FRANCHISE GROWTH
Charlotte Kovalchuk charlotte@wilcobr.com photo courtesy Drew Hirt
JUNK FRANCHISES
Solving Problems by Adding Profit to Them
F
or Drew Hirt, owner of The Junkluggers of Round Rock & Georgetown, the term “junk” is a bit of a misnomer. ‘Junk’ often initially conjures images of Sanford and Son picking up items for the junkyard. But today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the junk removal industry, which includes junk moving, hauling, and packaging, is a $10 billion industry a year. The 90s and new millennium saw exponential growth of the junk removal industry when junk haulers started popping up as franchise owners. Some of this growth can be attributed to the rise of the Internet, where we find people looking for others’ so called trash.
THE PAIN POINTS At the root, junk hauling is about resolving customers’ issues, such as when a loved one passes away, an empty-nest couple moves to a smaller home, or a real estate investor has to deal with unfortunate hoarder issues,” Hirt says. Much of what Junkluggers haul is donated or recycled, and they also focus on partnering with business customers—real estate agents and investors, residential and
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commercial property managers, senior living communities, and professional organizers. All their efforts are aimed at creating a positive win-win solution for their customers, the environment, and local communities, Hirt says. Hirt admits at first he was skeptical when his franchise consultant suggested junk removal as a business opportunity. At the time, he was working as a commercial lender in the banking industry while searching for the right business to make the leap from finance to entrepreneurship—his original goal when he entered the banking field 15 years ago. “Banking is a stable industry. I could have stayed there and earned a decent living, but I wanted to be more hands-on and involved,” he says. “Instead of helping other people build their business, I wanted to build my own.” He also realized the timing was right. “I have three kids and if I waited much longer, they would be involved in multiple activities, I would be stretched too thin and kicking the can down the road. I knew if I didn’t do it now, I was never going to do it. After discussions with my wife, we decided to go for it.”
