Wednesday, September 18, 2024
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Posted by: Alex Rudie
Letter from the President
By: Shad Stoker, CD-SV, MC, WC, RIT, 2024 IDA President
Happy August IDA family!
As I sit on my flight from Salt Lake City to San Francisco to attend and work Monterey Car Week, I am filled with intense and overwhelming gratitude. I am about to attend one of the most amazing car events in the entire world, and I get to do that because I am a DETAILER who knows how and loves to transform the way a vehicle appears through the methods and skills I have learned in my career in this amazing industry.
I never imagined this would be something I get to experience, like many other opportunities I have been blessed to have. I come from nothing, grew up with nothing, and never thought I would amount to anything…until I found this industry. The thing I love most about this industry is that it doesn’t care where you came from, what color you are, what you do on your free time, or who you choose to love. It only cares about how you treat others and how hard you are willing to work. The life you can create for yourself if you do those things right is absolutely incredible.
I truly never imagined I would be living the life that I currently do, with the financial freedom I have learned, the relationships I have created, and the fun that I get to have. This industry has the potential to provide you with a path to having everything you’ve ever dreamed of if you're willing
to put in the work and treat her with respect.
We had the honor of meeting with Gordon McCall for our pre-event pep talk, and it did not disappoint. Gordon is a business tycoon, an absolute mogul who started his journey as a detailer, forced to begin his career with just a spray bottle due to the water restrictions he was faced with. Through continued education, a people-first mentality, and always doing the right thing Gordon has built an empire rivaled by very few across the globe. His work in the automotive industry is highlighted every year through Monterey Car Week with the main event being the Motorsports Gathering at the Quail, a world-class concours-style event featuring some of the rarest and most expensive cars in the world.
The skills you learn in this industry can set you up for massive success, whether you remain a world-class detailer, or transition to another business or industry. Detailers are forced to pivot on a dime almost daily, and some days it’s on a car-by-car basis, which is a tremendous skill to have, especially when you get really good at it. Paired with the resilience it takes to make a small business work, those are two incredibly beneficial skills that will serve you well in whatever you do going forward.
So, the moral of the story? Stop looking at yourself as just a detailer, start giving yourself credit for being a business owner who provides detailing as a service. Feed and improve your business acumen just as much, if not more than you do your technical detailing skills. Believe in yourself, and open your vision to creating a life and income you’ve only ever dreamed about. Because it IS possible.
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says- I’m possible” -Audrey Hepburn
“Every new day begins with possibilities” -Ronald Reagan
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