Hi, my name is Alex. I am a young entrepreneur who washes golf carts, cars, and windows. I always wanted to make money, and I don’t want to wait until I am old enough to get a job. So, I decided to start washing windows.

I always liked washing windows because I loved the satisfaction of seeing how, with just a few wipes, you can turn a dirty window into one that looks brand new. It can be very difficult, though, because the extra-dirty ones can take twice as long. It teaches me patience and perseverance.

Then, after one year of washing windows, I had an epiphany. It was easy to make money washing windows for my parents, but to really grow my business, I needed to find other sources of income and new customers. So, I decided to wash cars because everybody uses their cars, and they regularly get dirty. I started a company called Mobile Shine. This way, I could appeal to more customers, and I could wash both windows and cars.

I started printing business cards for my business. I went door to door in my neighborhood, giving people my business card and telling them about my business. Most people pretended they weren’t there when I knocked. Only about 10% of people answered the door, and only three people took my business card. I haven’t heard from any of them to this day.

That’s the thing about business. It can get hard, and sometimes you might want to give up. But if you don’t let an obstacle stop you, then you become unstoppable.

I decided that going door to door wasn’t the most efficient way to get the word out, so I started posting flyers and trying a different location. I went to Amelia Island, where I hoped I could get the word out more successfully. I would be lying if I said it went as poorly as going door to door. By the next day, I already had offers from four different people who wanted me to wash their cars.

Three days later, I had four satisfied clients and a grin on my face. My dad was very helpful during this. He helped me print the flyers, and he had an idea to wash people’s golf carts. I took his advice and added that to the flyer. Out of nowhere, all my clients were asking me to wash their golf carts. Golf carts were perfect because they normally get way dirtier than cars, so they need to be washed more often.

As my business grew, it became difficult to keep track of when my next client was scheduled. So, I got a designated notebook to track when and where my next appointment would be.

To get more clients, I decided to put flyers in other buildings besides the one where I live. I didn’t get as many clients as I did in my building, but “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

My dad gave me another idea: a kind of incentive program for my clients. After their first wash with me, I send them a letter with a coupon for 20% off their second wash. The program helped me build loyal customers.

One day, I found myself thinking about what I could do to get more clients. That same day, I was washing someone’s golf cart, and afterward, she said she would tell the president of another building about my business. It was a building I hadn’t expanded to yet. Just like that, I had three new clients and a whole new building!

As of today, my business is still growing, and I’ve learned a lot of very valuable lessons along the way.

One of these lessons is that if you’re going to do it, do it right. Don’t cheap out on the quality of your work just because you’re tired. For example, one day I had just come back from a trip, but I was scheduled to wash a golf cart that day. I decided it would be best for both me and the client to push it back another day. The next day, I was ready to do it, and it was one of the best washes I’ve ever done.

Another lesson is perseverance, or never giving up when things get hard. For example, when I was trying to start my car-washing business, no one wanted me to wash their car because I didn’t have enough experience.

To be honest, setbacks, or “obstacles,” are hard, and it can be painful when you run into one. I didn’t let that stop me or my business. I took a step back and found a different path on Amelia Island.

If you want to be an entrepreneur, don’t let anyone stop you. If you set your mind on a goal and you really give it your all, you will accomplish it.

About the Author

Alex Fallucco is an 11-year-old entrepreneur and founder of Mobile Shine, a business offering car, golf cart, and window washing services. Alex enjoys helping others and is learning valuable lessons about business, customer service, problem-solving, and perseverance. A sixth-grade student, his favorite subject is math because he enjoys the challenge. Outside of school and running his business, Alex enjoys playing basketball, swimming in the ocean, and fishing. He hopes his story encourages other young people to pursue their ideas and not give up when they encounter challenges.

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