Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
Moving and downsizing may be troublesome transitions, and nothing lightens the load like a dedicated crew that reveals up on time, communicates clearly, and offers your stuff a second life — with out sending it to a landfill. That is the premise behind Junkluggers, a sustainable junk-removal company that has grown from a single landscaping truck right into a national franchise.
“ Identical-day and next-day service is so essential for our business and for the patron,” says Junkluggers president Justin Waltz. “You do not need to sit and stare at a pile of stuff that you do not need anymore for greater than a day or two, particularly in right this moment’s age.”
Junkluggers leans closely into the patron want for comfort. It dietary supplements on-line bookings with real-time confirmations, a two-hour arrival window and uniformed drivers in distinctive inexperienced vans.
“Our primary job is in the end to resolve issues,” Waltz says. “Our mission is in comfort. Actually incomes that belief and care is [dependent on the] capacity to ship on our service every day with out giving any stress to the patron, as a result of they name us for a stress-free expertise.”
This mindset has helped Junkluggers differentiate itself in a crowded business, particularly when issues do not go based on plan. Waltz says the true check just isn’t if issues come up — they’ll — however as a substitute how the crews deal with them. From blocked driveways to heavy furnishings, his crews are educated to adapt and overcome.
“We have paid quite a few parking tickets,” he says. “We have needed to buy spots. We have needed to pull up on curbs and park the truck in loopy locations. It is in the end all a part of the day-to-day, and it is why you rent an expert agency.”
Associated: How This North Carolina Lawn Care Company Earns Customer Loyalty
At its core, Junkluggers is a transitional enterprise that serves prospects at moments of main life change. This might imply getting ready for a significant actual property closing or serving to a grieving household downsize a house.
“Oftentimes, there’s emotion and consideration of the story behind these gadgets,” Waltz says. “I used to be on a truck myself for a lot of, a few years. I’ve had shoppers crying. I’ve had hugs. I’ve heard tales in regards to the piano that is been within the household for a lot of, a few years. It is about hiring the most effective individuals who reside our core values on daily basis, who’re in a position to enter the house and current an incredible expertise, and in the end think about the entire issues which can be occurring in our shoppers’ lives.”
One other core worth of Junkluggers is its dedication to sustainability. With a purpose of 100% landfill diversion, the crews route each merchandise by means of a community of donation and recycling companions. It additionally has a Remix Market, which resells flippantly used items at low costs and donates a portion of the proceeds again to the neighborhood.
The Remix Market is a strategic extension of the corporate’s dedication to environmental and social responsibility. It retains reusable gadgets in circulation, helps scale back waste and reinforces the corporate’s total mission to keep away from the landfill for the curiosity of the neighborhood.
“We name [the Remix Market] a clinic for furnishings that is worn or gadgets we’ll mark down tremendous low,” Waltz says. “Numerous instances, we’ll have of us are available in that simply want one thing both personally or for his or her neighborhood. That is been a very superior alternative for our model and an incredible add-on to the enterprise.”
Associated: She Runs a James Beard Award-Nominated Restaurant. Here’s Her 2-Step Process for Hiring the Best Employees.
The stability of core values and effectivity has helped Junkluggers scale. The corporate now operates as a franchise mannequin, providing entrepreneurs the possibility to run native branches with nationwide help and shared requirements. Junkluggers ranked #204 on Entrepreneur‘s 2025 Franchise 500 and, as of 2024, had grown 94.8% over three years.
“The most effective advantages of franchising is the flexibility to interact with the neighborhood,” Waltz says. “We usher in lively buyers, within the type of franchise homeowners, who’re executing the model at their native degree with the information of the Junkluggers that we have obtained within the enterprise, and all of the experience and learnings.”
Online reviews play an important function in franchisees’ continued success. Junkluggers encourages each location to respond to reviews, each optimistic and demanding, and think about buyer suggestions.
“If there’s ever a problem the place a shopper goes on-line and says, ‘Hey, this service did not go in addition to I anticipated,’ our franchise homeowners completely are responding to that evaluation,” Waltz says. “I imagine in full transparency so the shoppers can see that the proprietor is there.”
Total, Waltz views Junkluggers as rather more than a junk-removal firm. It is a customer-first, community-rooted group that meets folks in transitional moments to make life a bit simpler — and the planet greener.
Think about Junkluggers’ guiding rules for giving again and paying it ahead:
- Pace conjures up belief. Providing same-day and next-day providers helps prospects really feel supported throughout high-stress moments like strikes, renovations and clean-outs.
- Status begins on the curb. Small however necessary particulars — like branded vans, uniforms and punctual service home windows — sign professionalism earlier than the job begins.
- Resolve first, stress later. From blocked parking to emotional moments of letting go, equip crews with the instruments wanted to assume on their toes and adapt to the surprising with out passing stress onto the client.
- Objective and course of go hand in hand. When core values like sustainability and compassion are current in each touchpoint, prospects bear in mind — and return.
- Franchise with the neighborhood in thoughts. Empower entrepreneurs to connect with their communities to ship constant, trusted service by fusing nationwide experience with native possession.
Take heed to the episode beneath to listen to instantly from Justin Waltz, and subscribe to Behind the Review for extra from new enterprise homeowners and reviewers each Thursday.
Editorial contributions by Alex Miranda and Kristi Lindahl
Management,Administration,Enterprise Tradition,Innovation,Rising a Enterprise,Operations & Logistics,Collaboration,Tradition,Development Methods,Buyer Service,Franchise,Franchises,Prospects,Sustainability,Company Social Duty,Behind The Overview
Add comment