Underground Workshop: Trading a desk for detailing

Oscar Green washing a car. Photo by Jeremy Bisson

Molly Kane is a Colchester High School student working with the Underground Workshop, a network of student journalists across Vermont partnering with Community News Service. 

Oscar Green, a 2023 graduate of Colchester High School, was given the opportunity to make his own flexible pathway. In 2022, he started his own business. 

Green was introduced to cars by his car enthusiast uncle, Lee Roy, in 2020. Green’s first experience in detailing was washing his uncle's “prized gray Porsche,” and ever since, his Uncle Lee has been one of Green’s biggest supporters. 

His first experience in business was doing any small freelance jobs he could find, such as landscaping, pressure washing and washing the exterior of cars. When Green knew that detailing was what he wanted to do, he made the decision to stick with it and began what would eventually become Green Detailing VT. 

As the amount of work he’d do for people began to evolve, Green knew he’d need to spend more time on his work. 

“I saw I could make something of it, so I went full in,” he said.

With the help of his guidance counselor, Green was able to adapt his schedule to get in more credit than he would need to graduate. He spent half of his day at school, then worked six or more hours on his business. 

“Without this I would’ve just planned on doing the bare minimum,” Green said. 

“It’s a lot having to keep track of school, customers, finances, somehow have a social life, and then take care of myself,” Green said. “[Changing the schedule has] definitely helped me fit everything into those 24 hours.”

If he didn’t have the possibility to adapt his schedule, Green Detailing would not be as developed as it is.

“If I waited to start my business until after high school I would not have the certainty I do now that I will be able to continue this as a full time career,” Green said. 

Since graduating from high school, Green’s business and his goals have been transformed. Along with his successes, he has faced challenges.  

When Green first started his business, he washed cars and did other small detailing jobs. Since then, there have been additions including paint correction and ceramic coatings. 

“The biggest improvement to my company since last year has been the addition of our shop space in Milton,” Green wrote in an email. Renting a garage was one of Green's goals at the beginning of the year. 

“[The space] has allowed me to continue working in conditions I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise,” Green wrote. “Our new company van has allowed us to hold much more equipment so we can service multiple vehicles before having to resupply.”

Originally, Green could only fit equipment and himself in his car, so he didn’t have anyone helping him. Now he can fit another person with the van. His most consistent worker is a fellow CHS 2023 graduate, Jeremy Bisson, who started fully helping Green at the beginning of summer 2023.

“One major issue I have run into is staffing,” Green wrote. “Having the right team behind you is the key to running a successful business and it has been something I haven’t been able to crack.”

“Offering good wages isn’t enough nowadays especially with the ever changing schedule this job demands,” Green wrote. “I have some plans as to how to improve this but all require a lot of time and patience.”