Can You get Rich Quick in Junk Removal?
Can You get Rich Quick in Junk Removal?
How much money can be made in junk removal? How long will it take to break even in junk removal? How quickly can I replace my own salary?
These are all questions I hear all the time from new and prospective junk removal business owners. Though some of the people who contact us are interested in the junk that is picked up, everyone is chiefly interested in how much money they can make and how quickly they can make money in this business.
So why do people want to get into junk removal?
- Low up-front cost
- Low technical ability requirements
- Everyone has junk
- It will be low-stress work
With the exception of item number 3, they are completely wrong.
Low up-front costs
Though a junk removal business can be started with little money up front, it will require ongoing investments throughout the life of the business in equipment, advertising, people, etc. Generally, when you first start you will likely need to invest some additional money in order for the business to grow. The quickest way to build a business that makes you great money is to aggressively advertise online.
In some competitive markets, online advertising can bring your customer acquisition costs to $100 (or more) per customer. When acquisition costs get to and above $100 per customer, it could mean that most jobs are not profitable for you. You must keep doing online advertising anyway! As long as you are breaking even or coming close to breaking even, do not stop. Why?
- You never know when a huge hit is coming. You will eventually land a big job or a customer who uses you often. Take small immediate losses to set you up for huge long-term gains.
- Every customer you service is a potential repeat customer, referral customer, and a potential online review. Think of each customer you meet as snow added to a snowball. After a period of time, the snowball has gotten so large that you are rolling with no effort; you’re beginning to bring in major profits.
Minimal technical ability requirements
Many people think about getting into junk removal because they believe it will require low technical ability. This is partially true. The skill of removing junk – at least 90 percent of the junk you encounter – is pretty straight forward.
However, it is also vitally important that you know how to run your business. You are getting into a semi-competitive industry. Though junk removal is still growing at a rapid pace, more and more people are getting into it. The good news is that the majority of those people will never advance past a single pickup truck and trailer. You don’t want to be one of those people who doesn’t advance.
If you cannot grow your business into a multi truck operation, you will be left to compete with the bottom side of the market, which has new companies coming in at a record rate. You have to know how to hire people, manage people, handle finances, advertise effectively, maintain trucks, and remain level-headed in both good and bad times for your junk removal company.
Everyone has junk
Reason number three that people choose to buy a junk removal franchise or start their own junk removal business is the belief that all people have junk. This is true. However:
- Not all people are willing to pay to have their junk removed
- Not all people are willing to pay what you have to charge to make a profit
Both of these points are important, especially point number two. The key is to set up your business with a level of professionalism on the web and in the real world that you attract the people who are willing to pay higher prices. Then you have to meet them where they search for those services. The majority of these customers simply do a Google Search and go with a company that’s toward the top of Google’s Ads or Organic search results, has a professional website, is professional on the phone, and has good reviews.
Junk Removal Authority can help you achieve that professional appearance in days with our Google Ads (AdWords) management.
Junk removal is low-stress work
The final reason starting a junk removal business is appealing to people is the false belief that it will be low-stress work. Again, the work itself is often low stress. However, you will have days on which the jobs are difficult, dirty, or downright disgusting. You’ll work when it’s hot, cold, raining, and sleeting. You will encounter customers who are less than present, mean, and rude. Your truck will break down. An employee may get hurt. You may get in a wreck, business might slow down right after you made a large investment in a new truck, and a hundred other things will happen that you never saw coming.
It’s often when things are going their best and you think, “I thought Lee Godbold said this was gonna be hard,” that you’ll get smacked upside the head. It is extremely important to control your emotions when this happens with your junk removal franchise. If you don’t, you will make irrational decisions that will be extremely costly to you and your business. This applies both when things are going well and when things aren’t going well.
All this being said, the first year in junk removal is definitely the most stressful. You’ll put a lot of money into your business without making much money, if any. Once you get through the first year, it gets much easier. In years two and three, you’ve started to establish a customer base and a good reputation, and you’ve gotten the hang of running your business.
So, can you get rich quick in junk removal? That depends on your definition of “quick.” Generally, if you you’re following the JRA Way, by year four you will have a junk removal business with a GM running the show, a fairly reliable fleet of vehicles with a backup, good team members handling all the removal work, and people answering your phones, keeping your books, and allowing you the freedom you got into the junk removal business to gain.
The junk removal industry is still ripe for the taking for serious business owners who aren’t afraid of fighting through the struggle to make it. If you are getting into this business without a bit of cash (from savings or financing) and you have other bills to pay, I would suggest getting access to some extra cash before getting into it. Otherwise, you will be forced to be much more conservative on how you grow your junk removal business, which will add years to your success journey and increase the likelihood of you giving up or being forced to quit for immediate money.
If you are ready to make the plunge and want to avoid the typical pitfalls of a junk removal business owner, Junk Removal Authority is here to help. Our business startup package includes full operations manuals, video training, on site training, consulting, and much more. Our business package gives you all the expertise, information, and advantages of an established system provided by a franchise for a fraction of the cost with no long term commitment. Let JRA help you begin your success journey – starting today!