From UpFlip.
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From an old truck and a hay trailer to a thriving $20K/month junk removal business, Army veteran John Cavanaugh’s story proves that success doesn’t always need fancy investors or complicated strategies. When his wife Alison lost her six-figure job during COVID, they faced a critical moment. That’s when John discovered an opportunity in the junk removal business that would change their lives forever.
Starting with just $4,000 and a simple plan, John built Big John’s Junk Removal while juggling a truck driving job and raising six kids. Today, his junk removal business serves countless satisfied customers, operates debt-free, and employs six team members.
The secret? No cutting corners. While most junk removal companies struggle with customer service, John and Alison focused on the basics: showing up on time, honest pricing, and exceptional service. They proved that sometimes the simplest approach yields the biggest results.
In this episode, John shares how he turned a crisis into an opportunity, built a successful junk removal business from scratch, and manages to balance family life with a full-time job and a “full-time side hustle”. Learn his practical insights on starting small, the power of genuine customer service, and how faith and determination can fuel success.
Resources:
🎓 FREE Business Startup Course – https://links.upflip.com/4jxPYlv
🎓 Take our FREE Business Discovery Assessment – https://links.upflip.com/3HgI8zf
🎓 Launch your business in 10-days guaranteed – https://links.upflip.com/4mCRSDZ
🎓 Start or scale your business with the UpFlip Academy – https://links.upflip.com/43katgI
📕 FREE access to ‘137 most profitable businesses’ – https://links.upflip.com/43AGMa2
📕 FREE access to ‘8 franchises you wish you knew about earlier’ – https://links.upflip.com/441DFbB
🎙️ Follow the UpFlip Podcast – https://links.upflip.com/43BDEdZ
📩 Join the UpFlip Newsletter – https://links.upflip.com/4kjqRE9
👉 John’s business – https://www.bigjohnsjunkremoval.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 – Start
00:54 – Biz inspired by a YouTube channel
02:18 – Scale of operations
02:55 – Tools of the trade
03:19 – Another man’s trash is another man’s tool
03:55 – It all started with a tree
05:27 – Typical job site
05:44 – The perfect fit
06:13 – Services offered (and the surprise moneymaker!)
06:56 – Networking is everything
07:51 – Not all junk hits the dumpster
10:43 – Fan blitz
11:28 – Junk separation tips
11:55 – Revenue and margins
12:29 – But, why still work full-time jobs?
13:54 – Blueprint to start NOW
14:30 – The biggest job (yet)
15:17 – Pricing strategy hack
16:22 – The “rolling billboard”
16:45 – Advertising without ROI?!
17:43 – Never sleep on your phone and email
18:55 – Success is replicable
19:32 – Comment your guess below!
20:10 – Most rewarding perk
20:53 – The 6-day work week model
21:38 – Ask and you shall receive
22:53 – Maintenance
23:16 – Handling disagreements (effectively!)
24:00 – Start with a trailer
24:38 – You don’t have to like it… do it!
25:13 – Leadership mindset shift
26:30 – Working with 1099 employees
27:33 – No debt = Peace of mind
29:01 – Ultimate secret to organization
29:48 – Seasonality
30:41 – Talk about your business (don’t be shy!)
31:23 – Building a legacy
32:03 – “Fear goes away in doing”
32:38 – Outro
#junk #junkremovalbusiness #junkremoval
