Today we’d like to introduce you to Russell Sanders.
Hi Russell, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always had a passion for cars and a creative, entrepreneurial mindset. What started as detailing vehicles at a local dealership, Bommarito Nissan, eventually led me to a position at a high-end performance shop, Bespoke Motors (now known as White Glove Exotic Services). It was there that I realized there was a path to freedom through delivering high-quality work and exceptional customer service, which inspired me to start my own detailing business.
I founded Retro Auto Detail STL with the goal of providing a personal level of care and craftsmanship that goes far beyond a typical car wash. We specialize in mobile detailing, paint correction, ceramic coatings, biweekly maintenance detailing, and preserving everything from everyday family vehicles to rare collector cars.
As the business grew, I expanded into other ventures, including real estate investing, because I enjoy building things that create long-term value. Real estate taught me that many of the formulas for success are universal across business. It has helped me maximize my income while also creating opportunities to pursue my passion for classic cars. My long-term vision is to own more collector vehicles and eventually evolve RADSTL into a specialty car dealership in an underleveraged, financially responsible way. Whether it’s restoring a neglected property or bringing a vehicle back to better-than-new condition, I love taking something with potential and transforming it.
Like most entrepreneurs, the journey hasn’t been without challenges. Building a business from the ground up with very little money meant long hours, 16-hour days, late nights in my 20×40 pole barn polishing cars until 2 a.m., early mornings completing mobile details, and stretching every dollar so I could reinvest into better equipment and a more efficient detailing process. I learned through plenty of mistakes, but I stayed committed even when things were difficult. Those experiences taught me resilience, the importance of serving people well, and the value of setting healthy boundaries within my business.
Today, I’m focused on growing businesses that provide real value to the community while creating opportunities for others and for my family. I’m committed to learning every day. I’m grateful for how far this journey has taken me. I’m happy, but I’m not satisfied. I still feel like I’m just getting started because RADSTL is more than a detailing company.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been smooth overall, I’ve definitely pushed myself to lean into things when things get hard. I try to be a well organized person between having multiple lists of things I’m working on and having a dialed in schedule. I’d say the most challenging thing is you never know what tomorrow brings a lot of my commercial clients like craven Preformance are growing at an insane rate which I service once a week can easily turn into 3 times a week which definitely puts pressure on me but it’s something I lean into and prioritize while also servicing my bi weekly/ weekly detailing clients and other commercial accounts.
some other challenges are growing pains. Booking out a month or two is great but not great when you have 20 phone calls a day and can’t keep up with leads! I definitely need to focus on scaling and hiring to be able to take care of customers on faster pace. When I do book out I typically subcontract other detailers and try to take care of the customers based on there wants and needs.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Retro Auto Detail STL is a small premium in-house/ mobile detailing company serving the St. Louis area. We specialize in paint correction, ceramic coatings, maintenance detailing, and protecting everything from daily drivers to exotic, classic, and collector vehicles.
What sets us apart is our focus on quality over volume. We don’t believe in rushing through as many cars as possible. Every vehicle is treated as if it were our own, with meticulous attention to detail, professional-grade products, and a personalized experience from start to finish. Being fully mobile also allows us to provide convenience without sacrificing quality, saving our clients valuable time.
One of the things I’m most proud of is the trust we’ve built within the community. Much of our business comes from repeat clients and referrals from the many businesses we do business with directly which tells me we’re doing something right. We’ve earned the opportunity to work on everything from family vehicles to rare collector cars even local celebrities because our customers know we’ll treat them with the same level of care and respect.
Looking ahead, my vision for Retro Auto Detail STL extends beyond detailing. I want to build a brand that’s recognized for craftsmanship, integrity, and excellence in the automotive industry. Whether that means expanding into additional automotive services or one day becoming a specialty dealership, the mission will remain the same: deliver exceptional quality, build lasting relationships, and always leave peoples better off than when they found us.
What does success mean to you?
Success is based on happiness I believe. I started RADSTL because cars make me happy I chose rad so I can work on rad cars and work with rad people and so far it’s going as planned.
Pricing:
- interior and exterior detail $300
- interior detail $200
- Exterior wash $100
- Exterior wash + wax $160
- Interior detail + shampooing extraction $300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Retroautodetailstl.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retroautodetailstl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19BTfYgh9Z/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@radstl
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@retroautodetailstlouis
