Leland Jones went from a college dropout to savvy entrepreneur Leave a comment

If you are among the millions of people who have actively worried about the much-touted ‘death of the American dream’ in recent years… meet Leland Jones. 

The entrepreneur has been shedding some light on how to restore your hopes and a healthy work culture, post-COVID-19. 

As a business owner, author and general people-person behind the wildly successful Ceramic King Coatings of Virginia, Jones not only embodies the essence of the American dream but has simultaneously revitalized the path for others. 

And, no one is more surprised and grateful about all of that than Jones himself.

As the child of a military family, Leland Jones can legitimately claim to have grown up all over the world. 

Spending the majority of his early years in Hawaii, he then attended high school in Singapore, where he likewise launched his first company, a T-shirt printing business. 

Choosing Alaska for college, Jones was in pursuit of a business administration degree when a chance conversation with a friend who was helping him clean out his vehicle turned into a harbinger for Jones’ highly unexpected future career. 

The friend was contemplating starting a business, and Jones, who had been detailing cars on the side to make extra money, wanted to encourage his friend by showing him that all one really had to do to start a business in America was to start.

As a pseudo-joke to test this optimistic theory, Jones and his buddy bought approximately $300 worth of cleaning supplies and headed to the local dog park.

Entrepreneur Leland Jones details how he went from a college dropout to raking in seven-figures with a debt-free company… and why he’s written books to inspire others to do the same

Offering passersby a car wash while they walked their dogs, Day One of this fun experiment saw Jones and Co. make all of their money back and get shouted out on the radio by their final client of the day, a local DJ. 

The next day turned a profit of just over $1,000, and it was not long after that Jones was so successful at the stumbled-upon craft that he dropped out of school to pursue it full-time.

As might be expected, Jones’ family was less than thrilled with Jones’ decampment from college at first. 

However, by sticking to his gut instinct, he not only bootstrapped his way to over seven figures in revenue with no venture debt whatsoever, but he has also watched his two siblings leave steady jobs to chase down their personal ventures now too.

Knowing what it feels like to go from irksome irregularity to inspiration in the eyes of the world, Jones has written four books, the first right out of high school, all on subjects to serve others out there who might be or feel like him: entrepreneurship, business, sales, self-awareness, overcoming failure. 

When queried about his authorial aims, Jones shares: ‘I just want other people who have an idea for a business to feel motivated and to know that they can achieve anything they put their minds to.’

Now married with two children, Jones has been instrumental in developing and launching Ceramic King Coatings of Virginia, becoming the name brand for automotive paint correction and sealant in his area. 

Having moved his shop to Virginia Beach after college so that he could do the job full-time and not have to combat Alaskan winters and the inevitable hiatus they put to his line of work, Jones now has ten full-time employees on the payroll, a line of proprietary products for his company, and an appointment log that stays booked out for months in advance. 

Jones has been instrumental in developing and launching Ceramic King Coatings of Virginia, becoming the name brand for automotive paint correction and sealant in his area

With the ceramic coating service representing his company’s primary offering and each vehicle requiring roughly 24 man hours to complete, he turns an average of 3 cars out per day at a healthy four-figure service price each. 

Jones is emphatic about the quality of the care he provides his customers and says he loves networking and meeting car owners most of all in his job. ‘I feel like I’m living in a simulation,’ he says of his good fortune.

He also firmly believes in the mandatory value of giving back to his community. Ceramic King Coatings of Virginia only partners with car shows and local events that align with charities that Jones and his co-founders support. 

Active sponsorships include Shriner’s, the American Red Cross, the VFW, and POW/MIA families. 

Deriving from a long line of military men, Jones believed that route would be his own before recognizing how much he was enjoying working amid his greatest passion: cars. 

The global perspective he has earned via a life lived widely, openly, and in far-flung locales infiltrates every aspect of Jones’ ability to connect with and relate to people from all walks of life. 

He has enjoyed being personally contacted by many he has not even met in person who reached out to let him know that his books had been integral in their abilities to carry on or move forward within their aspirations.

‘I do believe that wisdom comes with experiences and time,’ he shares. ‘I know I’m young in years, but I have seen a lot, and I hope to one day know as much as my Dad, but to use everything I’ve learned every day to the best advantage of anyone I meet.’