By Dylan Deprey
Montreal Washington will take on any vehicle and any mess. (Photo by Dylan Deprey)
After years of being a mailman, Montreal Washington was ready for a career change. He knew there was something out there, he just didn’t know what his calling was.
He drove for Uber and Lyft, as he worked at getting his real estate license.
After a day of deep-cleaning his wife’s car, he posted a picture online to show off his work. It was almost too obvious that his career was right in front of him.
“People must have thought I was a professional or something, they were asking me my prices and where I was located, so I took advantage of the opportunity,” Washington said.
While car detailing might not have been his first idea for a job change, he dove in head first.
“I learned how to detail cars to be just as good, if not better than the dealership,” he said.
It started in his garage with a few clients, then it moved to his cousin’s garage with even more. As he continued to build his brand, DaWorks moved over to a car lot off of Appleton and Fond Du Lac.
Sometimes it’s our peers that know what’s the next step, Montreal Washington found his passion the same way. (Photo courtesy Da Works)
After three years in business, he finally acquired his own garage on 78th and Appleton.
“It’s my first time to have my own area—my own space,” he said. “We were working on the outside of the building over winter, but I’m going to have it looking really nice soon.
Every detailer is going to experience a “dirty birdie,” and Washington said he’s seen a couple, but there’s always one that takes the cake.
“I had a van that was moldy, and that was more like a restoration,” he said. “That’s why I offer different packages for all types of situations.”
He said he’s learned a lot along the way. Between figuring out the right head to vacuum different types of interiors, to the perfect amount of chemical stain extractors, he said his main objective was to give his customers a cleaner vehicle than when it came out of the factory.
“Three years later, Google ‘DaWorks’ and there’s not one bad review,” he said.
On a good day, Washington said he could knock out around five vehicles a day, but he’s got big goals for Da Works. He said he’s aiming to hire on a reliable crew and pump out a fleet of vehicles daily.
“Man, the numbers I miss out on, it’s crazy but it’s all falling into place,” he said. “It only can go up from here, and I’m ready to take it to the next level.”
Visit Da Works on social media or on their website at https://daworksdetailing.com/