Today we’d like to introduce you to Anson Craig.
Hi Anson, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
“I’ve always had a passion for cars and knew I wanted to run my own business like my father, Michael, who ran a carpet and tile cleaning business, FloorCareMD, since the ’80s. I worked with my dad starting as a young teen, and I also took the automotive repair & technology course at Greater Johnstown School District. Around that time, I began detailing vehicles for friends and family regularly. I was obsessed with finding the best products and techniques for cleaning and scratch removal, constantly trying different waxes and sealants.
When I graduated in 2008, I got a job at a Chevy dealership cleaning vehicles and later became a repair technician, but I quickly realized I enjoyed detailing far more than wrenching. I then moved on to Miller’s Auto Body in Ferndale, detailing vehicles after they were repaired. Watching Mr. Miller taught me a lot about paint, paint technology, and what it takes to run an auto shop.
Around this time, I first learned about a new paint protection product called Opti-Coat Ceramic Coating. Once I tried it on my own vehicle, I knew it was a total game-changer—one application and you never had to wax again. I saw the potential to build a business around it right then and there.
I eventually left the body shop to help my father with his carpet cleaning business as it was rapidly growing. But on the side, I kept building my own detailing client list by offering mobile, on-site service. By 2013, my detailing schedule was full every day while I worked nights with my dad. I officially got my business license and shifted my focus to making mobile detailing my main income. That’s how the name MDX Detailing was born—I was the ‘Mobile Detail Xpert.’ While I did plenty of interior details, the ceramic coatings were what really put my name on the map.
I married my beautiful wife, Brittany, in 2014, and she stepped up big time—helping with larger jobs like RVs and boats while managing the growing stack of bookwork. We bought our home in 2016, which had an attached garage I could work out of. By 2019, I phased out mobile service entirely to focus on drop-off jobs, saving travel time and expanding our offerings to include Paint Protection Film (PPF) and window tinting.
In 2020, we bought the old Westwood Fire Department building for MDX Detailing’s new home from John, the owner of Hot Wheelz next door. That’s when business really exploded. By the end of 2021, we had six full-time employees and a client list of over 2,000 people.
Today, we’ve served over 8,000 customers and brought more than 12,000 vehicles through our shop for detailing, ceramic coatings, PPF, tint, remote starts, vinyl wraps, and more. Brittany and I now have a 20-month-old son, Callum, with another baby on the way! I am incredibly proud of what MDX Detailing and our team have accomplished, but my family is what truly makes me happy.”
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 roads are smooth for anybody starting a small business. It’s a roller coaster ride. Many ups and downs. There’s slow times, & then times you can’t handle the workload. Health issues. Financial issues. Losing family members. The same problems we all have to deal with unfortunately.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about MDX Detailing LLC?
MDX Detailing specializes in new vehicle protection and customization. When choosing what brand of products to offer to our customers, like PPF, Ceramic Coatings, Tint, I personally test them, for years on my own vehicles to find the best ones. The brands of products we offer are based on longterm, personal test results. We do not choose brands based on cost, our profit margins, or what product companies have the biggest advertising campaigns. We do not offer any products unless we know first hand they will outperform what is expected.
Our Opti-Coat ceramic paint coatings are the best way to keep your paint glossy and easy to clean. Guaranteed. Since 2008 I have tried so many coatings that claim to last 5, 7, 9 + years. We have never seen anything even close to this with any brand of ceramic besides Opti-Coat. I have cars that were coated in 2008 and the coating is still performing today, from 1 application. Some products can bead water for a few years, but they lack the protection ability for the paint. For example, other ceramic coatings still allow things like bird droppings to etch into the clear coat and destroy the paint job. Opti-Coat keeps paint looking new.
What sets us apart though is my Golden Rule Policy. I treat my customers how I want to be treated. Honest, kind, and fair.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
If you treat your customers, how you would like to be treated, your reputation and customer base will grow quickly. When you run into slow times, it will pick back up. Don’t get depressed, just keep focused on your quality of work, taking care of your family, and treating your customers with care.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mdxdetailing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdxdetailing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DetailExpert/
