Today we’d like to introduce you to Lu.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started The Junk Removers in October 2006 after working as a residential real estate agent in greater Boston and seeing a need for this service.
Whenever I would go list a house, I would talk to the homeowners about staging and de-cluttering the property to prepare for sale. Their response was almost always the same: “How am I going to get rid of all this stuff; we’ve lived here for thirty years;” or my kids don’t live around here or don’t want any of my things.” I then referred them to a contractor friend of mine who had a truck and would haul it all away for them.
After doing this dozens of times, I finally realized that everyone faces a similar problem. It was then I started to think about buying a truck and asking contractors if they wanted to use it to do the work on the side, which they eventually did. Being in the business, I knew a lot of Realtors that would refer me business, once I told them I would not be competing against them anymore.
The business took off from there. As it grew we got more involved in many different types of jobs in addition to the traditional move out work. Anything from estate clean outs to contractor construction debris jobs to commercial office removals, we do it all. In 2014, The Junk Removers purchased a small trash and recycling route business in Needham and operate all from our Canton, Ma location.
Has it been a smooth road?
Bill Gates said that you will learn more from your failures than any success you achieve. In my case this has proven true; there have been some common small business struggles – finding the right people that fit and learning the right marketing mix to attract profitable target markets – and larger challenges like combating the seasonality of the business and controlling costs.
The latter two issues are challenges that, if they were not solved or at least addressed significantly, I could honestly state that I would not be in business today over ten years later.
The junk removal business runs like a baseball season; it starts up in the early spring, hits stride in the late spring/summer and finishes strong in the fall. And as any Red Sox fan will tell you: it can be a long cold winter waiting for the trucks to leave for Florida in February. So to offset this lull, I searched for “off season” business to keep my loyal employees and customers happy, and steady the cash flow. At first, we would hang holiday lights for commercial accounts, pick up old Christmas trees or deliver firewood.
Then, finally in 2014, I was presented with an exciting opportunity to acquire a business that ran residential and commercial trash/recycling routes in Needham, (a town that does not provide town wide trash pick-up for their residents), and we were able to buy the business from the retiring owner. This investment paid off, as not only does it fill the winter gap, as trash never stops fifty-two weeks a year, but it perfectly complements our junk removal/clean-out business.
The other major challenge is controlling costs, specifically rising disposal fees. Our approach to solving this problem has fundamentally changed the way The Junk Removers operates on a daily basis. We have made an environmental commitment to recycling, donating and reusing whatever items we pick up. This pledge not only creates responsible business practice, but smart business, as we bring less to the transfer stations, recycle and donation facilities. As we have grown. We have seen the percentage of items that we pick up shift to over 50 % of what we collect. Items such as appliances, cardboard, tires, electronics are all recycled, and good furniture and household goods are donated, benefiting our communities and reducing our overall waste stream.
As we will continue to have challenges along the way, I am confident we find creative solutions, while continuing to be a positive force in the communities we serve.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
First and foremost, The Junk Removers help people. We provide a necessary service in two areas; junk removal/clean-outs and trash/recycling services to both residential and commercial clients throughout eastern Massachusetts.
The residential trash and recycle services are the basis of our business, currently serving residential customers in Needham and commercial customers throughout greater Boston. This requires reliable, dependable and responsible teams that put our customers’ needs and expectations first – such as recycling as much of their trash as possible, showing up every week on scheduled time and performing a dirty job with a positive attitude.
Our junk and clean-out services help clients de-clutter customers’ homes and businesses, whether it be removing an old couch, or preparing a home for sale by removing unwanted items; or cleaning out entire properties or estates. Regardless of how much is removed, we always take the green approach by utilizing our recycle/donate/reuse policy at all times.
Each of our team members are trained in customer service skills to treat customers with respect and to be transparent with our upfront pricing models.
I am most proud of three things we have accomplished and strive to improve on every day.
1. To give our clients the best service experience we can provide in the industry.
2. That we have committed fully to our landfill diversion policy through recycle/donation/reuse efforts
3. That we have built a business based on referral as it proves that if you treat people the way you would like to be treated they will become repeat customers and refer their friends and family to you.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, absolutely, Boston is a great place for junk removal and running a recycling company. First being that there is a constant need for our services within the residential real estate market, as well as the many properties and businesses available to service. Second, as recycling and environmental awareness become commonplace among more cities and towns around greater Boston, there are stricter restrictions about what residents can put out on trash day. So, if they need to move and have a shorter window to dispose of items they are not taking to their new residence, our specific industry is the perfect resource. Lastly, “a rising tide lifts all boats” – the competition for junk removal is growing and fierce, which keeps us all on top of our game. When starting my business over ten years ago, there was only one major franchise in town and a few smaller local players, now there at least three national chains and many strong competitors in the area.
Contact Info:
- Address: Canton,Massachusetts
- Website: thejunkremovers.com
- Phone: 7814610086
- Email: lu@thejunkremovers.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJunkRemovers/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-junk-removers-canton
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