Ep 18 - Aaron Allred: The journey from firefighter to auto detailing entrepreneur

In this episode of Titan Talks, Jonathan Stern interviews Aaron Allred, owner of Hollywood Detail, an auto detailing service in Northport, Alabama. Allred shares his journey of how he started in auto detailing while working at the fire department and how the business grew rapidly to the point where he had to build a shop at his house. The conversation covers topics such as adjusting the business during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on niche services, dealing with dissatisfied customers, and the importance of word-of-mouth marketing. Allred also discusses his goals for the future, which include expanding his team and potentially teaching others in the industry. The episode concludes with a rapid-fire round of questions. (00:00) - Introduction (01:00) - Aaron Allred's origin story and how he started in auto detailing (03:30) - The early days and getting the business off the ground (06:15) - Transitioning to a brick and mortar shop and adapting to COVID-19 (09:35) - The impact of COVID-19 on the business (12:30) - Learning that not all customers are good customers (15:15) - How most of the business comes from word of mouth and having a strong online presence (19:00) - Aaron's future goals for the business (20:40) - Rapid-fire round: biggest challenge, number of employees, surprises, proud moments