Hey everyone, so as you guys know I have recently started my detailing business and thus far it has gone pretty well. On the last car I did the owner of the shop where I did my work on the mustang, saw the work and wanted to talk with me about hiring me to do his cars and company cars and possibly some other things like the Ferarri's, Porsches, And Lambo's that are all in some buildings across from his shop.

Well a couple of days ago he called me and told me to come over to his place and talk. He offered me a pretty good hourly pay to start off with and we would just spend some time perfecting what I already know and learning anything new, basically just to make me an even better detailer than I already am. Well today I went over and we started to do some work on one of his cars and he asked me that if he could promise me that he could keep me busy, if I would come and basically come work with him full time that way we didn't have to work around my schedule at Best Buy. I think he can keep me busy, with how many cars he has and how many company cars he has for both of his companies. I should always have work. He even plans on opening up another shop just for detailing. So needless to say the guy has money, so I don't see work or money being an issue.

So here is where I need help. For now I'm going to be considered working for myself until he opens up his shop. My question is if you had an opportunity to do something you loved but when tax season rolled around you would probably have to pay a decent chunk of money would you do it? Basically what is holding me up is I have always worked at Best Buy so I really have never had to worry about taxes. I currently make about $16,000 to $18,000 a year. With what he is going to pay me, I would be looking at around $25,000 to $30,000 depending on how much I work obviously. Does anyone know about what I would have to pay, percentage wise, in taxes? I did kind of a high number (at least I think it was high) and it came out to be around $3,000-$7,000 in taxes. Again I may be way off so if someone knows more around what it would be please let me know. But if I'm making $25,000 to $30,000 a year in the whole scheme of things isn't to much. And as long as I save up it should be fine.

Let me know what you guys think, this is something I really want to do but it's tough to make that jump when you are so used to something and currently have that security if you know what I mean. But I could be making so much more money doing this vs doing Best Buy. Any help will be much appreciated.

 

Hey everyone, so I just wanted to post an update. So I talked to him again and went over some of my concerns and he said that he would hire me on as an employee so I could indeed fill out a W-2 and have him deal with the taxes. That pretty much did it for me, I put my 2 weeks notice in at BestBuy yesterday which was probably the best feeling I have ever had. This is a big jumpstart to my career, it's going to be almost like a paid "apprenticeship". We are going to do all of his cars and get my skills perfected. Then in the next few months he is planning on opening up a detailing shop which hopefully I will be good enough that by that time and learn enough about business from him that I can be the manager at that shop.

I've been at BestBuy for 4 years now and it's been a decent job until recently. I've just gotten to the point where I can't stand walking in the building which hurts my performance. This opportunity came at about the perfect time because I don't have many more days at BestBuy. I work today, then I'm off till next Wednesday and then I work till Saturday. They will probably work me Sunday, Munday, and Tuesday as well but the schedule hasn't been made for that week so I'll find that out next week. But not to many more days left working there, which feels really good.

I absolutely love detailing cars so now that this is going to be my job rather then a hobby, it just feels good. I've been working so hard at making it my job that it's kind of surreal that it has finally happened.

 

Congrats, I'm glad I read your update

I was about to tell you to run, run far away from the 1099 forms and doing the self employment thing. It can get sketchy fast. But if he is hiring you on, get benefits and vacation time as well.

The pay is low (in my opinion) especially for the cars you are working on.

Is he providing you with EVERYTHING you need, do you just need to show up and do the work? If you are providing your own detailing supplies, you need to work out a deal where you can either expense it all, or get more money.

 

Best thing i can say to do dude, is do what you love, and while your young, try not to worry about money so much. I do it and its like blah, but I now have my gf so we share cost of alot of things. Alone she maybe makes about 40-50k a year doing nails lol, and I only make about 24. But I love my job, i just wish I could hurry up and move up in higher positions. >_<; glad to see your doing well as well !

 

Right now it's almost like a paying apprenticeship. He has a lot more experience detailing than I do. So I'm willing to get payed and learn how to be better if it gets me out of where I work now. He is also going to be opening up a detailing shop so when that happens maybe I can be the manager and make a lot more money and tell people what to do as well lol. But really as long as I can get out of where I work now, I will be happy.

Yes he will be providing all the products. I just have some tools that I prefer that I will use. But other than that he will be buying everything. All I have to do is show up and do the work. And then I can keep doing my thing on the side for people in the challenger club my parents are in and make some more money that way as well. And If I get big enough then I can always split off and continue to do my own thing.

 

Yea I'm doing this more for the fact that I'm doing something that I love and getting out of a place that I can't stand to even walk into. Right now, I never get to enjoy the nice weather. I hardly get to go to car shows and things like that. And then the biggest thing is I can't even enjoy Thanksgiving or Christmas with my family. That's retail for you, but I'm done with retail lol. But the higher pay doesn't hurt either. Going from about $8.50 and hour up to $12 is a pretty big jump up and will allow me to do some more things, like move out lol. Right now at BestBuy, I don't make near enough to pay for car payment, insurance, phone, and then still be able to afford rent. So this will allow me to hopefully do that. And I can afford some new toys for my car which will always be nice lol.

 

Congrats and good luck in your new endeavor

 

Congrats! Not too often one gets work that is more fun than work!!!


Sounds like a sweet deal

 

Good luck, being self employed is tough.So worse case things don't work out you can pick up on your own and if you left Best Buy on good terms maybe they would take you back. So fingers crossed for you from me

 

Self employment is good and bad. If the work isn't there, you don't make much money, if any. And yes, you can be hammered at the end of the year with taxes. The good thing is basically anything you do that can be used towards the business (car bills/repairs, gas, insurance, medical bills, advertising, etc) are expenses, which will lower your tax bill. You can even write off a percentage of your meals and entertainment. With all that in mind, you could make paychecks of 400 bucks every two weeks, but everything else you are billed for (that relates to the business) is a business expense.

Good luck.