When Anthony Williams started his own business — Anthony’s Express Mobile Detailing — he followed a simple mantra that helped keep him focused in the early days.
“Do the hard thing and don’t quit,” he said. “Regardless of the challenges you face, find a way to make your dreams come true, and find a way to get it done.”
Williams, who is excited to serve public and private vehicle owners in the Mid-Ohio Valley by caring for their vehicle detailing needs, was named the Entrepreneur of the Year as part of the Riverview Credit Union Mid-Ohio Valley Entrepreneurship Expo at Marietta College.
“Business owners never think that they will be entered into a contest or even get nominated, but when you do it feels so great and even better to win,” he said.
Williams was one of six finalists who participated in the virtual panel that was also sponsored by Clutch MOV. The other finalists were Chris Bender of DaVinci’s Italian Restaurant, Denise Headlee of One Skin Care Studio, Marilyn Pence and Amanda Fulton of Your Proper Pooch, Larry Sloter of Busy Bee Restaurant, and Jennifer Wright of The Bodega.
“By highlighting the great work of these entrepreneurs, we hope to inspire others to do the same and help create an environment that welcomes a variety of entrepreneurial activities,” said Dr. Jacqueline Khorassani, Director of the Entrepreneurship Program at Marietta College. “The way I see it, every one of this year’s finalists must be congratulated for their creative problem-solving skills, resiliency, and hard work.”
Williams said the start of his career was an accident. The idea sparked when one of his friends told him how much it costs and how long it took for his car to be detailed. Therefore, he decided to start his own detailing business with the mission that “everyone should drive a pristine vehicle at an affordable price, without the inconvenience of visiting a traditional detail shop.”
With a successful business, Williams decided he needed to give back to the community that has helped him thrive. He works with several local businesses, including Red Lobster, Antero, and Enterprise, and supports nonprofits/organizations such as the Humane Society of Parkersburg, the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg, and a youth baseball league.
“My mom is a Baptist minister and she always taught us the value of charity, not just what it does for the people that you help but how it makes you feel internally,” Williams said. “So, I would say that the best thing about being an entrepreneur is having the ability to help out other people.”
Moving forward, Williams has big plans for his company.
“Being able to have a service area of about 50 miles and have about six different full crews to be working at the same time (and) franchising to a larger city such as Charleston, West Virginia, or Columbus, Ohio.”
For more information on Anthony Williams and the other finalists, visit https://clutchmov.com/2020-entrepreneur-of-the-year/. A video recording of the full session is available at https://youtu.be/uwZjlF3gMO0.