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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