Joy Harvey is a small business owner proving that resilience can pay off even in uncertain times. As the owner of Harvey’s Detail Connection, a premium mobile automotive detailing business in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Harvey is navigating the same economic headwinds many entrepreneurs face — but in an industry that is especially vulnerable to downturns.

The auto detailing industry is particularly sensitive to shifts in consumer spending. Amid ongoing uncertainty, many customers are stretching the time between services or forgoing detailing altogether.

Yet despite these hurdles, Harvey is determined to grow.

“Anytime, I feel like anytime anybody asks a business what’s their biggest problem, it’s going to be capital,” Harvey said. “Now, we are getting revenue in, but it’s like, soon as you start seeing the light of day, something breaks. And then, consistent labor, that’s still the problem.”

Strategic Guidance from CU

Since 2024, Harvey has been working with Senior Management Consultant James Custer on the Entrepreneurship Team at Communities Unlimited (CU). In an earlier engagement, Custer helped Harvey refine her pricing and cost structure, setting the business on a more sustainable path. That foundational work paid off: Harvey’s Detail Connection has continued to grow, and Custer remained a steady source of strategic guidance.

“He set some things in play that introduced me to certain tools I could use, different experiences I could put into my business,” Harvey said. “James would be like, ‘I’m not trying to be hard on you, but I got to. You need to do your accounting for your books.’”

Custer also praised Harvey’s entrepreneurial drive:

“Joy is a natural entrepreneur. She is always digging into new ideas, asking smart questions, and finding ways to grow her knowledge and skills. You can tell that she is genuinely excited about learning and growing, and that energy makes working with her a real pleasure.”

Learning Through Experience

Most recently, Custer worked closely with Harvey on preparing a bid for a commercial contract with the City of Tulsa. While the company didn’t win the contract, Harvey views the process as invaluable experience — a concrete lesson in pursuing higher-value, more consistent revenue streams through business contracts rather than relying solely on individual consumers.

“You don’t understand how much me and James worked on that bid,” Harvey said. “I was up all day working on that bid, but I know that there’s an opportunity. I know that there’s something bigger than just consumers. Because I think one thing we were working on is trying to really get out of the consumers and just focusing on businesses. Because that’s the most consistent income.”

Wealth Builder Program

In 2025, Harvey also completed CU’s Wealth Builder program, supported by a Wells Fargo grant. The program provides training and incentive payments to help small business owners build personal wealth through their businesses.

Harvey received her first payment in March 2025 and her second in September. She put the funds to work strategically: purchasing a new power washer for her business, hiring a professional bookkeeping service through Wave, and investing the remainder into her retirement account. With these steps, she not only strengthened her business operations but also laid the foundation for her personal financial future.

CU’s engagement naturally concluded after the Wealth Builder program wrapped up. Harvey had completed every phase of the program and left with sharper tools, deeper knowledge, and a stronger financial footing.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

When she reflects on where Harvey’s Detail Connection has come from and where it’s headed, Joy is both grateful and optimistic.

“I can’t look ahead without reflecting on what happened in the past,” she said. “And coming from where I came from to see where I am in just three years — that is something that I’m thankful for. I’m thankful for the experience. I see the future becoming brighter than what it is just simply because of that. If I can do this in three years, imagine what the next three years is going to be like.”

Speaking about James, she said, “That guy is amazing. You don’t find people that put that much passion into what they do. But him, you can tell this wasn’t just a job. This is something that he was passionate about. And I’m very appreciative of him.”

Their work together has also given her confidence about future financing:

Joy Harvey’s story highlights the grit of small business owners and the impact of having the right support system through CU.