We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Selen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Honestly, the beginning stages were derived from pure PASSION. I have always loved everything about cars & trucks, so naturally it made sense to find something based around vehicles. Aside from working my dead-end 9-5 job at the time, (which was selling auto insurance), I tried to consistently buy/sell cheap used cars as a side-job. $500 decade-old Hondas that would need a simple fix and a GOOD cleaning, and end up selling for double profit. That combination of passion/profit stayed consistent for a few years, and I only wanted more. After putting a small business plan together I professionally put my 2 week notice in and launched the early version of Preferred Auto.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Preferred Auto is South Georgia’s most advanced detailing studio. We offer quality reconditioning services such as protective paint coatings, scratch repair, headlight restoration, maintenance detailing and ceramic window tint! We also recently became licensed with Georgia to buy/sell vehicles, so we are officially becoming that one-stop-shop. A great majority of our success comes from simply putting quality over quantity. While it may feel natural to secure every potential job that comes your way, we stayed firm on doing the BEST job possible for quality-seeking clients. It was journey, but I soon realized the importance in doing something right the first time. It may have meant pulling all-nighters at the shop, or running out of daylight on a residential job, but I stuck around until things were done RIGHT. That level of perfection carried on through word of mouth, and here we are today. While hurdles were bound to happen, that initial passion for cars kept me going. I am blessed to be able to work on some of the most rare exotic cars, multi-million dollar Jets and lifted trucks. Many of which are apart of our Weekly Maintenance program including a VIP mobile-detailing service every Friday. ‘Quality & Convenient’.

Sound easy, right?

The 6-year journey has been a roller-coasted to say the least, but I would do it ALL again if it came down to it. Some of my biggest successes don’t come from the hands on, as much as it does from me being able to pass this very dream on to others. We provide an experience like none other, and it’s always fun expressing how deep we could take the idea of a simple ‘car wash’. It’s a blessing and a curse.

Absolutely ANY issue regarding your vehicles paint or interior conditions, Preferred Auto is ready with either a fix, or we can properly outsource the work that’s needed.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The first seed was planted during a daily conversation between my good friend, Kean Moore, and I. From that initial ‘spark’ we slowly grew into what we have now, and we still bounce ideas off each other to this very day. Staying grounded throughout this process is never easy, so I found many mentors along the way. However, a true industry veteran by the name of Derrick Copes took me under his wing early on, thankfully, and I now call this man family. Most importantly, I remember being so busy I wouldn’t see my wife and kids for days on end; or at least it felt like it. The amount of faith they have in me kept me focused, and I don’t think I could ever repay them. They are truly my biggest fans!

Website: https://www.valdostadetailpros.com/ceramic-coatings

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preferredautodetail/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/preferreddetailing

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyhSgCm_DxwiQcsRQZHBwKw

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