When your family has a rule not to talk about the car wash business at Thanksgiving and other family gatherings, you know you’re in deep.
Katilin Wright (Kati) is the Marketing Manager at Lone Star Car Wash Systems, where her parents, Clay and Kelli Wilson are general partners. Her husband, Brandon, is director of operations. Her younger brother works in maintenance for Racer Car Wash. She also has a cousin in product development with National Carwash Solutions, whose dad was in the industry before him.
“I actually thought it wasn’t for me at all,” Wright said.
Wright studied political science in college, but she couldn’t stay away from the family business. For Wright, the familial nature of the industry drew her back. “I think everyone can agree that it’s really like a big family,” she said. “When you go to a trade show and see others, it’s not just a handshake, it’s a hug.”
For example, in passing, she saw Chuck Space, executive director of the Southwest Carwash Association, at one of the shows and mentioned that he should do a panel discussion for women in the industry. The next thing she knew, she was moderating a panel with Sue Chappel, marketing manager of Macneil Car Wash Systems, and Charnann Cox, U.S. car wash manager at 7-Eleven.“I’m grateful to all of the people who have advocated for me when I want to learn or grow in some area of the car wash industry,” Wright said.
Wright’s dad has been one of her biggest supporters, offering to teach her — or find the right person to teach her — whatever she wants to know in the industry. And when you’re in a family-owned business, there’s no telling what you might need to know on a given day.
“I have no problem going out and running volumetrics or opening a pay station if the need arises,” Wright said. “Once, I had to help change a hydraulic motor. We were really using every problem-solving skill we could, including Facetiming. I don’t think my dad’s ever been prouder. It actually brought tears to his eyes.”
While her dad might be her greatest advocate, her mom is her inspiration: “She’s the real boss in the family,” Wright said.Though she credits her dad as “brilliant when it comes to sales,” when you need anything done, Wright will tell you to ask her mom. “She’s the one that writes the checks and heads up everything in the office,” she said.
As the family continues to refine processes like moving from paper to ubiquitous web-based software, the company’s initial vision of honest service has not wavered. “My parents started the company with the vision of making the industry better as a whole through honest service,” Wright said. “I’m excited about the future.”
Lone Star now has just under 20 employees and is moving its headquarters from Lubbock to Houston.