Today we’re excited to be connecting with Dustin Wharton again. If you haven’t already, we suggest you check out our prior conversation with them here.
Dustin, always such a pleasure connecting with you and thank you for sharing your stories, insights and inspiring messages with our community. We’re looking forward to getting the download and what you have been up to since our last interview, but first can you briefly introduce yourself to folks who might have missed the prior conversation.
My name is Dustin. Owner and Operator of Official California Detailing “OCD” cleverly for short.
I have been in this detailing industry for just over 17 years now. From high end detail centers, to dealerships. to car washes. You name it. I have always loved cars and being around them.
Once I got my first car and really wanted to take care of it as well as I could.. I also found as I was trying out different jobs and finding what I really enjoyed was this new job I had found detailing cars. The transition of a dirty car to clean. From old to new. I especially loved the customers reaction after getting a car dialed in. That really excited me over most jobs and from there I wanted to learn everything I could at detailing cars!
Moving to Colorado from my home state of Utah. I had spent 5 years in different shops and learning more and more about paint correction and detailing. This also opened up the door for me to learn about ceramic coatings and long term protection for vehicles.
Upon learning and becoming certified for to be a pro installer for OPTI-COAT Ceramic coatings. Meeting my Western Rep Dann Williams. He was 12 years into his mobile detailing business in San Diego CA and doing his rep job for OPTI.
One spring day my girlfriend at the time (wife now) was getting the same wanderlust that I had when I left Utah on my own adventures. Though I was hesitant to leave Colorado with learning more things and really getting more roots planted in Colorado. I also knew that feeling of trusting your gut to take a chance on a new life on the west coast.
We came to visit San Diego in April of 2016 and fell in love with the city. Finding an apartment to put down a deposit and try this thing out!
At first when messaging Dann Williams there was a connection, however he was more maintaining some regulars with mobile maintenance detailing and doing the occasional detail and ceramic coating that would come across his platter.
Insuring me that he wouldn’t have enough work for a SoCal Newcomer and himself at this stage of his business.
We still had that gut feeling to chase the sunset and kept our deposit in and set for moving to San Diego August 3rd 2016.
We get to San Diego in August and I took it upon myself to go meet Dann in person as we had only had text, call, and email conversations leading up to this. Within that day or so of moving to San Diego Dann received a call that his rep job was demanding more of a full time position and he needed to step up and close or sell his business…
Three weeks later and some working side by side to meet regulars and learn the route Dann had in place with his current workload. Interviewing, and working with small business funding companies I was approved and signed for Dann’s business 3 weeks to the day after moving to Southern California.
With 9 years experience in the industry I came into this with a great deal of knowledge of the industry, how to do top tier details and match that with top tier customer service. I took the van, chemicals, tools that came with it and started the routine of regulars that kept me going and a great base of awesome customers to pay the bills. But we had to pour some gas on this fire!
Starting a website, and some marketing efforts. Along side mentorship from Dann and the glory of other customers who would call Dann when they needed a car wash or detail would be forwarded over.
This was a great way to be a new person, that no one knew. In a BIG city compared to Logan Utah and Fort Collins CO. With a new business name.
We knew we had to push, push, push and grown this name one brick at a time or no one would find us to even get a chance at helping them with their detailing problems.
Since then. We have hit our 8 years in business in San Diego as of August 29th of 2024.
We have gone from mobile detailer working alone, to 4 full time employees with Benefits. We have grown to have a shop in Sorrento Valley and still maintaining cars on the road with our mobile van.
I have spent the last 5 years as the Western Regional Sales and Training Manager for Owner’s Pride Car Care.
Mentoring, Training, and Product testing as well as aiding the growth of the company with sales and education.
This has helped us and OCD step up more than ever to provide deep knowledge of the processes, chemicals, tools, detailing efforts that we provide to our customers.
Alright, so our main goal today is to give our audience an update on what you have been up to since our last conversation. We’d love to hear how things are going and what you are most looking forward to or excited about these days.
This entrepreneur journey is amazing and also not for the weak hearted!
Challenges? Curveballs? OH YA! But that molded us into what we are today! Internally and Externally of this business is a very true statement.
We have had things like our first child being born and figuring out that part out is a task for any, especially a young couple in San Diego. Let alone trying to grow a small business.. Then 8 months into that COVID hit! Man!
Having a van being totaled out and almost taking out all of OCD…(that’s another crazy tale…)
A well oiled machine of a marketing campaign and website crumbling before my eyes and having to Start that over…NOT fun!
up to a semi recent injury that left me unable to walk for 6 weeks let alone working on cars. (Luckily we got health insurance for the business and employees!)
However we don’t take these as losing or reason to give up! It all shaped us to the better OCD we are today.
In the last 8 years, we have been able to learn and grow to outlast any of these speed bumps with class.
While pushing hard in the background on branding, and our presence online. Showcasing our skills, knowledge and top tier customer service!
With just recently hitting the 435 five star reviews on google we are the highest ranking 5 Star company in San Diego. While climbing the ranks of where we rank online. This is not as easy thing to do in a place like San Diego… thousands of detailing companies (not joking) and back to back years of winning awards from our website company for top tier performance of our site (they have A LOT)
While working hard there we have also been networking in San Diego. I found many years that Its best to stay in my own lane and stay good at what I am good at. Finding the right contractors to assemble a team of great performers to offer our customer base almost everything in this industry. This includes professional
Paint Protection Film “PPF”
Window Tinting
Vynil Wrapping
Paintless Dent Repair “PDR”
Wheel & Curb rash Reair
Caliper Painting
Windshield/Glass Repair
Bumper Reair
All to complement our already top tier services of Detailing, Paint Correction, and Ceramic Coatings. This has allowed us to really be a one-stop-shop for our customers in San Diego!
We also want to give folks a chance to get to know you a bit better so we’ve prepared a fun lightning round of questions. Ready?
- Sweet or Savory: Savory
- Mountains or Beach: Mountains
- Favorite Sport (to watch): Lacrosse
- Favorite Sport (to play): Basketball
- Did you play sports growing up (if so which ones): Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, Lacrosse, Hockey,
- As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up: Pro Sports Player
- French Fries or Onion Rings: French Fries
- Favorite Cartoon growing up: Simpsons
- Favorite Childhood movie: Harry Potter
- Favorite Breakfast Food: Eggs
When you look back on your life, what are three things you expect to be proud of?
I wanted to look back and see that I touched the lives for the better with the people who have trusted me. I want the people who trust OCD to say that Dustin/OCD changed my life.
I want to look back and see that I was the best father and husband to my family and set them up with a better life than we could hope for.
I want to build a legacy that keeps providing customer service to the clients and that employees and myself enjoy being here day in and day out. A Culture that attracts people
Contact Info:
- Website: https://OfficialCaliforniaDetailing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official_california_detailing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OCD619/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@officialcaliforniadetailin3652
- Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/f8FRSB727rnzxrYv9?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
