Hingham Teen donates a portion of its car detailing proceeds to charity – Hingham Anchor | Car Plazas

6 October 2021 By Carol Britton Meyer

Young Hingham entrepreneur George Mattison’s auto detailing business has grown by leaps and bounds as word spread around town that not only does he provide top-notch service, but he also donates a portion of the proceeds to various organizations fighting cancer.

George recently added the slogan “Cleaning for Cancer” to the George’s Car Washing website he created in memory of his former neighbor Maddie McCoy – who died in 2019 at the age of 11 – and his grandmother Karel Mattison , who recently passed away. Both succumbed to cancer.

A portion of the proceeds benefited, and will continue to benefit, Maddie’s Promise, a nonprofit volunteer organization that funds childhood cancer research.

“I went to preschool with Maddie and she lived in our neighborhood. She’s always been kind, happy and considerate of others,” George told the Hingham Anchor, “and it’s a really good thing.”

Proceeds in memory of his grandmother are donated to a different cancer-fighting organization each month.

George, 13, started his business in May 2020 as a fun summer job during the pandemic, but enjoyed it so much that he decided to “grow it out” and continue to offer interior detailing, a thorough exterior wash and a tire shine service at his customers’ homes for their convenience. Since then he has served dozens of customers.

“My goal is to do a professional job and make the experience affordable and convenient,” said George.

Along the way, he’s learned a number of lessons – not only on how to run a business, but also on the importance of saving money. “It’s tempting to spend it, but it’s usually better to save,” he said. “When I was little I immediately spent all my birthday money on Amazon and a week later I wanted something else. So my mother advised me to start saving.”

Much of his business consists of regular customers and word of mouth involving vehicle owners who, having initially reached out to Facebook when the business started, appreciate George’s professionalism and desire to make their sedans, SUVs or trucks look like new again had.

“I try not to do school buses,” he quipped.

George usually works alone unless there are more than two detailing jobs to do. Then he asks a friend for help.

Interior cleaning includes cleaning the glass, dashboard and door panels, vacuuming, and cleaning the seats and floor mats. George pays great attention to every detail, all to compliment the reviews. He brings his own cleaning equipment – all the customer has to provide is a hose outlet and a power socket.

His favorite part of the job is vacuuming and seeing the resulting “big change” in the vehicle’s appearance. Sometimes he takes before and after photos.

Looking back, having previously enjoyed cleaning his parents’ cars, it occurred to him that he might start a business. Encouragement from his grandfather – who once watched him detailing his mother’s car and gave George some tips – helped him start his own business.

“I also watched tutorials and did a lot of research,” recalls George, a student at Fusion Academy in Hingham.

A customer recently wrote the following about the service they provide: “George is doing a great job. I cannot say enough about how impressed I was with his professionalism, the quality of his work and my extensive experience with him. I will use him again soon. My truck has never looked so good.”

George hopes to be able to continue his business until, in a few years, he can get his driver’s license and drive to customers’ homes himself. “There is always someone who needs these services,” he said.

His mother Allison said she and his father are proud of George because he came up with the idea himself. “We challenged him to develop a business plan and helped him figure out how much stock to buy and what it would cost to make the business profitable,” she said. “It was a great experience for him to learn those lessons so early.”

After donating to charity, George sets aside the rest of the proceeds, likely to either save or invest.

In his free time he enjoys mountain biking.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit https://www.georgescarwashing.com/. Service will continue into the fall and possibly beyond, weather permitting. George is already fully booked well into October.