I’ve been obsessed with cars since I could walk. I’ve got ADHD, so when I get hooked on something, it’s game over. Clean paint, sharp reflections, the smell of polish — it’s like therapy and caffeine rolled into one.
My first job was at a Rover dealership in Fleet when I was 15. Cold mornings, soggy shoes, hands raw from shampoo. I loved every miserable minute of it. Watching a filthy old Rover turn glassy clean hit a nerve and that was that.
Then came Tw Whites Mazda in Godalming. Proper old-school garage. Oil on the floor, radio too loud, sarcasm bouncing off the walls. That’s where I learned what quality actually means. No rushing, no bodges, no ego. Just pride.
Then I made the mistake of going to National Car Rental. Started outside with the cars which was sound. Then they shoved me in an office. Everyone called it a promotion. I called it solitary confinement. Strip lights, ringing phones, spreadsheets and death by boredom. That’s when I realised I’m not built for sitting still.
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The Music Bit
I went to uni for music production because I like chaos that makes noise. Being deaf means I work by feel not hearing, which weirdly made me sharper. I started DJing, ended up on Kane FM, and before long I was dragging sound systems to Holland and Germany. Loud nights, long drives, no sleep. I learned rhythm, patience, and how to keep your cool when everything goes sideways. All skills I still use when I’m chasing perfection on a bonnet.
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Coffee and Carnage
When the gigs slowed down I fell into coffee. Harris and Hoole first, then Coffix. Glenn brought me in because I was obsessed with machinery. I worked in the workshop with a bloke who taught me more about life than most people ever will. I got burned, cut, and mildly electrocuted on a weekly basis, but I loved it.
When a shop machine broke, I’d go out with the engineers to fix it. I couldn’t always hear leaks, so I learned to feel for them instead. That job taught me patience, precision and respect for the tools that keep everything moving.
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DD’s Coffee and Bakery
After that I started DD’s Coffee and Bakery with my wife. We began in a horsebox, then moved into a shop. Great coffee, early mornings, constant stress. It went well but the shop took everything out of me. I had a family member get seriously unwell and needed to be free to help, but I couldn’t. I was chained to ovens and invoices. I needed out.
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Back to Cars
So I went back to what’s always felt right. Cars. MAD started with nothing but a van, a few tools and way too much caffeine. I took everything I’d learned and mashed it together. Mazda’s pride, Coffix’s patience, coffee’s consistency, music’s rhythm and DD’s resilience.
It started small in East Leake. One car at a time, one mad day at a time. Word spread. People realised I wasn’t just washing cars. I was fixing chaos.
Now MAD is a proper setup. Interiors, paint correction, ceramic coatings, the lot. Clean cars, no shortcuts, all graft.
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What’s Next
I’m studying automotive paint and refinishing now. I want MAD to handle smart repairs and full refinishing. Not just cleaning around the damage but fixing it. Properly.
Every job I’ve had built this.
Rover taught me pride.
Mazda taught me craftsmanship.
National taught me what boredom feels like.
Music and Kane FM taught me rhythm and pressure.
Coffee taught me consistency.
Coffix taught me how to fix things and stay grounded.
DD’s taught me resilience.
ADHD taught me hyperfocus and madness in equal measure.
Some detailers want fancy studios, heated floors and easy money. I crave chaos. Early mornings, cold hands, perfect paint and a bit of madness. That’s where I’m at my best. That’s MAD.