A proud father has revealed why his teenage son ditched video games to launch his own hand car washing business.
Fourteen-year-old Clark Heisel decided to spend his Christmas gift cash on products to clean neighbours’ cars – but parent Patrick has faced an online backlash.
Now the former police officer and Army cadet has told how the pair are fending off critics as his son learns the value of ‘how to graft’.
Clark’s early entrepreneurial spirit has been widely praised, as he prepares to brave the rain to offer hour-long car washes to his local community in Bromley, Kent.
There have been helpful suggestions about which sponges to use or avoid – though also criticism from online critics labelling Clark’s efforts ‘child slavery’.
But his father insists Clark will learn plenty from his new teenage trade, including management of money as well as interacting with locals.
Clark Heisel, 14, has set himself the challenge of his own hand car washing business for neighbours in Bromley, Kent – spending his Christmas cash on cleaning products
His money-making efforts – charging £4 per hour-long car wash – are being supported by father Patrick, pictured here in Westminster with Clark and his sister Scarlett
Mr Heisel, 49, first posted on X, formerly Twitter: ‘My boy has run low on cash, and I don’t do pocket money. Grafting are my principles.
‘Recognising gaming brings in no income, he has started his own hand car washing business, £4 per car.
‘He has invested his Xmas money on equipment. I wish him luck knocking on doors like old days!’
Mr Heisel, who works as a civil servant while also selling his own watercolour paintings, told of taking up car washing for extra cash when he too was a youngster.
But he says it was Clark who came up with the idea over the festive season and went out to hardware stores to stock up on cleaning products with his Christmas cash.
They are now taking on board suggestions in response to the original post offering advice on best materials – including which sponges to snub to avoid damaging cars.
Yet there has also been abuse – something Mr Heisel accepted as inevitable online, while also feeling pleasant surprise his post attracted as much acclaim as it did.
He told : ‘I usually just share my watercolour paintings on Twitter and they only get a few “likes” and I assumed that would be the same this time, but this post seems to have gone viral.
Patrick Heisel’s post on X, formerly Twitter, has received thousands of ‘likes’ and shares
Patrick Heisel’s post about his son’s car washing plans has been met a largely positive reception online but he has been responding to critics suggesting ‘slavery’ and ‘under-selling’
‘Most of the comments have been positive – but there have been a few accusing me of “child slavery”, which I can’t understand. He’s just trying to do some good.’
One online critic wrote in response: ‘Teaching him how to be a good slave.
‘100 car washes to earn £400 is slavery. £400 is nothing considering the amount of cars he will be scrubbing.’
Yet there has also been praise including from Pimlico Plumbers entrepreneur Charlie Mullins, who posted: ‘Well done. l did the same many years ago and delivering laundry and milk running errands for all the shops. Your young lad is very sharp.’
Mr Heisel told how his son wants to pursue a career in gaming but in the meantime wanted to find an alternative option to make ‘a few bob’, not receiving pocket money.
The father said: ‘He’s a grade A student, a scout, and he does chores around the house but he wanted to do something more to earn extra cash for computer games.
‘I told him what I used to do as a kid, washing cars for local people so they didn’t have to drive all that way to get it done elsewhere.
‘He thought that was a really good idea and has been focused on it ever since – he’s washed my car a few times before, really well, but he wants to really take it on.
‘He used his own money over Christmas to go out and buy products, then worked out what the best profit margins – we think £4 is fair and he might get tipped.’
Some online suggested Clark was ‘underselling himself’ by charging just £4, but his father responded: ‘That may be but consider this – he is only 14 years old with no outgoings but sweets and games.
‘Hopefully he will be tipped for doing a good job to around a fiver.
‘This is more a lesson on creating something out of nothing through grafting. But we will review.’
Video game fan Clark Heisel has set them aside for now as he concentrates on car washing
His father Patrick, pictured here during last year’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations at the Cenotaph, sells his own paintings after previously serving in the police and army cadets
Recent bad weather – with damage done by Storm Henk – has hindered Clark’s entrepreneurial hopes so far, with his father saying: ‘We’d really love to get out there and start washing cars.
‘That’s what he wants to do once the rain subsides but so far it’s not been possible – we’ve got the equipment, we want to get knocking on doors.
‘He just wants to earn a few bob for some sweets and computer games.’
Yet Mr Heisel also trusts his son will learn as well as earn.
He said: ‘We’re not talking about earning a living – it’s just a few bob in his pocket.
‘And we’ve been very clear that homework comes first – this is purely secondary, to build up his confidence, understand money, respond to clients and interact with the local community.
‘And he’ll do a proper job on every car each time, I’m very clear about that – it’ll be grafting, building a real work ethic, but enjoying it too.’