IDA Member Spotlight: Boyan & Boncho Kushev

Each month we feature a Member Spotlight. This month we're running a double feature! We had a chance to talk with the Bulgaria Chapter President, Boyan Trifonov Kushev, CD-SV, as well as the Vice President, Boncho Trifonov Kushev, CD-SV. They are also the co-founders of Kushev Detailing.

      

International Detailing Association (IDA): How did you get into the detailing industry?
Boyan Kushev & Boncho Kushev: We are twin brothers, and we grew up in our father’s body shop. Our childhood was filled with prepping cars for paint, wet sanding, and everything else that needed to be done. Dealing with cars was wired into our minds when we were kids. When we moved to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, in 2014, we tried working in the IT field, but it didn’t feel right. The only thing we were thinking about was what we could do with cars. Then one day in 2016, we decided to start our own detailing business in our small garage. That was the beginning of Kushev Detailing. 
 
IDA: Tell us more about Kushev Detailing.
Boyan & Boncho: Driven by our childhood passion for cars, we started our detailing business from our own tiny garage, while balancing with our official day jobs. At first, we distributed and worked with a few detailing brands. We made a name for ourselves as expert detailers when “detailing” was not very well understood in our country. By the time we both became full-time Kushev Detailing employees, we had already become GTECHINQ’s official distributors for Bulgaria and had moved to a new, state-of-the-art 220 square meters studio. Today, we are known as Bulgaria’s premium detailers as well as educators. As of October 2020, we are also the founders of the IDA Bulgaria Chapter. 

IDA: In what products or services does your company specialize?
Boyan & Boncho: We are the official distributors of GTECHNIQ for Bulgaria. We specialize in exterior detailing, paint correction, paint protection (ceramic coatings and PPF), and interior detailing. In our shop, people can also find PPF, wrapping services, and PDR services. For the last three services, we work with third party companies that specialize in their field. Our end goal is to provide high-end service for our clients.

IDA: What do you think is the most important factor to being successful in the detailing industry?
Boyan & Boncho: The most important factor is being consistent. Once you set up a standard and your clients know you because of this standard, you must provide the best results every time. It doesn’t matter if the car is twenty years old, a classic car, or a fancy sports car – all clients should receive the same high-quality service. We treat all cars and all clients with the upmost respect, without ever compromising with the quality, the effort, or the time we put in the job. 

IDA: Are there any awards/certifications/accomplishments that you or your business has earned and would like to share with us?
Boyan & Boncho: We are both CD-SV Certified and are looking forward to becoming RT’s. We have passed the Rupes Training and are GTECHNIQ Accredited detailers. We have been conducting our detailing classes for three years now. Most of all, we are proud of establishing the new IDA Bulgaria Chapter. Finally, we are proud of the online content we are putting out via social media, which has greatly expanded our customer and partner base. 

IDA: What is the best advice you ever received? 
Boyan & Boncho: Do what makes you happy! Find your thing, chase it, and don’t stop until you catch it! Once you do it, be the best at it!

IDA: What tips do you have for the new detailer? For the experienced detailer? 
Boyan & Boncho: Detailing can be a lonely journey. Find people with your mindset, support each other, and never stop growing, learning, and developing, not only yourself but the industry as well. For the experienced detailers, we would say — “Do detailing for your clients, not for other detailers!” Spend your time either making your customers happy or educating yourself to grow your skills and expand your business. 

IDA: What is your funniest business moment? 
Boyan & Boncho: Our funniest moment and our biggest mishap are the same story.  We have a German Shepard puppy in our studio. He never did anything to any car until one day. We had a Porsche Panamera in the shop for interior detailing because someone had puked in the car. We tried everything possible but the smell from the back seat wouldn’t go away. The last thing we did was disassemble the seat, order new foam, and clean the leather from the inside. We set the leather from the seat on a working table and we went for lunch. As we were walking back from lunch, we were joking about how horrible it would be to enter and see Ares, the puppy, playing with the leather seat of the Porsche… and you guessed it, that’s exactly what happened! We entered the shop and found Ares chewing on the cover of the seat! A 4000 BGN or $2400 seat went down the drain. Of course, we were honest with our client, and we bought him a brand-new seat. We laughed and we cried at the same time. It was the smell, which attracted the dog to go and tear it down. Ever since, he has been a good boy.

IDA: Why did you decide to get involved with the IDA? 
Boyan & Boncho: This has been our goal for more than two years. Since we started our company, we wanted to change something, and this was the way people deliver “paint correction” services in Bulgaria. This has become our mission, and we believe that we are now a leading brand in Bulgaria. People look up to us and trust us. We believe that in order for this industry to grow in the right direction, there must be standards, and IDA is setting these standards. We want to be part of this “change”. We want to educate ourselves and to help educate others in the name of DETAILING. 

IDA: How has your involvement with the IDA affected your business and your career? 
Boyan & Boncho: Because of the IDA, we have made so many new friends and met people with the same mindset as ours. We follow and communicate with the best detailers out there. Because of the IDA, we have met Alan Medcraf, CT-SV, RT, who has been one of our biggest supporters. For the last few years Alan has been a source of inspiration and has helped us immensely. Being part of IDA gives you the opportunity to learn, grow, and develop yourself and your business, alongside the best detailers in the world. Nothing else can give you that.