How 1-800-GOT-JUNK? started

Summary

In the summer 25 years ago, the speaker struggled to find a job due to a tight labor market. Inspired by a beat-up truck with 'Marx hauling' on the side, they decided to start their own junk removal company, 'Rubbishboys'. The vision was to transform the industry by professionalizing it with clean trucks, friendly drivers, and reliable service. With the help of entrepreneurial individuals, they built a globally admired brand, showcasing the power of seizing opportunities and turning them into successful businesses.

Takeaways

• 🚚 The founder of 1-800-GOT-JUNK started his business after a summer job was hard to find, inspired by a beat-up truck doing junk hauling.
• 🌟 The idea of starting his own junk removal company came to him while working in a McDonald's drive-through.
• 💡 He envisioned professionalizing the junk removal industry with clean trucks, friendly drivers, and on-time service.
• 🚛 The company, initially called 'the rubbishboys,' aimed to differentiate itself by offering a more professional service.
• 📈 The business model involved recruiting entrepreneurial individuals to buy trucks and franchises, expanding the brand.
• 🔗 The script emphasizes the importance of having a vision and the belief in the potential to grow and succeed in business.
• 💼 The founder highlights the need for a team and the role of each member in building a globally admired brand.
• 🌐 The company's growth strategy included standardizing the service with clean trucks and uniforms to resemble a FedEx-style business model.
• 💰 The script suggests that even in a tough job market, there are opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation.
• 📉 The script mentions a recession and a 30% decrease in job placements, indicating the economic context of the business's inception.

Q & A

What was the situation in the summer labor market 25 years ago?

The summer labor market was tight, with it being almost impossible to find a summer job, and job placement in employment centers was down by as much as 30% due to the recession.

What was the speaker contemplating at the McDonald's drive-through?

The speaker was contemplating his future and how to find a way to pay for college, which was set to start in September.

What inspired the speaker to start his own business?

The speaker was inspired by a beat-up old pickup truck with plywood side panels that said 'Marx hauling' on the side, which made him realize there was an opportunity in junk removal.

What was the name of the company the speaker started?

The speaker started a junk removal company named 'The Rubbishboys'.

What was the speaker's vision for the junk removal industry?

The speaker envisioned professionalizing the industry by making it more like a FedEx style business, with clean shiny trucks, friendly uniform drivers, on-time service, and up-front rates.

How did the speaker plan to achieve his vision for the company?

The speaker planned to achieve his vision by recruiting entrepreneurially spirited individuals who would buy trucks and franchises, helping to build a globally admired brand.

What was the estimated number of trucks hauling junk across Canada at the time?

At the time, there were an estimated 2,000 beat-up old pickup trucks or people hauling junk across Canada.

What was the speaker's approach to building the business?

The speaker's approach was to start with a vision of what the company would become and then work towards achieving that vision by recruiting the right people and growing the business.

How did the speaker describe the people he recruited for the business?

The speaker described the people he recruited as 'happy people' and 'entrepreneurially spirited individuals' who were willing to buy trucks and franchises to help build the brand.

What was the speaker's ultimate goal for the company?

The speaker's ultimate goal was to build something special and globally admired by professionalizing the junk removal industry and creating a FedEx style business model.

What was the speaker's mindset when starting the business?

The speaker had a mindset of determination and vision, believing that not only did he hope to become a successful business but that he would become one.