New Shop! New Opportunities! Next phase of business domination! In today’s episode Jody Sedrick sit’s down with Ryan Griggs owner of Blueline Detailing & Tint and talk about opening his new shop. What did it take to make his goal a reality and what has it cost in time, investment, blood, sweat, and tears.

Guest:
Ryan Griggs Blue Line Detailing https://www.bluelinedetailinginc.com/

Hosts Rod Puzey and Jody Sedrick RoadFS CRM https://Roadfs.com

Show Transcripts:

00:00:00:00 – 00:01:30:12

Yo, yo. Good day. And welcome to another episode of the Road Fest podcast. We’re running a little bit late because this Yahoo wasn’t getting things together properly. So we are live. As you can see, the invisible Rob Jose is not here. He is actually on site with the new customer, training them, getting them all rolled out. And so I’m left to man the ship.

00:01:30:12 – 00:01:59:06

So, it’s going to be a fun episode. I’m super excited because, one of the guys that I have mad respect for the in the industry who it’s been super fun to watch his growth is our guest, Ryan Griggs from Brut Blue Line. Dylan, how you doing, brother? I am good, I am I’m a lot less stressed than people think I should be.

00:01:59:09 – 00:02:25:17

Well, why do people think you should be stressed? I mean, it’s not like you owned a news shop or something. Yeah, you know, I didn’t, you know, just move randomly and shut down for three weeks and just completely restart the business or nothing. So how did how did you shut down for three weeks? I mean, most, most small businesses, if they’re shut down for a week, they’re puckering.

00:02:25:17 – 00:02:48:00

Right. So how did you, decide to shut down and open a new shop and start from scratch? So the move was not intended to be as fast as it was. so we used some of the investment money to not only cover the security deposit in first months, wrapping it with that, but it also covered my payroll.

00:02:48:02 – 00:03:08:06

if I had more employees, it probably would’ve been a lot more detrimental to be shut down like that. but my clients fully understood. I’m booked out another three weeks now, and, you know, we’re back rolling and, honestly, heavier than I ever have been, because now I’m booking tent, PPF, ceramic coatings and auto detailing all at the same time.

00:03:08:08 – 00:03:37:25

Wow, that that’s super cool. So let’s talk about that. I mean, you’re you’re expanding. You’re not only moving your business, but you’re expanding your service offerings. I mean, that’s a lot to take on. It is all at once. So how did you position yourself in a way to do this? Because I think a lot of guys are looking outside, looking in, they’re like, man, that’s what I’d really like to do.

00:03:37:25 – 00:04:03:20

But I’m still struggling in phase one of my business. Let alone where you are down the road. My first thing was, is I know my shop rate, so everything for the entire month is calculated out. It’s divided by how many days I work, hours I work the whole nine yards and I know what it costs for me to have that car in here every hour.

00:04:03:22 – 00:04:26:01

So my pricing is all reflective of that. I felt really comfortable with paint correction and ceramics, you know, with the auto detailing kind of side of things. And so I’m not taking it for granted, adding on services, I’m actually getting trained. So I went down to the Detroit studio, I was trained with a gentleman named Matt, and that dude kills it.

00:04:26:01 – 00:04:48:21

That is one of the best trainings I’ve ever been to. anybody ever looking for a training in Michigan, Ohio or anywhere? 313 ten that the Detroit ten studio is amazing. Matt just he’s already worked with Geo Shield and he’s already and he’s now a part of Opticals new YouTube page. So, I mean, the guy is just out of this world right now.

00:04:48:23 – 00:05:10:18

and that I’m, you know, going to train with optical for PPF. So Hazel and I have been really good in communication. And, you know, these are skills that I need to learn. I’m not a master of them yet. I don’t know that I ever want to be a master of anything. I always want to be learning. But, you know, I don’t take it for granted that tending the windows behind me is not something I’ve always done.

00:05:10:18 – 00:05:38:10

So, you know, the plotter sitting next to me. And I got a peel board over here, and I got hexagon lights now, and, you know, it’s. I made a shop. I made my dream shop. So. So let’s talk about that. Right. I think a lot of guys are really excited. They start their business, they get moving and they have a dream of where they’re wanting to go.

00:05:38:12 – 00:06:05:27

And sometimes they feel like it’s just out of reach. Right. So what was kind of that journey from you, going from when you started to getting to this point that you now have your dream shop? You know, I started in the back of with a pickup truck and mobile with, Harbor freight polisher doing headlight restoration and nasty interiors.

00:06:06:00 – 00:06:33:09

And not for nothing, I’d still do those. they’re humbling. And I think they kind of came from, you know, not everything was always a BMW or, you know, Maserati. It’s it’s never always been that way. I’ve always surrounded myself with people who where I want to go. So when I first started doing this, I trained with Chemical Guys, with Garrett, who owns the two dojo garages here in Michigan.

00:06:33:11 – 00:07:05:19

And the guy’s incredible. Now he’s a friend. and I worked my way up, and now I’ve trained with people like Sarah. trained at the Sema garage. I, you know, I don’t take MTV for granted. When I went the first time, I was rubbing elbows with everybody. being a part of different industry, community or communities like the idea, the round table, things like that, I’ve just surrounded myself with all the right people and networked with the right people that I’m learning and just absorbing like a sponge, I think.

00:07:05:21 – 00:07:44:25

I love that you hinted, or you touched on the fact of putting yourselves in the right circles, right? Because I think a lot of times we are limited by our current circle, and sometimes you got to expand that circle to see really what is possible. And sometimes when you’re expand actually all the time, when you expand that circle, new opportunities, new doors open that you never thought were possible, and it expands your vision as to what you can be as a business owner, but what you can also offer your customers.

00:07:44:28 – 00:08:08:17

So as I grow, I mean, I’ve met these new relationships with Tinder’s and PPF guys. and they’re great. But the idea is not for me to always be a technician, you know, and not for nothing. I kind of look at people like Dustin Jackson and Grant Maynard, and I look at these guys going, I want that. And that’s where my mindset is at now.

00:08:08:20 – 00:08:28:22

I don’t want to always be the one with the vacuum in the hand, I just don’t I want to have a very successful shop and a successful business where I can employ people, and they take care of their families the same way. This business is taking care of me. And if that means that they go off and they open up their own shops and they do incredible work, then by all means.

00:08:28:24 – 00:09:00:02

But for me, I don’t always want to be with the polisher in my hand. Yeah. So do you have employees now? I don’t, and so what’s that look like coming up 2024 2025? I would say having a higher tenure first, things like that. we are looking at sales. So there’s that side of it. And then, you know, not for nothing, I’m not taking my detailer or my roadmap website for, for granted.

00:09:00:04 – 00:09:20:18

I’m using everything that Chris pulls out of his hat. I mean, from the instant quote tool to window tinting the PPF and my sales are jumping. So as I’m listening to him and I’m using the site the way it’s meant to be used, or I’m using Google the way it’s meant to be used. I mean, I’m it’s the calls are just incredible.

00:09:20:21 – 00:09:46:08

That’s awesome. I’ve had a half dozen calls this morning, and almost every one of them has been a sure shot lead. Wow. So. And you and you tribute directly to the tools that detailers roadmap gives you for your business. Well yeah that and you know, listening to different podcasts. So if I listen to road offs and I hear Tate and Trout or I hear Timothy Mills, they’re doing something and it’s working well, why am I not trying?

00:09:46:10 – 00:10:07:13

Yeah, these guys are it’s working for these guys, you know, and not and I don’t take it for granted that, you know, little grassroots marketing never hurt. So when we’re done here, I plan on grabbing some business cards. I’m surrounded by businesses. I’m going to go introduce myself, hand out some business cards, some 10% off discounts, because we’re doing 10% off the rest of the year just to kind of introduce ourselves to the area.

00:10:07:15 – 00:10:30:08

And I’m going to go shake hands because I think it works if it doesn’t work for some other people, great. But I know it works. And that’s this area. Yeah, I, I love that because I think a lot of times we there’s a couple things that you hit on there. You know, you talk about wanting to really be a business owner and not have your hand in a polisher all the time.

00:10:30:08 – 00:11:05:00

Right. And that’s kind of the evolution of a true entrepreneur or where the shop or the business is taking care of itself. I mean, last, you know, the last two weeks I’ve actually been out of the office. So first of all, shout out to rod and my entire team, because this was the first time in my entire life when I’ve been able to take, you know, ten days off, right, and was able to go to Paris Olympics and watch my niece, play in the for the bronze medal at the rugby.

00:11:05:00 – 00:11:27:28

Yes it was, I loved it. And then I was able to spend a week with my wife, in Greece to celebrate our anniversary. The only time that I thought about work was when I was on the plane on on both ends, because I’m like, look, I got time. I got ten hours. So, you know, I created new intros and stuff for our podcast, did other things.

00:11:28:06 – 00:11:54:07

And then one day in the middle where rod and I had to do invoicing and payroll. Other than that, I was able to actually leave the business and enjoy the time. And I was thinking about that on the way back and I was like, man, what a blessing to be able to have built our business to a point where I have such a great team that work with me side by side, and we can do that right.

00:11:54:07 – 00:12:19:05

And I know, like in in November we’re going to Holland for the detailing summit over there with Richard. Hutchins. You know, rod is actually going to stay a week and be able to enjoy Holland with his wife and and his brother in law. And so it’s nice to get to that point in your business where you your business is an engine, right?

00:12:19:05 – 00:12:39:13

It’s I mean, you still have to tweak it and work and stuff, but the goal, like you said, is to get to a point where you’re managing the business. The business is at managing you. I’ve never minded going on vacation and having to take that phone call, because I knew I was growing this business, and I know that that’s not going to stop.

00:12:39:13 – 00:12:56:24

I took a phone call or I got a lead that came in at 7:45 last night. I was sitting there making dinner for my entire family, and I called the guy because if I don’t within that first 15 minutes, I’m potentially going to lose it. Sure. So and I’m still growing and I’m I’m not done yet. I don’t have somebody else to take those calls.

00:12:56:24 – 00:13:19:27

And while I need to get something else set up that responds to those calls and those text messages that I can’t answer right away, you know, that’s something on my personal roadmap that I am establishing. Yeah. So I created a five year plan for the business. I’m I’m ahead of it. I, I didn’t mean to be. I’m supposed to be, but here we are.

00:13:19:29 – 00:13:44:26

and it wasn’t cheap to do it. I I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t cheap to do it if I didn’t have the investor, I have to support me and my wife’s massive support because this was a huge financial risk. we’re somewhere around $43,000 to do this, and that’s no joke. That’s between trainings, equipment, products and just building all this out.

00:13:44:26 – 00:14:08:11

I mean, we’re still building out upstairs for friends of mine to have a business because I’ve been supported so much with such low rent that now I want to support someone else, and then not to let the cat too much out of the bag. We’re opening up something up there that they dubbed and we’re calling it Blue Lighting Academy.

00:14:08:13 – 00:14:36:16

So the idea is, is that Blue Line Academy will be a rentable or usable space for other professionals? Not me to use the space as a classroom setting and then down here as their hands on Earth. That’s awesome. I want nothing to do as far as the training goes, unless it’s roundtable related, but, yeah, that’s, you know, I want a quality training space for this industry, whether it be tenant, PPF or detailer.

00:14:36:18 – 00:14:57:04

I think that’s I think we’re all missing that aspect of it. And I’ve had some incredible trainings and I just want to give that back. I love that. And then if it’s still on, I guess I’ll let the cat out of the bag. But I have the agreement in my email. I’m just trying to figure out a sign it, but Blue Line will be, selling car.

00:14:57:04 – 00:15:17:21

Katie. Yes, that’s a distributor. So yes, car Candy will be our aftercare product. It will be what we sell. And then, you know, Mike and I’ve talked. They’ll come up here and we’ll go over a lot of things and, you know, maybe sell to some dealerships in the area. And that’ll be another, another thing I do. Yeah.

00:15:17:21 – 00:15:41:09

Car candy man. They have just exploded, you know, with you know, under the leadership of Meegan and, the owner, I mean, they’re they’re just they’re a fun, phenomenal team. They have, they have fun branding. They have great products. In fact, Mike Ryan sent me a little care package that me and my son are going to go and test some of their marine stuff.

00:15:41:12 – 00:16:06:01

Well, candy is some good stuff. Yeah. So we’re we’re looking forward to that. We are actually opening that up and talking about it. And so yeah, it’s we’ll see where that goes. But yeah, it’s in. No. Lost it. you know, it’s interesting because I’m reflecting, my comments in your comments. Right. And rod and I are very we’re always available.

00:16:06:01 – 00:16:31:16

Right. I mean, usually, I mean, somebody calls me because I have customers across the globe, right? So people call me at 8 or 9:00 and I know that I’ll pick up. Right. but it’s also getting to that point where I don’t have to write. It’s like an and I think a lot of businesses, especially when you’re growing, you feel like you’re tethered.

00:16:31:16 – 00:16:54:27

Right. And there’s a there’s a price to be paid to get to the point where you don’t have to do that. You can opt to do that. and that makes there’s a lot of power in being able to grow your business to the point where you can opt to do things, and you can select the kind of services and opportunities that you want to take.

00:16:55:05 – 00:17:17:14

It’s very freeing when you get to that point, but also it’s kind of fun to have those crappy cars come in and remind you where you started, right? I think I, you know, I think if you get, you know, in a comfort zone, I think they’re good to have, you know, and you don’t got to rip people off to do those cars.

00:17:17:14 – 00:17:36:21

You just make your right move on. I mean, but, you know, I, you know, Mike Ryan’s just a great guy. I mean, that comment alone, I mean, you know, I know he’s watching and he’s a busy guy and he’s a he’s a dad. And we’ve had those conversations. You and I have had those conversations. I’m just surrounded with some just incredible people.

00:17:36:23 – 00:18:12:21

But. And I gotta I’ll get emotional talking about it. But I could not do this without my wife, hands down. Could not do it without my wife. She supports me 110%. This dream is nuts. It’s nuts. This industry’s crazy. It does this all the time. So expanding out into other areas, I’m trying to get that more of a plateau of I don’t have the up and down because there’s detailers all over this country right now struggling.

00:18:12:23 – 00:18:47:00

And I’m over here dumping over 40 grand into mine. I’m not taking that for granted. Yeah, all that money has to be paid back. You know, it’s not just it’s gone, but that investment. I mean, I there’s people trusting me that they know I’m good enough to do this, that I’m going to make it. Yeah. When I considered, you know, shutting down and being done, I mean, there was dozens of people telling me, you got this, and I wasn’t sure.

00:18:47:03 – 00:19:21:18

I mean, this is this just wasn’t on the the roadmap this early, you know, somebody saying Blue Line Academy and they’re joking, but my head would just sit right over when they said it. I went, that’s a great idea. You know, because I, I’ve always loved my trainings. I always have and I there has to be some classroom stuff because I think you need to understand the science of what you’re doing because there’s science to these chemicals or science to these ceramics, and how the pads are used and how to clean those pads.

00:19:21:18 – 00:19:48:21

And I think there’s science now to all this tint and the solutions they use and the PPF and it’s different. And none of this all is the same. So you can’t think of it that way. And then to have a space where I can fit 2 or 3 cars or a boat or two in here, and someone can now get hands on and use machines that I have, and we can have a real hands on training that’s incredibly.

00:19:48:23 – 00:20:18:18

And I he’s just look at the brownie points now. Well, I want to touch on something that you mentioned. I think every small business owner at some point in their growth debates very heavily, whether or not they’re going to just close the doors and go back to work for somebody else and just say, you know what? I tried and and that’s good.

00:20:18:23 – 00:20:41:10

I mean, I know Rodney and and we have two other partners, you know, they’re they’re his brother in law’s and my friends and, you know, the first three years of our business, dude, it was brutal. I wasn’t sure if we were going to make it. I mean, the first year, rod and I did not take a paycheck literally for nine months, right?

00:20:41:12 – 00:21:27:19

We poured everything into it and I remember the third year of our business, we had a customer go really south on us, and it left us with a huge I mean, a six figure huge hole. Right? And and I remember just being frustrated kind of down. I wasn’t sure what to do. And man, I remember one night, man, I was not sleeping and I was tossing and turning and I woke up and and I just rolled out of bed and I just fell on my knees, and I poured my heart out.

00:21:27:19 – 00:21:46:24

And then I fell to the ground in the fetal position and just cried. And I’m like, you know, what am I going to do? And, once I got it all out, I’m like, all right, you got it all out. Now, what are you going to do? And so I’m like, all right, what are the three things that I can tackle today?

00:21:46:24 – 00:22:05:07

And so I got up, I went to work and I’m like, all right, what three things. And I did those three things and I did that. That was my strategy for the next year of building out what are the three most important things. And if I got done with those three most important things, then I’m like, all right, what are the next three?

00:22:05:10 – 00:22:32:20

Right. And those little steps every single day of fighting and clawing and just pushing through it got us to this point where next month, September is our 15th year anniversary, right? But it came with some blood, sweat, tears, you know, and support from amazing Wives. I mean, I mean, you talk about your wife. I mean, we could not have done it without our wives.

00:22:32:20 – 00:22:57:21

And so kudos to their their belief and confidence and encouragement and and us. And it was, it was absolutely. and it still is a journey. I mean, we’re still learning and growing and there’s there are dips and there’s no highs, and, and you just kind of gotta work through them and you learn something not only about the business, but you learn something about you.

00:22:57:23 – 00:23:25:18

What can you really do? What can you really become? And when you embrace a journey, all of a sudden opportunities come up that you never imagined would be possible. So I’ve kind of taken a new motto. It’s the obstacle in front of you can become the opportunity you create, created to be and I mean, this was a huge obstacle.

00:23:25:21 – 00:23:48:01

So whatever I’m going to do with it, I got to do with it. I mean, I have a restaurant background, I know customer service. I know this industry pretty well. I don’t think I’m the leader or what a lot of people may think. I am in this industry. I don’t think of myself that way. I still will always look up to guys like Billy Smith.

00:23:48:03 – 00:24:12:00

you know yourself, you know, Dustin Jackson and Mike Carlin. I mean, Dustin Jackson and Mike Carlin made one of the biggest moves yet seen in this industry. And that’s incredible for them, you know. And those are friends they were at. They were doing an agent training at the other shop. They couldn’t say anything. Joel is there. It’s probably the last time I’m ever going to see Joel the Palm.

00:24:12:02 – 00:24:36:21

You know, he makes sure I’m fine on Facebook, right. You know, and he’s he’s being really good about everything and really nice and still being encouraging. And he still encourages IGL and you know, it’s it’s really who you surround yourself with. Yeah. It really I you know I like Mike Brinker I’ve never met Mike I not I haven’t, but he just opened up his own shop and yeah I’ve done it four times since April.

00:24:36:21 – 00:25:02:15

I you know, I usually do it four times before April. so, you know, my wife will attest I’ve thrown my hands up in the air when things get hard. And I’m like, is this for me? Well, now I have a five year lease. It’s for me. five years for sure. So. But I was smart even in that, you know, when the lease contract was written originally, it didn’t have subleasing in it.

00:25:02:18 – 00:25:32:14

So I have three offices behind me with their own waiting area and their own reception area and a bathroom. I can sublease that. It’s in my contract. That’s awesome. So from a business standpoint, I had to look at it that way because I don’t need that. Yeah, well that’s cool that that is. Well, we are super excited. when the Blue Line Academy has one of their training events, we would love to come be a part of that.

00:25:32:16 – 00:25:59:18

it’s gotta get to get out here. Yeah. So where where are you and how do people connect with you? So we are now located at 4017 Baldwin Road, Ali, Michigan. 48442. the number is on the screen. Definitely use the website. you know, we have the new instant quote tools for PPF and tint, the window tint section will be up hopefully by the end of the week.

00:25:59:21 – 00:26:29:00

And, you know, we’re just growing. That’s awesome. Well, we’re we’re super excited for you. rod told me to send you his, can is, congratulations. Almost said condolences, but I think it’s a little bit of both, but lack of sleep, so. Yeah. So. Yeah. And right now, we’ve actually been, we’ve been actually hunting for a building for ourselves, and we just haven’t been able to find the right one.

00:26:29:00 – 00:27:04:06

And I got three. I got three offices. Yeah, but I don’t want to move to Michigan, so. Yeah. No. Come on. We change our weather every other day. All right. Well, that’s. I know that’s the problem. I want to get somewhere where it’s above 60 and never goal again. So. But anyway. Well that’s cool man. So kind of an wrap up if there were, you know, if you were talking to yourself five years ago, you know, or two other guys that were just starting out, what advice would you give them?

00:27:04:08 – 00:27:30:07

Don’t give up. And it is about who you surround yourself with. This industry is a full of a lot of great people. Don’t let don’t let the Facebook group keyboard Warrior decide how you run your business. There are some really incredible men and women in this industry, and I wouldn’t even think of Park Andy if it wasn’t for Meghan or Mike or anything like that.

00:27:30:09 – 00:27:58:18

It’s it’s the people and the product that I’m willing to endorse. It’s not just the product. You know, you and you and Jody are are you and Ryder just perfect examples of that? I personally do not use your software, but you are industry leaders in my eyes and you are helping so many and you do it without thinking of the dollar sign for yourself.

00:27:58:21 – 00:28:19:09

You want to give back to this industry. You want to help grow it. I’ve seen what you’ve done for you know the detail, kid, I love him, you know, one of my favorite people, you know, and he’s growing up in an industry, and he’s a perfect example of what this industry is going to be. We’re already creating the guys that are supposed to be replacing us.

00:28:19:11 – 00:28:46:00

Yeah. You know, I can’t be I can’t be some of these other guys. I have to be me. So be genuine to you. Do what you love. And if it’s not tempting, don’t do it. If it’s not, don’t do it. Don’t chase the dollar. Chase your passion. I love that. That is absolutely great advice. Well, thank you so much.

00:28:46:02 – 00:29:02:19

man, it’s been a great conversation. We’re super. Or, like I said, super excited for you and this new opportunity. You know, you got five years to build to the next level, and then it’ll be fun to see what happens at the end of five. Right. So I got I got three weeks before I got my open house.

00:29:02:19 – 00:29:38:15

So that’s cool. That’s super cool. You have to send us the details on the open house. That’s super awesome. So and you guys that are tapping in, thank you so much for, tapping into our podcast. It’s been really fun. Rod and I, we’ve had a lot of growth this year both in podcast viewers. Time watched. and really we started out with I mean, you hinted on it, we wanted to highlight different people’s stories so that you can pick and choose those things that would help you in your business.

00:29:38:17 – 00:30:00:08

And shout out to Timothy Mills and and the others that are just getting creative, and they’re trying to find new things and it’s just fun. And it’s yes, go ahead. While I have you anybody watching, check out there’s a round table if you are on the west side of this country or wherever, Tate and Trout has an incredible training coming up.

00:30:00:10 – 00:30:24:11

Yes. Not if not, there is a massive giveaway. Go like it, share it and leave a comment and get entered to win. Yep. So that is actually the day of my open house. Oh that’s cool. So yes, it is September 5th, sixth and seventh just outside of Denver. short hour and a half drive and right now I’ll be there.

00:30:24:11 – 00:30:45:06

It’s going to be super fun. do we have so many things going on? We have Tate and Trout’s event that we’re going to be leaving on Friday night to go to Bud co event in Salt Lake, and then we’re in Houston for the leather repair company training for three days. Then we’re at the Ada training with Josh Hernandez.

00:30:45:09 – 00:31:07:21

like so yeah, we’re going to be everywhere again. And, it’s just fun to be a part of the industry and try to help grow and create opportunities and share experiences that people can learn from. So thank you for being a, supporter. We appreciate you. And, wish you guys the very best of luck in this new endeavor.

00:31:07:21 – 00:31:29:18

Love and appreciation to that beautiful wife of yours. And, wish you guys much success. Thanks, Jody. Yep. Well, the rest of you guys, thank you so much for dropping in. we will be on the, podcast next week. My guess I’m actually having to move so I’m not sure who that is going to be yet.

00:31:29:21 – 00:31:41:19

but, yes, we’re also going to be on the road, so look for anywhere and everywhere, so. Well, you guys have a great day and we will check you out. Same time, same back channel just next week three.