Today we’d like to introduce you to Mario Smith.
Hi Mario, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2014, I was working for a company that supplied wheels and tires to Volkswagen. At the time, I had been working for that company for over 5 years, but had reached a point where I felt there was no growth there for me. I’ve never been the one to just “accept” things for how they are, and due to the feeling I had outgrown my position with the company, I knew it was time for a career change. Additionally, I knew I didn’t want to go into another situation where someone else could determine my growth, my schedule, nor my pay rate. One night, I was laying with my wife (fiance at the time), and discussing things with her and told her I wanted to start doing mobile detailing as side work for extra money, and true to the woman she is….she encouraged it! To be completely honest, this wasn’t the path I thought would lead me to where I am today, it was a decision that was strictly money motivated. I have a deep passion for the car culture, from customization, to original classics, all makes and models..and not just the detailing end. I love everything from the cosmetics to the performance components. So this was definitely going to be an exciting journey. Shortly after I began detailing as side work, my then employer decided to “let me go”, and at that time it blindsided me from nowhere. I was very discouraged and unsure of my next steps because I had become so dependent on a “company” to provide me with a stable income. I went home defeated that evening and tried to process it while thinking of what to do next. It was at this moment I decided to take control of my life. I knew I never wanted to be in that situation again! Thats when i deciced to go all out on myself and make my side hustle a actual business! The next day I woke up with a different determination. My wife made me some professional uniforms and I hit the ground running. I didnt know how I would retain more clients, being there wasn’t a big budget to work with for marketing, etc…
So I went back to the basics with my plans. I would go to the mall and walk around for hours passing out business cards to anyone who would give me 15 seconds to explain my services. I would also sit at various gas stations for hours and anyone who had a nice vehicle I would politely approach, give my 15 second marketing pitch, hand them a card, and let them be on their way. This method, along with a social media strategy I developed helped boost my business from being barely known to becoming the “go-to” mobile service provider for some of our cities most influential people!!! As years progressed I still wasn’t satisfied with where we were as a company, additionally I wanted to give my clientele a more professional and controlled environment for their vehicles, so I made the decision to open our 1st brick and mortar shop. We still would do mobile services and in-house shop services to meet our customer needs. After a year or two we made the decision to eliminate our mobile services and focus more on higher end services for our clients. We now only do shop drop offs and have become one of the biggest names in our profession locally. We’ve had clients come from as far away as Alabama, Atlanta, and North Carolina. This year, 2026, we just celebrated our 10 year anniversary and that’s an accomplishment we are proud to have achieved. The sky is the limit going forward!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We’ve had plenty of obstacles. When we first started our mobile services, about 6 months in, our only service van blew the engine. With a now well developed clientele, we had no idea how we would still meet our clients needs, but we were able to get alternative transportation methods to still reach each of our clients until our van was repaired. We’ve been on jobs and had equipment failures, and learned the hard way to buy multiple of each piece of equipment to solve that issue
As you know, we’re big fans of It’s N The Details . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At It’s N The Details, we offer professional detailing services. We specialize in providing high end paint correction and ceramic coating services, along with a host of other detailing services and light vehicle customization services.
What sets us apart, first & foremost, is our skill! Our name speaks for itself. …but the most significant and important difference is our customer service! We actually talk to our clients and develop relationships beyond just drop off and pick up. We show concern for things in their life and take time out to have conversations, play with kids, and give gifts during birthdays, etc…
We are most proud brand wise of the reputation we’ve built!! It’s N The Details has become more than just a local household name!
We want people to know we offer more than just detailing services, we have our own chemical product line to help maintenance your vehicles as well!!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Always follow your gut!!! Many people will project their own insecurities on you when starting a business. DON’T LISTEN!! Always remember, if it was easy…everyone would be doing it! You will only get out of something as much as you put into it…so be sure to give it your all at all times.
I wish I had known how to properly structure my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://itsnthedetails.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_itsnthedetails?igsh=MXh1YWpzMWd3bWI0Zw==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18yEg8Sjrk/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@itsnthedetails?si=g2-Uns70AR0-oeKu
