A few years ago, Nathan Leon and William Youngberg were going door-to-door with a wagon full of equipment trying to find someone who would let them clean their car. Any car.
Now, their roster of clients includes some high-end luxury vehicles, like the Aston Martin DBX707 and the Porshe 992 GT3.
From left, Will and Nathan pose in front of mentor Lucas Scarfone's Porshe 992 GT3. Photo by Lucas Scarfone.
The grade 12 Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School students started their mobile auto cleaning and detailing service, ShowRoom AutoCare, as a way to earn money without working a traditional part-time job.
“Cars have always been a passion of ours from a young age and the dream of owning nice cars pushed us to pursue this business,” said Youngberg.
In the summer, the pair participated in the Summer Company Program with the City of Hamilton, which helps youth turn their talents into innovative businesses and awards grants up to $3,000 to fund start-up costs.
“This program helped us acquire every piece of equipment needed to operate smoothly, as well as valuable mentorship and training lessons with local businesspeople,” said Leon.
One of those mentors, fellow car enthusiast and local automobile photographer Lucas Scarfone, also credits the program for the impact it's had on his business since enrolling back in 2007.
The St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School graduate has built up his own exotic car photography brand, Scarfone Photography, and co-owns Autostrada Magazine, a print publication geared towards the automotive community.
“Due to his experience in the field, he has assisted us by giving a new perspective on different problems we’re faced with,” said Leon.
“That’s the biggest piece of advice I can give to young entrepreneurs wanting to start,” added Leon. “Find a mentor who has been successful in a field that you’d like to start a business in. It’s hard to know what issues you may come across, and how to respond, so mentors are great because they have gone through similar situations.”
Currently, ShowRoom AutoCare offers a few different detailing packages based on your car's needs. The best part? They come directly to you, offering not only a premium experience, but a convenient one.
“A car is more than just a mode of transportation” they said. “It’s an investment, a statement of your style, and a reflection of who you are.”
“We treat every car we work on with the same level of care and attention to detail that we would give to our own cars.”
Maintaining an impressive 5-star review on Google, their work is a true reflection of their passion and dedication.
“The most rewarding part of the job is the amazing transformation, and the big smile on the client’s face when they see their freshly detailed car,” said Youngberg.
But while the success of their business is certainly commendable, they’re just revving up.
“We are interested in studying business post-secondary to give us more knowledge to further scale our business and future businesses, however we will likely take a gap year to better prepare ourselves.”
“In the next few years, we would definitely love to have the business running with multiple crews working all around the greater Toronto and Hamilton area.”
Photo by Lucas Scarfone
Photo by Lucas Scarfone
Photo by Lucas Scarfone