Today we’d like to introduce you to Reginald Ogletree Jr.
Hi Reginald, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a child, I was introduced to the automotive industry by spending my summers at a paint & body shop with my dad or at a mechanical shop with my grandparents coming from a single-parent home when my mom was working her full-time job as a child I was forced to be with my dad or my grandparents. Each growing up as a kid up until my teenage years of me being able to get my own job I never thought knew or said to myself I’ll be managing owing and running my own business like this one day… I started my working career within the food retail industry, up until I graduated high school from there I went to Alabama State in 2005. This was made possible from the track coach witnessing my victory at a statewide track meet held in Jefferson, GA. 2005 There, I was offered a partial scholarship, due to my track & field placing and ranking within the state. Wanting to further my education from a technical aspect I chose to continue my studies at a local technical college back home in 2008. While getting bored of the same scenery at home, in 2012 decided to take my studies to the Midwest in the southern Indiana, by way of Evansville until 2015. From here I moved back to a city right outside of Atlanta called Carrollton, GA where I would start utilizing the detailing traits, I had saw from being at the shops with either my dad or granddad. Here at Scott Evans Dodge Chrysler Jeep & Ram I started their part of a 4-man detailing crew fast forward a year and half later I was the last man there in which I then got promoted to operate and managed the service detailing department. After almost 2 years I felt as if my work, my character, or my skill set was being valued and take for granted. The management staff at the dealership didn’t want to come to a fair-trade agreement with my pay, nor offer extra incentives to show my services where highly appreciated.
So, in 2016 I decided to walk on faith and pursue the proper steps and attaining the documents plus legal fees to become self-employed. The first couple of years I started as a car Detailer. I became good at it while growing my clientele due to my detailing results. This was the point where I said I could really make a business from Detailing cars and in 2018 I would attain my business license to open shop and operate which is now Real Right Restoration. After a couple years it seemed as if everyone wanted to be a car washer so thinking outside the box, I had a vision of doing car interior and my brother gave me the idea of a school in New Jersey called Mobile Technical Training that would certify me in 12weeks for the trade of Basic & Advanced Automotive Upholstery. Right at the time of mention, I wasn’t able to leave due to life’s barriers, yet I finally got it all together in 2019 went to New Jersey where I was supposed to take this course and finish by March of 2019 due to the Covid pandemic I didn’t finish and graduate until August of 2020. I started out in New Jersey in small-town Little, Ferry within South Hackensack. I would later be force out of my living arrangements during the pandemic and moved everything I had had created over a 6 months time span. Not to mention, I only had 1 compact pickup truck, no family members…wait it gets better, I didn’t mention it was only ME, MYSELF, & I. After I relocated to Teaneck, NJ for the next few months, where started dating, I would soon meet my later-to-be girlfriend in which she welcomed me to her place in Newark, NJ for the next year and a half this would be my place I considered home. I would then get offered an apprentice position within an upholstery shop in Patterson, NJ where I worked until the shop got flooded out by the massive East Coast Flood storm with Patterson, NJ where I took a total loss on a lot in which was tough to recover from being it was a water disaster. I would then pack my compact truck with what I could and take a trip to a storage in a Washington, D.C with what I could and the next load I would load my truck and bring my services back down south at the beginning of December of 2021.
While refusing to any of my LIFEs obstacles become a concrete barrier within my LIFE. I’ve used these instances as a motivational steppingstone to go harder and strive even harder for greatness while steady building my spreading my brand consistently to date. As of the summer of 2022, I currently own and run my own business operating and delegating my automotive detailing service at 1 shop and rendering my automotive/residential upholstery services from another shop.
P.S I forgot to mention I attained this all after being a convicted felon and serving 2years of my LIFE in prison thank be to the most high I’m able to read write and paint you this verbal art in which I have portrayed.
Sincerely,
Reginald Ogletree JR_✍🏾_
CEO-owner operator
Real Right Restoration LLC
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road. Some of the obstacles included culture shocks being up north and I’ve been in the majority of my upbringing. The north/south language challenges while adapting to a think fast learn one the fly fast-paced economy and driving traits. The southern food chain obstacles. The challenges of not having a Walmart in each city like the south. The driving challenges being that the roads and highways were different. Extreme cold Weather struggles in the north versus the south. Most importantly the cost-of-living struggles of the North in comparison to Georgia. Plus, the supply and demand of things.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Within the business of Real Right Restoration there’s no 1 job too BIG or TOO small! I can guarantee you our results always remain #RealRight Here we specialize in automotive/residential detailing & upholstery with on-demand mobile detailing services with on-site estimates available. I pull-up I pick-up & I deliver safe and sound #RealRightResults here the vehicles are the only thing that change my results remain the same #RealRight
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes, spray and sanitize all cars before performing any services on them, and always keep on your mask while social distancing.
Pricing:
- Basic Wash/Vacuum $50
- Sedan Details $75
- Truck wash/vacuum $60
- SUV wash/vacuum $75
- Automotive/Residential Upholstery based off visual estimate price
