Entrepreneur Grant Rothenburger finds detailing vehicles to be a cathartic experience. As a professional car detailer, the gratification derived from completing a job helps propel his business forward.
“Specifically with detailing, the instant gratification of the before and after, and people’s reaction when they see their car and they’re like, ‘oh, it hasn’t been this clean ever; even the day I bought it new, it wasn’t this clean,” he said. “I really enjoy that.”
Rothenburger worked in a variety of roles before venturing off on his own as a business owner. He started out working at Ms. Classic Car Wash in Fort Wright while attending classes at Northern Kentucky University.
While at Ms. Classic, Rothenburger learned the tools of the trade. Eventually, he left the car wash to start his own mobile detailing business, which laid the foundation for Beyond Excellent.
After working in real estate for approximately four years, Rothenburger went back to the detailing industry and founded Beyond Excellent in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. He began with essential equipment, such as a RYOBI power washer and a shop vac from Home Depot. He utilized previous supplier relationships from past jobs for many of the cleaning supplies.
“When I started this, my goal was to provide 10 good jobs for 10 good people,” he told LINK nky.
Since then, Rothenburger has moved the business into a garage located at 902 Washington St. in Covington. Previously vacant, Rothenburger transformed the building into a modern detailing facility with two car bays, equipment storage, and wall-attached shop vacs, and compressed air machines, among other detailing essentials. For Rothenburger, the location just made sense.
“I had seen what was coming along in Covington, and when the opportunity came up to rent this place, I knew it was a great spot,” he said.
He also folded in Robert Brown, a former firefighter and airline worker, as part of a strategy to grow his business. Like Rothenburger, Brown enjoys seeing customers light up after a detail.
“It’s not glamorous all the time, but we live for the ‘after-the-fact’ where the people come in and we see the looks on faces, and get compliments and how shocked they are with their car,” said Brown. “That’s the best part for me, personally. That feels good.”
Currently, Beyond Excellent provides interior and exterior detailing, clay bar treatments, and spray wax applications. The company has expanded its offerings to include premium services, such as ceramic coatings, which provide longer-lasting protection and a polished finish for vehicles and window tinting, following Rothenburger’s completion of specialized training in California earlier this year. The base detail package starts at $225.
Looking ahead, Brown said Beyond Excellent wants to expand its employee base and client pool.
Detailing can be unpredictable, with busy weeks interspersed with slower periods. Oftentimes, winter tends to be quieter for business. To address this, Rothenburger and Brown intend to invest more into social media marketing.
Ultimately, the duo wants to transform their business into a premium car care destination, evolving from its mobile detailing roots into a high-end service hub.
“I think right now, the biggest piece for us and what we’re really trying to work through is finding this clientele that’s a little higher end, and getting repeated consistency, week in and week out,” Brown said.
Beyond Excellent is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, while being closed on Sundays. Find more information at beyondexcellentdetailing.com.
