Entrepreneur Success Story: Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK One man!

s tras"# and t"en anot"er# and t"en anot"er# and t"en anot"er$$$ By Scott Allen Brian Scudamore started his company 1-800-GOT-JUNK in 1!8! strai"ht out o# hi"h school $ith %&00 and a 'eat-up old pic(-up truc() Today they ha*e !+ #ranchise partners across North America $ith a true national presence , they are in -& o# North America.s top +0 cities) Scudamore $as a ris(-ta(er/ 'ut #irm in his *ision) 01ith a *ision o# creatin" the .2ed34. o# 5un( remo*al/0 says Scudamore/ 06 dropped out o# Uni*ersity $ith 5ust one year le#t to 'ecome a #ulltime JUNK7AN8 9es/ my #ather/ a li*er transplant sur"eon/ $as not impressed to say the least)0 :e chuc(les/ 0:e is onside no$)0 7any entrepreneurs minimi;e their ris(s 'y outsourcin" to contractors) Scudamore chose a di##erent route) 06 hired my #irst employee a $ee( a#ter 6 started) 6 (ne$ 6 needed the help) :is name $as <a*id Sniderman , a "ood #riend o# mine) 6 really didn=t (no$ yet ho$ to hire so 6 5ust as(ed a 'uddy)0 6t may ha*e started as a matter o# simply not (no$in" $hat else to do/ 'ut it 'ecame a philosophical issue #or him) 0On a 'i""er le*el/ 6 al$ays 'elie*ed in hirin" people *s) contract or consultants) 6 #elt that i# 6 $asn=t $illin" to ma(e the in*estment then 6 $as >uestionin" my o$n #aith in the 'usiness)0 On the other hand/ he.s a 'i" 'elie*er in lettin" other people share some o# the ris() :is choice o# #ranchisin" as a 'usiness model allo$ed him rapid "ro$th $ithout ha*in" to turn to outside in*estors or other #undin" sources) 06t=s the ultimate le*era"e model) ?eople pay you a #ee up-#ront to help them "ro$) @ather than lose control my *ision 'y "oin" pu'lic , 6 chose #ranchisin") 6t=s the ultimate "ro$th model)0 Their recipe #or success has 'een simple) Ta(e a #ra"mented 'usiness/ add clean shiny truc(s that act as mo'ile 'ill'oards/ uni#ormed dri*ers/ on-time ser*ice and up-#ront rates/ and then mi4 in $ith a culture that is youn"/ #un and completely #ocused on solid/ healthy "ro$th) :e has mana"ed to retain 100A o$nership and 'ootstrapped the 'usiness solely out o# cash #lo$ , somethin" that is *ery rare these days) Althou"h this is a simple 'usiness/ they couldn.t possi'ly ha*e "ro$n this >uic(ly $ithout technolo"y) Ta(in" a lo$ tech 'usiness and puttin" a hi"h tech spin on it allo$ed them to rapidly distin"uish themsel*es #rom their competition) All calls come into a central 1-800-GOTJUNK call center $here they do all the 'oo(in" and dispatch #or their #ranchise partners) 2ranchise partners then assess all o# their real time reports/ schedules/ customer in#o/ etc)/ o## o# JUNKN3T/ their corporate intranet) This allo$s #ranchise partners to "et into 'usiness >uic(ly/ and to #ocus solely on "ro$th , $or(in" on the 'usiness *s) $or(in" in the 'usiness)

1-800-GOT-JUNK $ill do a'out %BC 7illion in C00- , not a 'ad return on a %&00)00 in*estment8 Brian.s B:AG DBi" :airy Audacious GoalE is %100 million and C+0 #ranchise partners 'y <ec B1st/ C00F) :e says con#idently/ 01e $ill "et there)0