For many high school students, balancing academics and a part-time job is a challenge, but for junior Ivan Gonzalez, running a mobile detailing business on top of schoolwork and a job has become a rewarding part of his routine.
Gonzalez began his business after receiving a pressure washer as a gift from his girlfriend, Yareli Gomez-Paredes.
“I already had most of the chemicals, so I figured, what could go wrong?” he said.
What started as a small weekend hustle quickly became a promising venture to help him save money for college.
With only $350 invested in equipment, Ivan created Diamond Detailing GB, a mobile car detailing service.
He runs the business alongside his girlfriend and his friend, Tanner Bentivegna.
The trio details around four cars a month, mostly on weekends, since Ivan is also employed at Walmart.
“I detail on early Saturday mornings since I work in the afternoon, and Sundays because I don’t work,” he said.
Although the business’s mobility is appealing to customers, it has presented Gonzalez with unexpected challenges.
“Some stains are really tough without an extractor, and sometimes customers’ hoses don’t work,” he explained.
Despite these difficulties, the business has gained traction among students and staff alike.
In addition to detailing Mrs. Brown’s cars, Ivan has worked on Mr. Konshak’s car and hopes to add Mrs. Holmes to his customer list.
“Ivan and his team did a super job at a very reasonable price,” said Brown. “I never expected such detailing work at that price! Our car and truck haven’t been that clean since the day we got them.”
As a young entrepreneur, Gonzalez has learned valuable lessons in time management, budgeting and investing.
Still, he says the most important lesson he has learned is that hard work pays off.
“The amount of work you put in is the amount of satisfaction you’re going to get out of it,” he shared.
For anyone in the Green Bay area interested in scheduling a detail, Gonzalez encourages reaching out via message at 920-417-9195 or on Instagram @diamond.detailing.gb.
