Check Out Derek Karns’ Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Derek Karns.

Hi Derek, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
It all started in California as a hobby doing my own vehicle back in 2008, fresh out of high school. I quickly learned the techniques of doing the correct polishing and waxing. In 2012, friends and family suggested I start doing their vehicles, it then Spread like wildfire and I had their friends and family wanting me to do their vehicles.

I met my wife in 2013, had our first child in 2014 and I had stopped doing detailing on the side. In 2017, I picked it back up to see if it was still something God had for me. It picked up right away almost as if I had never stopped. Since then, I have been blessed and very busy with it every single Saturday as my second job.

In July of 2021, God lead my family and I, we packed up and came to beautiful East Tennessee. Although, Still too afraid of the risk to take my detailing full time, in spring/summer of 2022 my wife and I decided it will be time to quit my full-time job and pursue my passion of detailing and do it full-time.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would say that starting a business always has its fair share of bumps in the road but I think for me personally it has gone pretty smooth.

I believe first of all because it’s something the Lord has blessed me with and secondly because I’ve done it as my side job, I haven’t had all the worry of making sure that bills are being paid from my business and things of that nature. I have had to do a lot of advertising and promoting sometimes to get fresh clients in or offer specials as incentives but for the most part, it has been pretty smooth for me.

Now that I am in the process of transitioning to full time I am trying to prepare the best way I can for future bumps, twists, and turns.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I consider myself, as do my customers, a professional automotive Detailer. And when I say Detailer I am not referring to a “car wash guy”. Some get the two confused.

I now have over 10 years of knowledge in polishing the paint of your vehicle, removing defects such as minor scratches, water spots, bird droppings etc, to make it look like new or better than new again. That is what I specialize in. But I can pretty much do everything involving detailing. I am a certified ceramic coating installer for IGL coatings, I do interior deep cleaning, deep stain removal, headlight restorations, ETC.

I feel that I am different than others because I offer high-quality professional detail services, with professional results at a very affordable price. Since it’s just me doing the work, and my “shop” is my three-car garage I have a lot less overhead than the big shops. I can pass the savings onto my customers but still give them similar and even better results.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t feel it’s luck, I am a believer so for me personally, I believe it’s God’s blessing.

It seems like anytime I had a slow period, I would pray for customers, promote an ad, or post on social media and God would provide, I would start receiving calls and messages. He’s good to those who put their faith and trust in him. My wife, Ashley, has also been a huge support for me.

She pushes me and challenges me every day to be the best me I can be. She also reminds me daily of my true self and the gifts that I have and who I am in Christ and why I have a special talent for this industry. She believes in me like nobody else does, she has always been my rock and has been the reason for my growth in adulthood as husband and father. I have become so much more in life because of her. She is my saving grace, a God send. I am blessed for that.

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