MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (WGXA) — At 19 years old, Kyan Silas has started a successful business and received second place in the youth entrepreneur program, landing him a $1,000 prize.
Kyan Silas of Milledgeville, Georgia, serves as an inspiration that your dreams really can come true, and for him, they came true at just 17 years old when he started SilasDetailing.
Silas says his inspirations are his parents, aunt and uncle who helped him with his young dream.
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Silas says he handles everything from booking to the actual detailing, all while enrolled in school.
“I balance having school and my business differently during school. I don’t accept calls until 2 p.m. during the school week, and on weekends, my business hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. I’m mostly detailing cars and booking appointments,” He said.
The Milledgeville-Baldwin County (MBC) Chamber of Commerce launched its first-ever Youth Entrepreneur Program (YEP) to provide high school juniors and seniors with real-world business experience and mentorship. The students performed a “Shark Tank-like” interview to pitch their businesses and compete for cash prizes.
Milledgeville teen runs car detailing business in school, wins $1,000 in chamber contest, March 23, 2026 (Courtesy of YEP)
Silas added that it also helped students “learn about finances and how to market your business and products,” He said.
“The process was a little challenging cause I was worried about whether or not I put enough information or time into my presentations, I could’ve lost my spot in the program.”
Kylan Silas of SilasDetailing was recognized as a second-place winner in the MBC Chamber’s inaugural 2026 YEP competition.
“Winning second place was a great experience and achievement for me, and it benefited me greatly, as me gaining more clients and got more exposure in the small town of Baldwin County and the surrounding counties. Coming in second place benefited my business a lot, with me winning one thousand dollars, which helped me buy more supplies and equipment for my business, and also helped me market by putting business cards in stores and passing them out to new clients,” Said Silas.
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