Local entrepreneur Myles McGregor launched his transportation startup amid the pandemic to build a solid income and, more importantly, to support his passion for a career in music.
What he didn't expect were the local legacy clients his business would attract to help him grow closer to that goal.
"So I want to say about six to eight months into it, I had some really great advisers," McGregor told CBJ. "One by the name of Malcomb Coley. He called me one day and asked me to go pick up about $100,000 worth of wine for him in Augusta, Georgia. I did that about two, three times, and after that third time, I guess I earned his trust to kind of tap into his network."
The startup, Charlotte Immaculate Services, was founded in 2021 as a "jack-of-all-trades" business. It offered everything from home cleaning to gutter services. But with a key referral from Coley, Charlotte managing partner at accounting firm EY, the company settled into its niche of luxury transportation and never looked back.
The company now provides concierge-like services primarily to high-level executives, retired employees, senior citizens, business owners and board members across the Charlotte region. One regular passenger McGregor didn't see coming is Hugh McColl, former CEO and chairman at Charlotte's Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC).
"So he called me and let me know that he has a buddy of his," McGregor said about Coley, who connected McColl to the company. "He didn't even tell me that it was Hugh. He said: 'Hey, I have a buddy of mine that's in Charlotte and needs a ride to his meetings today.' So ever since then, I hit it off with him that first day — when he immediately asked if I could be his personal driver."
McGregor said from that moment, McColl has utilized his business over the last 18 months to cater to the local legend and his network. Charlotte Immaculate Services now has about 35 recurring clients, including McColl, Coley and other local leaders such as Kieth Cockrell, Charlotte president at Bank of America, and Gene Woods, CEO at Advocate Health.
With Coley's referral, the startup has also secured partnerships with Charlotte Sports Foundation, Falfurrias Capital Partners and Lowe's Cos. Inc. (NYSE: LOW). It provides transportation services for their leading executives, clients and board members.
The startup is equipped with 11 drivers and nine cars, including two Teslas, three Chevy Suburbans, a Ford Expedition, two Cadillac Escalades and a Hyundai Genesis. It additionally provides pick-up and drop-off services for its clients.
A bigger purpose for the Charlotte native
McGregor, a Charlotte native, moved to Florida in the summer of 2018 to pursue a music career at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. During his time there, he created songs under his artist title of MYLESTONE.
A few months later, he decided to drop out of school, landing a distribution deal in November 2018 with Young Money Entertainment — a record label founded in 2003 by rapper Lil Wayne. It has signed several big-name artists such as Nicki Minaj, Drake and T-Pain.
McGregor produced an album named "Carved in Stone" through the label before deciding to leave the record company in February 2020. He said he had minimal control of his pay and music.
"So I was blessed enough then to get out of my contract with them, move back to Charlotte and keep two of the managers that I was working with in the music world," he said.
Charlotte Immaculate Services was funded initially through money from McGregor's music venture. His end goal with the startup is to generate enough resources and capital to achieve a career in music on a bigger scale.
He told CBJ that leveraging Charlotte Immaculate makes sense. The music McGregor currently has in the works focuses on running his startup, while the business could provide a bigger platform for his music career.
What's ahead for the startup?
After picking up traction in recent months, Charlotte Immaculate decided to offer three monthly membership options for its clients. The membership prices range from $99 to $499 a month, according to the company's website.
The startup is looking to double its contractual partnerships in Charlotte. Organizations the company is eyeing include the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC. It is also considering providing delivery services for local high-end restaurants.
McGregor said the business additionally aims to grow its digital marketing company, Immaculate Digital Agency. It launched last year and has provided marketing and social-media branding for well-known groups such as the YMCA of Greater Charlotte.
Charlotte Immaculate is now working to expand to Atlanta and Miami by the end of this year, as many of its clients travel to other major cities for business, he said.
"This is a hometown kid in a corporate world creating a business that caters to them, all while still striving to make my dreams come true — which would be through music," McGregor said.
