Damn. Just damn. It's been a while.
I love the idea that one day I would return to this blog and post about how things finally broke and I made it.
Let's see. Let's start with what's going on.
I am currently store leader at Detail Garage here in Tucson. I work for Chemical Guys.
I started this job in June of 2022. I became manager in August/September.
I started this job in June of 2022. I became manager in August/September.
Feels like I was finally given a chance to do what I had been built for.
I have been keeping my head down and working on my life. To say that I've made it is farfetched.
I am struggling harder than I ever had but I'm keeping more positive about it.
I am struggling harder than I ever had but I'm keeping more positive about it.
I started off as a keyholder and did pretty well, but I started taking time and studying the business... I took this class the store offered called SDU. Smart Detailing University. It's a type of master class in detailing.
I left Tucson for 5 days to take the class in Phoenix. I was trained by an industry leading specialist flown out by the company. I spent 5 days learning how to run my own detailing business. I have a certification in it now. I passed with flying colors. It was so fun. I learned so much about the business and myself.
My previous boss had some unorthodox methods with trying to grow the store, which I voiced my concern about... But in the class I was confronted with his short comings and failures as if it were mine. I had to own up and be better. Which I did.
I came back to Tucson with a fire inside me and started making crazy moves.
My previous boss had some unorthodox methods with trying to grow the store, which I voiced my concern about... But in the class I was confronted with his short comings and failures as if it were mine. I had to own up and be better. Which I did.
I came back to Tucson with a fire inside me and started making crazy moves.
What's great is when you march to the beat of your own drum, you make waves in ways you would have never expected.
The store has been growing so well.
The store has been growing so well.
I have been sacrificing so much for its success. I feel like this store is a direct reflection of me as a human. The better the store does, the better I am doing.
I have made a name for myself in the company in such a short time. It's UNREAL.
The owners in Cali know me by name. I created a huge wave here in Tucson.
They see how unique I am and how valuable- To an extent.
They see how unique I am and how valuable- To an extent.
Thing's aren't exactly perfect. When I originally got the job they offered $16/hour but I asked for $17, the cap because of my previous experience, where they continued to fight me on it and it came up as, take it or leave it.
At the time I didn't want to look for anything else, so I accepted and banked on the dream that a position would open up sooner rather than later.
As I was getting promoted the cap was $21/hour and during this phase I just asked for $20. Which they said no. I had to settle for $19 + Bonus - which we have no issues hitting. I've been going crazy with the social media and training my staff how to talk to customers and deliver an amazing experience.
We are labeled a low volume store but we kick ass weekly.
I'm really proud of this. It's a slap to the face of everyone who gave up on me or threw me away. The better I do the harder that slap is, and I want that slap to knock them on the ground.
I don't think I am a very angry person but this is some serious fuel to my fire.
I push myself so hard to be something better than what I saw growing up.
I think I'm proud of who I am becoming.
Envisioning this person who is handsome, successful, "got it together" and stuff like that has helped me a lot. When I'm feeling shitty or low I think about how this person would act and then do my best on that. It's like, that alter ego or personality can take over when things get rough.
Envisioning this person who is handsome, successful, "got it together" and stuff like that has helped me a lot. When I'm feeling shitty or low I think about how this person would act and then do my best on that. It's like, that alter ego or personality can take over when things get rough.
I still live with Sarah. It hasn't been easy. She's literally getting a free ride out of me.
I have been paying the house bills to keep a roof over my head and she's been skipping out on paying me due to things going on in her life. It's really ended up being a situation where I am being fully taken advantage of.
The lease is up and she signed it for April already but I haven't.
Something has been kinda keeping me from doing it. Well, I have a plan and if things go OK then we are going to EXECUTE on the plan. (moving, not murder.)
Either I get offered a great chance to take a store in PHX or I stay here in Tucson and continue to grow the market out here. Which I am kinda fond of. I worked hard on this store and I would love to see it through. But also, I want to move somewhere else... If they offered me a spot in another state I probably would have jumped on it immediately.
Either way I have a pretty stressful week/month ahead of me with getting resituated.
I will work hard for my future self and make him proud.
I keep envisioning this life I have and some of it has come true! I made myself a big deal with this job here at Detail Garage.
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April 27th
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For what ever reason I never posted it. But I'm here now editing it and just wanting to say:
DG Tucson gave me a merit raise. So in 9 months I got promoted and a raise. I think that's pretty bad ass.
DG Tucson gave me a merit raise. So in 9 months I got promoted and a raise. I think that's pretty bad ass.
Am I making a ton of money? No. Am I happy? Yes.
I did end up renewing the lease for the apartment, but I asked that Sarah be removed and leave. To which she agreed. I do not know when I will see the money she owes me, but I will walk this path alone.
I talked to my therapist about this, being scared to go at it alone again. She reassures me that the person I am now is leagues better than who I was back then. Had a rough go of things, but here we are, still fighting.
This evening I had some pretty bad intrusive thoughts. It seems like these last few times I had this negative monologue I haven't been able to reason against it. It's almost like it's winning.
It's just stress- It will be fine.
I talked to my therapist about this, being scared to go at it alone again. She reassures me that the person I am now is leagues better than who I was back then. Had a rough go of things, but here we are, still fighting.
This evening I had some pretty bad intrusive thoughts. It seems like these last few times I had this negative monologue I haven't been able to reason against it. It's almost like it's winning.
It's just stress- It will be fine.
My job wanted me to move to PHX but they were unwilling to pay relocation, let alone give me a solid enough raise to live up there. The median income is $65k a year. They wanted me to go up there and turn the store into a million dollar store. But they weren't willing to cough up and give me a fair wage. Maybe that's why it's still without a manager at this time.
I got my team hired and I'm working on training them. I can't wait to see how we grow Tucson to be even more insane.
I got my team hired and I'm working on training them. I can't wait to see how we grow Tucson to be even more insane.
For now I guess as things clear up and I work on a new normal... I need to get some shit resolved in my personal life.
I really need to get out of debt. I'm tired of this monthly rut I'm in, all the damn time.
I have things I want to do but I'm stuck under this weight.
Rent 1140
Car 400
Car 400
Car Ins 145
Phone 72
Cap 1 MC / Bal 479 / Min $25
Cap 1 VISA / Bal 2282 / Min $80
Cred 1 MC / Bal 1586 / Min $50
Cred 1 VISA / Bal 1600 / Min $80
Discover / Bal 5489 / Min $150
Cox 100
Cat Litter 30
Groceries 400
Gas 100
Roth IRA 50
Life Ins 80
Spotify 10
Gym 22
2934 in bills each month.
I've been getting a ton of overtime so I don't want to use that as a fair calculation. It's not going to be my actual base income. This, though, is an average of a few paychecks I did receive in the past before I got my pay bump.
Let's assume 1700 x 2 each month for my pay.
I might actually have some extra money each month if I spend responsibly.
I need to tackle my balances, smallest to largest. Then I can start doing things I actually WANT to do, like car stuff, lights wheels, and stuff for the house. A new bed.
With the possible $400 I could easily pay off things quicker. I just need to budget better and be diligent about getting out of debt.
I guess maybe in a year or so we'll see, huh?
I need to look at revenue streams to increase my income. More money, more problems.
