Oscar’s journey into entrepreneurship began at an early age while he spent time tinkering in his grandparents’ backyard. At just “11 or 12” years old, he would work with his grandfather in a backyard woodshop, crafting items to sell. This early exposure to creating and selling things planted the seeds of an entrepreneurial spirit that would later flourish.
The First Spark of Entrepreneurship
Even as a young child, Oscar demonstrated a knack for business. Like many kids, he operated a lemonade stand, but his true passion emerged when he got his driver’s license at age 16. A summer job at McDonald’s or Target didn’t appeal to him, so he decided to explore other opportunities. During the previous summer, he had learned how to detail cars for family and friends, something he saw as a potential business idea.
“Before I got my license, I detailed cars for my aunt, grandparents, and family,” Oscar said. Using a shop vac and cleaning supplies from AutoZone, he’d load everything up, and his dad would drive him to job sites. This early experience laid the groundwork for what was to come.
The summer Oscar turned 16, he decided to commit to detailing. With a 2007 Honda Accord as his work vehicle, he invested in basic equipment, purchasing the cheapest pressure washer and vacuum he could find. Using photos from the previous summer’s detailing jobs, he made a Facebook post in a Fargo-Moorhead community group, introducing himself as a student starting a summer business. According to Oscar, the post’s authenticity resonated with the community and generated enough interest to keep him busy for two months.
“That post kept me busy for most of the summer,” Oscar said. “I think the key was being genuine and personal. People responded to my story and wanted to support me.”
In those first two months, Oscar and a friend detailed over 40 cars, often working 14-hour days.
Scaling Up
The next few years brought both challenges and growth. Oscar’s entrepreneurial focus took a backseat during his senior year of high school as he spent time enjoying his final year with his classmates and a subsequent summer fly fishing in Montana with friends.
“Going to Montana for two weeks was big for me,” Oscar said. “Our car broke down in the middle of nowhere, in Bear Country, and we had to walk to get parts to get it fixed. I learned a lot about being able to do things on my own during that trip.”
Eventually, Oscar dove back into detailing full-time. But, when the colder temperatures rolled around, he learned that winter posed unique challenges for outdoor detailing, so he sought a heated workspace. Through networking, he secured a corner in a construction shop—a less than ideal location but a critical step toward year-round operations.
