About Kelly
Meet Certified Detailer & Paint Correction Specialist, Kelly Mankin, CD SV
Born in Portland, Oregon, Kelly Mankin’s journey to becoming a certified automotive detailer and paint correction specialist started when Kelly’s father peeked her interest in cars at a young age, but it was a group of colleagues who recognized her talent for detailing and hired her as a detailer part-time while she and her brother operated a restaurant business on the side.
Kelly became known for getting a car – especially the interiors, “crazy clean”. In spite of that, it was a Hawaiian vacation that changed Kelly’s career trajectory.
Crazy Clean in Hawaii
Kelly found a modest but somewhat primitive beachfront hut in Kona where oceanfront living became a soul-fulfilling time for her. All she needed was the island’s plumeria breeze, the roaring surf, and the sand between her toes. She began taking boating excursions and swimming with the dolphins – still one of her favorite past times – and one day it occurred to her that Kona would be a good place to start a beachside automotive detailing business.
One festive evening out with friends, Kelly created the name Ake Ake Detailing. It sounded Hawaiian but to this day, no one is certain what it means! She used an old surf board to make a business sign and opened her first detailing shop right there on the beachfront. Sixteen years later, people still say, ‘You’re that place by Alakala’s with the surf board sign!’
Kelly threw herself into detailing. She did everything completely by hand – hand wash, hand dry, hand compounding and hand polishing; but she was no slouch at cleaning interiors!
With her detailing business taking off, she began raiding junkyards for car hoods and panels on which she could practice her machine polishing skills.
Getting Involved
A series of life-changing events led Kelly to get involved with the LightON Foundation, a local nonprofit women’s advocacy group for trauma victims.
She takes the ladies from the LightON Foundation out on boat rides and to swim with the dolphins. It is a magical experience not just for the women, but for Kelly who benefited as much from the experience as they did. She still actively supports the Foundation with charity car washes, an annual rummage sale, and yes, she still takes ladies out to swim with the dolphins.
The Automotive Detailing Business Takes a Technological Turn
By 2012, Kelly had built up a customer base but she wanted to provide the highest possible quality of service. Several innovative automotive products, equipment and techniques was changing how car owners viewed their automotive investments and Kelly got her first two commercial detailing gigs with Big Island Honda and McKenna Motor Cars – both who are still clients after 16 years!
She also began cleaning tour company vans, private aircraft, and even helicopters at Mauna Loa Helicopter School. These jobs presented her with bigger detailing jobs that paid well and expanded her service offering.
After five years of slow but steady growth and once again needing more space, Kelly took over the lease on a much larger location vacated by another detailer at 74-5491 Kaiwi Street in Kona – the current home of Ake Ake Professional Detailing.
Certified Member of the International Detailing Association
Kelly Mankin is a certified member (CD) of the IDA, and holds an advanced Skills Validated (SV) certification with the organization. As a member, Kelly is held to a higher quality standard than non-certified detailers. Car owners can be assured that IDA members are tested and certified according to strict industry standards determined by leading industry professionals. The SV designation means Kelly has passed challenging hands-on testing in the field for their abilities. The IDA is active in helping car owners understand the value in professional detailing services and they make it easy for customers to contact an IDA-certified detailer like Kelly in your area!
Air Force One Detailing Team
Kelly’s mentor Renny Doyle selected Kelly to the 2019 Air Force One Detailing Team at Seattle’s Museum of Flight back in July. She was chosen from among hundreds of detailers across the country.
Kelly and the rest of the pro bono team also clean and maintain dozens of other historic aircraft on exhibit at the museum including a WWII bomber, a Concorde jet, and the original “Jumbo Jet” 747.