1851

<p>Last year was a good year for <a href="https://franchise.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com/?client=1700&amp%3Bcampid=2&amp%3Butm_source=google&amp%3Butm_medium=cpc&amp%3Butm_campaign=brand&amp%3Butm_id=2&amp%3Bgclid=Cj0KCQiA3NX_BRDQARIsALA3fIKdFodDxl_-FbxRlL_73l63HV6cgMBOghDe2k2e2Uxy6wcsWWfv56AaAoLbEALw_wcB&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=frandev-players-nick-friedman-co-founder-of-college-hunks-hauling-junk-moving-2714968" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk &amp; Moving</u></a>, the moving and junk-removal franchisor with 130 franchisees across the country.&nbsp;</p><p>The brand moved more than 100 victims of domestic violence for free. It donated more than 1.6 million meals to <a href="https://ushunger.org/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=frandev-players-nick-friedman-co-founder-of-college-hunks-hauling-junk-moving-2714968" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>Feeding Children Everywhere</u></a> through cash donations, and helped to deliver meals to those in need. The brand put their trucks to good use helping to transport COVID-19 equipment and supplies where it was needed most.</p><p>And oh, yeah: they blew their franchise growth goal out of the water during a pandemic, economic downturns and social strife.</p><p>But doing good is what co-founders <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/collegehunkshaulingjunk/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=frandev-players-nick-friedman-co-founder-of-college-hunks-hauling-junk-moving-2714968" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>Nick Friedman</u></a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-soliman-8119791/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=frandev-players-nick-friedman-co-founder-of-college-hunks-hauling-junk-moving-2714968" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>Omar Soliman</u></a>, who started the company in 2003 while both were only 22 years old, have in mind for this company. Yes, that means both financially and socially.&nbsp;</p><p>1851 Franchise chatted with Friedman about franchise growth development and how a social mission helps the brand grow.</p><h4>1851 Franchise: What were the early days of College H.U.N.K.S. like?</h4><p>Nick Friedman: When we first started, we were doing all the work ourselves, you know, we had an 800 number on the back of the truck that routed to our cell phones. People were calling to complain about erratic driving from the back of the truck number and I'd be in the driver's seat answering the phone apologizing, saying, “We don't condone that type of driving, we'll talk to those guys when they get back in the office!” In the early days, we had to fire ourselves three or four times, because we were wearing all the hats.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: How did you get into franchising?</h4><p>Friedman: As the business evolved and grew, we were able to bring in and attract talents that were subject matter experts in areas like marketing, franchise sales, technology, finance and operations.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: Based on your experience, what are some of the keys to franchise success?&nbsp;</h4><p>Friedman: I describe our company as being a purpose-driven, values-based, socially conscious, technology-enabled and results-obsessed organization. The exterior sort of facade of our businesses — the name and the brand is catchy, colorful and playful, but, really, beneath the surface is where the rubber meets the road. It’s where franchise owners and employees find a level of fulfillment and passion behind what it is that we're doing. So I think that's really been the key, long term, to our success.</p><p>I know a lot of that sounds cliche to talk about these days, but we truly do mean it and live by our values. As a byproduct, the businesses thrive. But one of the things we also say is, “Without margin, there's no mission.” If we don’t have profit as a business, we're not going to be in business to do the great things that we want to do.&nbsp;</p><p>It’s something that franchise candidates identify with and mention when they come visit us for a discovery day: our brand, our culture and our values stood out for them and resonated with them and was something that they wanted to be a part of.</p><h4>1851: In terms of growth, how did COVID affect you in 2020?</h4><p>Friedman: It was a roller coaster — almost like one of those slingshot roller coasters. We started January, February and then the first two weeks of March with a record year. But, of course, nobody could have predicted that there was going to be a worldwide pandemic. That's what happened in the middle of March. My first fear and reaction was, “Oh, goodness, everything we've worked for for the past 15 years is going to evaporate.”</p><p>April and May, we were down about 30% year-over-year compared to 2019. Then in June, July, August, things started to sort of flatten out. Since then, we've actually been up about 20–30%, year-over-year.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: Did COVID affect franchise growth?</h4><p>Friedman: We've actually seen a significant increase in franchise development, not just in leads, but also in deals and broker leads. I think that can be attributed to a couple of things: One, usually when there's some instability in the economy, people start to look at franchising as a more viable means of taking their future into their own own hands. Two, I think, because we're getting more favor from the broker networks because other industries like food, retail, fitness and hospitality have really been more negatively impacted by the shutdowns and distancing requirements. We’ve added roughly 34 franchises in 2020 and we were budgeting roughly 24.</p><h4>1851: What are some common mistakes you see young franchisors making when they’re trying to grow?</h4><p>Friedman: Trying to grow too fast, especially being too spread out to support their franchise owners geographically. Also, selling too much territory before a franchise has proven itself. Lastly, not budgeting cash and ultimately running out of capital before the business has become royalty self-sustaining. We made all three of these mistakes in the early days of our business, and it's very common in franchising.</p><h4>1851: What are your goals for 2021?&nbsp;</h4><p>Friedman: For franchise development, we want to add 40 new franchises in 2021. We are also big advocates of quality over quantity. So we want to make sure that we select the right franchise owners for our model and who really fit the culture have potential for success. Within the next three to five years, we want to be over 250 franchise owners around the country, with our existing franchise owners, you know, averaging $3 million per year in revenue.</p>

FranDev Players: Nick Friedman, Co-Founder of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk & Moving

1851 Franchise

Franchise co-founder Nick Friedman talks about how the company’s social mission goes hand-in-hand with the business plan, and his company’s approach to growth.

frandev-players-nick-friedman-co-founder-of-college-hunks-hauling-junk-moving

BooXkeeping

From Ice Cream to Income Streams: How Greg Cox Found His Sweet Spot with BooXkeeping

from-ice-cream-to-income-streams-how-greg-cox-found-his-sweet-spot-with-booxkeeping

Children's Lighthouse

Children’s Lighthouse Named Among America’s Best in Customer Service by Newsweek

childrens-lighthouse-named-among-americas-best-in-customer-service-by-newsweek

KLA Schools

How KLA Schools Is Redefining Early Childhood Education Through a Hands-On, Academically-Rich Approach

how-kla-schools-is-redefining-early-childhood-education-through-a-hands-on-academically-rich-approach

Why Tennessee Is a Strategic Growth Market for Children’s Lighthouse

why-tennessee-is-a-strategic-growth-market-for-childrens-lighthouse

Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers Eyes Salt Lake City for Expansion: Meeting the Rising Demand for In-Home Senior Care in Utah

comfort-keepers-eyes-salt-lake-city-for-expansion-meeting-the-rising-demand-for-in-home-senior-care-in-utah

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Keurig Dr Pepper Splits in $18 Billion JDE Peet’s Deal, Creating Global Coffee Giant

keurig-dr-pepper-splits-in-18-billion-jde-peets-deal-creating-global-coffee-giant

McDonald’s Rolls Out Major Value Push To Win Back Customers Amid Inflation

mcdonalds-rolls-out-major-value-push-to-win-back-customers-amid-inflation

Photo of Paris Baguette pastries and beverages 

Paris Baguette Celebrates 250th Café Opening in Frederick, Maryland, Accelerating Expansion and Reviving the Neighborhood Bakery Café

paris-baguette-250th-north-america-cafe

Amanda Evans - Stellar Service Brands - Franchise Marketing Leaders 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Amanda Evans — Senior Vice President of Marketing, Stellar Service Brands

stellar-service-brands-marketing-leader-amanda-evans

Before You Franchise: Answers to the Top 5 Questions of Franchisors-To-Be

questions-before-franchising-business

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Jack Mashini — Co-Founder, Wing Snob

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-jack-mashini-co-founder-wing-snob

Mike Revak - Chief Business Officer - Sky Zone - Franchise Marketing Leaders - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Mike Revak — President and Chief Business Officer, Sky Zone

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-mike-revak-chief-business-officer-sky-zone

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

graphic image of a franchisee spotligh aman kaur of voodoo brewing

How This Trio of Friends Is Brewing Up Community With Voodoo Brewing Co. in Prosper, Texas

voodoo-brewing-franchisee-aman-kaur-prosper-texas

Franchise Deep Dive graphic with i9 Sports logo

i9 Sports Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

i9-sports-franchise-cost-fees-profit

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

paris-baguette-franchise-rockaway-new-jersey-vishal-junjea

FranDev Players: Nick Friedman, Co-Founder of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk & Moving

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS