Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Eldemire
Hi Josh, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
When I turned 16 and had my first car, a 1996 Honda Accord, I immediately wanted to take good care of it. This led to wash it in the driveway, vacuum out the interior, and keep it shining. This led me down the rabbit hole of automotive detailing. I found myself in a world of people obsessed with keeping things in great condition or restoring them back to their former glory. I began offering detailing to friends and family and soon offered my services on craigslist (this was 2007). After that I worked at Kelly BMW, a great dealership with amazing people. Their detail staff taught me how to buff a car and I learned how to efficiently hand wash a car.
Through college and after I just spent time detailing my own rides. Something about it was just like a way to slow down the world. What I didn’t realize is it would become the therapy I needed. In 2015, my sister was tragically murdered. Losing Becca was the hardest thing I’ve ever faced and it sent me into a world of darkness and depression. When I was at work, keeping my mind busy, I was ok, but as soon as I got home and tried to relax the depression would set in. For years my wife encouraged me to fill my idle time with detailing for others as she knew I loved it. I pushed off that idea for a long time but finally came around.
I had received an old watch from my mom that used to belong to my Grandma. It was a women’s watch so she knew I wouldn’t wear it but encouraged me to do whatever I felt fit to use it for. I made the difficult decision to sell the watch and invest in my idea for a detailing business. With $1000 to invest I waited for Black Friday to make my dollar go as far as possible. The following spring I hit the ground running offering interior and exterior details to my neighbors.
After a couple years or so detailing under another name, Auto Aesthetic was established the first week of 2020. Great time to be trying to rebrand and grow a business, I know. That didn’t discourage me, taking extra precautions to help people keep their cars cleaned when cleanliness was so important during a pandemic.
That same year my first baby boy arrived and changed everything. I’ve had to adapt and learn how to be both a business owner, husband, and now father. I did not do this business venture alone. Friends and coworkers have been very large supporters whether it was with business or offering an extra set of hands, I have not done this alone.
As I write this I am currently in the process of moving Auto Aesthetic into its next stage of life, taking it from my home garage turned detail studio, to a shop with triple the space. Nervously looking forward to the future would be an understatement, but that’s life!
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?
The biggest obstacle I have faced is myself. One of the hardest parts I have found about entrepreneurship is avoiding burnout. I have experienced burnout myself multiple times since starting the business. What I have learned is that everything is about balance and focusing on the variables I can control. To me that means not overworking myself, setting time aside for family and relaxation, as well as setting my schedule to allow for that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
As adults we find it hard enough to keep our own bedrooms clean. You shouldn’t have to worry about keeping your car clean too, That’s where Auto Aesthetic comes in. We help keep cars clean and shining for busy people with a full schedule. Our business is setup to offer high end customer service doing anything we can to minimize the work it takes for you to keep your vehicle clean. Whether that’s offering pick up and drop off, mobile service, or ceramic coatings that help keep dirt from sticking to your vehicle.
We do a lot of work called paint correction, which is essentially buffing a car but to a high end finish. This is great for removing the ugly swirl marks from your paint and even some scratches. This type of work takes a lot of patience and that’s what most people don’t have when it comes to their cars. We consider patience our superpower! The ceramic coatings are the icing on the cake. It doesn’t make much sense to put a lot of work into making a car look great if that’s only going to last a few months. Our coatings offer years of protection, locking in that shine and making cleaning a breeze. Think of a non-stick skillet. Don’t you love how much easier those are to clean because the food doesn’t want to stick? That’s because of the coating! We offer applying specialized automotive coatings to give you the same great experience.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I love the ocean and that’s where some of my fondest memories come from. Whether it was fishing, jet skiing, or snorkeling I love it all. When I get to smell the salty air and feel the hot sun I feel at peace.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.auto-aesthetic.com
