Today we’d like to introduce you to Clayton Stark.
Hi Clayton, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
To set the scene; 6 years ago, I had my automotive mobile detailing company in Park City. I was able to gain an important client that would change my life shortly after meeting and give me the opportunity to start a business in a brick-and-mortar shop. He owned multiple units that were scheduled to be built in 2017, and they were mixed-use meaning I could live and have my business run at the same location (apartment up top, shop space below). Space like this in Park City is HARD to come by, so I am especially thankful that he gave me this opportunity.
In 2016, I planned to offer my detailing services at this location, until I came to learn about vehicle wraps. At the time I had a 2006 Porsche Cayman that I wanted to change the paint color and with vinyl wraps you can do this without the negatives of having to paint a car, it’s not permanent and when you’re done with the color, you peel the vinyl off and you’re back to your stock color. I got a couple of quotes from reputable shops in Salt Lake City, but they were too expensive for my budget, so my D.I.Y mode kicked in and I decided to do it myself.
I learned how to wrap in my Uncle’s driveway in the cold weather, and while it took a few weeks and didn’t turn out perfect, I did it!
Then, my friend (known well as The Stradman from Youtube) at the time also wanted his vehicle wrapped, but couldn’t afford it. I told him, let’s do it together. At this time, neither of us had a garage and since his car was much nicer (a Lamborghini) I wanted to make sure it was perfect. We both rented parking spaces in an underground garage in Park City, and figured that was our best bet.
We set up shop, lighting, some space heaters and got to work. This is how Summit Auto-Lab was born. In the Spring of 2016, I sold my Porsche to pay for the tools needed to start this business, and my wife and I couch hopped and even slept in our detail vans to save for this business because we couldn’t afford an apartment. While we waited for the shop to be complete, we took on multiple wrap jobs in this underground garage to try to start the momentum of the business and spread the name.
I’m sure you’re wondering how we got people to trust us to wrap their cars in a dark, public garage? We offered these wraps at such a low cost that we made close to nothing, but we knew it was necessary to build the brand. My wife and I would wake up at 8 am, detail cars till 6 pm, then come to this underground garage and wrap cars until 3 in the morning. This was our life for a solid 5 months while we waited for our beloved shop to be complete.
Some weekends we wouldn’t see the light of day because we were in this dark underground garage for hours trying to complete a wrap job. Finally, after having been sleeping at my aunt’s apartment for 2 months we get the news that our shop will be move-in ready on October 1st, 2017. I will never forget the relief I felt when I was handed the keys and knew I would never have to wrap or sleep in that dark underground garage again, but I wouldn’t have traded that experience for anything.
I do believe the obstacles we came across made us appreciate our businesses even more because at the time that was all we had. Now, in 2022, we are a very reputable shop with a well-known name. We are booked out months at a time for wraps, and weeks at a time for automotive detailing and we couldn’t feel more blessed to be where we are today.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting the business was the biggest hurdle I’ve had to cross in my life. Most of it seems like a blur now because the days were long and there wasn’t much money coming in. Running two automotive businesses without a shop or place to live was a huge struggle because nobody took us seriously, a lot of clients took advantage of us because we were still learning the ropes, and we were still learning how to run a business together as husband and wife.
Every day presented a new issue that we had to learn how to solve and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears were shed. The biggest struggle was I didn’t know how to say no; I took every job that came my way and worked myself to death to complete it. I remember my 25th birthday was spent in that underground garage trying to finish a wrap job by the morning for a client who was very adamant that it had to be done, and after working all night, the client shorted us $1,000 and dipped.
Instead of moping and being defeated, we learned from the experience instead. I and my wife definitely neglected ourselves and got lost in the process, but we wanted more than anything for these businesses to work. Once we were able to move into this shop that we now call home, things slowly fell into place.
We still have hurdles like finding employees, keeping up with demand, and finding that balance between work and home, but the struggles we have today are nothing compared to what we had to endure in 2016-2017.
As you know, we’re big fans of Summit Auto-Lab. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Summit Auto Lab is a compliment to Summit Auto Detailing but they are two separate businesses. Summit Auto Detailing is my automotive detailing company that offers mobile detailing services to Park City clients, and that business has been strong for 9 years now.
Summit Auto-Lab is our customization company that offers vinyl wraps, window tint, and paint protection film. What sets us apart is that I, the owner, personally do all of the customizations myself. I have tried hiring out to do vinyl work, but it was never up to par with the quality I wanted to produce.
I also think our story sets us apart because it shows how invested we are in these businesses, and we wouldn’t do anything to compromise that. We also have a Youtube channel (Summitlife) that documents our lives with these businesses, which a lot of our clients enjoy because it helps them get to know us and see the work that we’ve done and our story behind it.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising about us specifically, is that my wife and I both grew up in the Detroit area of Michigan.
We both had mutual friends but didn’t meet until she moved to Utah 6 years ago, while I had moved 9 years ago. Because we both grew up in the “Motor City”, we both had a genuine love for the car community and the culture around it.
The interest that we share was the biggest tool we needed to be where we are today, and I always enjoy sharing that aspect of our lives even though not many people know it.
Contact Info:
- Email: summitautolab@gmail.com
- Instagram: @summitautolab
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/summitautolab/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcLV-QJMzUJccuolyu3dOQ
