaware events is one of them. There's this one page but for some reason I can't figure out how to post on there anymore. Okay, delaware female Creatives. Delaware female creatives Okay.

Speaker 1: 17:35

Yeah, I mean because it's good to have your name out there with other groups as well, because then you know they'll share in like your businesses, your business as well. Yeah, is there a particular part of detailing a car that you like more than others? I know you do the headlights. You what do you call it? You refurbish the headlights, you make them look brand new is what you do? The headlight covers?

Speaker 2: 18:01

The headlight restoration. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, those are fun. I like those, I like doing that.

Speaker 1: 18:10

Yeah, I mean my gosh. Like I said, people, you have to go find Desi's Facebook page and look at her before and after pictures, including the headlight restoration, because it's amazing that the difference between that cloudiness to that clear lens over it again.

Speaker 2: 18:29

Oh I know it's crazy how much dirt can like accumulate over time, right, oh my gosh.

Speaker 1: 18:35

So is there anything else you'd like to share that I haven't asked you about, we haven't talked about? Have we touched on everything? Do you have any projects coming up?

Speaker 2: 18:45

I am working on a car that I bought, that I didn't really need to buy, but but with the type of car it is and the condition it's just that type of car is really hard to find and I haven't posted it yet because I haven't finished taking the after pictures yet, so I'm still in the process. My boyfriend is working on the engine. We might have to rebuild it, but now he's in like the brakes and the tires and stuff like that. I've been trying to look for a Volkswagen bug for like a little over a year now, which, ironically, I have a Volkswagen bug right now, but it's a project car, so I'm never going to be able to get it working. It's just too much.

Speaker 2: 19:41

So, I'm trying to sell it and it's not working. Oh, you'll find a person, yeah. While I'm looking on and off for like months, I ran across this car in New Jersey. It's a Volkswagen Fastback.

Speaker 1: 19:57

Wow.

Speaker 2: 19:59

It's a MK3. There's three different types. There's the Notchback, Squareback and then the Fastback. So few people have seen it and they're like, well, what car is that? And I'm like, well, you're not a Volkswagen head, so you're not going to know. Even if I tell you you're not going to know. Either you are or you're not. Or some people are like, oh, I've seen that and I used to have one, or I've seen a few. But I find it interesting, like when you go to car shows, you never really see a Volkswagen and I never understood that.

Speaker 1: 20:32

I've been to quite a few car shows here in Delaware. I'm originally from Connecticut and you're right, I don't think I've really. I might have seen one bug, just one, that's it.

Speaker 2: 20:43

Yeah, I've never a van, I've maybe seen one.

Speaker 1: 20:47

There is an old Volkswagen van over by the Camden Walmart. I don't know what that road is. That has to be. I know it's. They're probably the original owners and it's like I'd love to have that.

Speaker 2: 21:04

Is that like the square body kind? Yeah yeah, that's probably probably the 80s, like 80s.

Speaker 1: 21:12

Yeah, 80s, ok, all right.

Speaker 2: 21:13

Yeah, I think it's square.

Speaker 1: 21:15

Had I known that the bugs were going to be a car that somebody would want at this stage, I would have kept the two that I had. Oh, you had two. Yeah, nice, there was. I had a stick, an automatic stick, and then I had the. What was the other one? There was just a three on the floor without the clutch.

Speaker 2: 21:36

An automatic.

Speaker 1: 21:37

Yeah, it's kind of an automatic, but you there's three gears that just could switch through. You didn't need a clutch, but it had the different power on it. I'll send you a link. It's kind of cool. It was cool. It was my. It was my mom's car, originally Yellow, yeah. And then the other one was originally my dad's car. That he taught me how to drive, stop and drive on a hill. I said I was like you don't want to do this, dad. I said yeah, we'll do this. I said, ok. So yeah, a little. You know, you know way back when, when you think something's not going to be, you know as impressive then that it is turns out to be now. So that's pretty cool. So I can't wait to see your after pictures of your project car. That'll be so cool. Thank you it it. Thank you so much for being here or talking with us. I I look forward to watching all your projects come through as I follow you on Facebook.

Speaker 2: 22:34

Thank you so much. It was a great experience talking to you.

Speaker 1: 22:39

Oh good, I'm glad All right. Well, thank you. You have a great night and don't go anywhere.