How Junk Junk Baby! Became One of Franchising’s Rising Stars

Founder and CEO Eric Myers tells 1851 Franchise how he turned a single-truck hustle into a thriving franchise brand.

1851 Franchise: Where did Junk Junk Baby! come from?

Eric Myers: I had been working in sales for about 15 years, and I was burnt out. It was fast-paced and high-pressure, and I didn’t feel like I was really doing anything important for anyone. When my child was born in 2010, I knew I couldn’t care for my family if I was killing myself in a job I didn’t like, so I decided it was time to carve out my own path. I figured hauling junk would be an easy way to start my own business, because all I needed was a truck. So I started hauling junk, at first just for friends, but eventually for customers all around my community, mostly through referrals.

One thing my sales career taught me was the value of relationships and customer loyalty, so I really focused on service and communications, and that strategy paid off. People were so relieved to find someone who showed up on time and did what they promised. I don’t think I realized how rare that was until I started picking up business because of it. 

Once the business started rolling, I was making good money, but more importantly, for the first time in my life, I loved what I was doing. I was free, I was making my own schedule, and I was helping people in my community.

Business continued to grow over the next ten years, and eventually, I had to decide how I wanted to grow the company into new markets. I decided on franchising because I know there are so many talented and passionate people out there with stories just like mine — people who are sick of their corporate gigs and hungry to make a difference in their communities. So all I need to do is match those people up with the same opportunity I found, and we can grow this brand across the country.

1851: What distinguishes Junk Junk Baby! from other junk-hauling brands?

Myers: Our key differentiator — what has helped us cultivate a growing and loyal customer base — is our commitment to customer care and support. 

What I learned early on is that when someone hires a company to haul junk, they are going through a transition. It may be a small transition, like cleaning out a basement they’ve been meaning to renovate for years, or it may be a much larger transition, like clearing out the home of a loved on who passed away. But big or small, transitions are stressful, and they can be emotionally taxing even when people are excited about the change. I realized that I had an opportunity to differentiate Junk Junk Baby! from other junk-hauling services by offering a little extra care and support so that our clients feel taken care of.

But even I underestimated just how valuable that point of differentiation would be. It may not seem like a junk-hauling company could make a difference for someone going through a stressful period, but we really can. We show up on time and mitigate the chaos, and you can see the relief on people’s faces when they realize we are quickly, calmly and effectively handling one of the more chaotic tasks they have on their plates. 

1851: Why is now the time for franchisees to join Junk Junk Baby!?

Myers: We have built and refined this business for 12 years. The model has been tested and proven time and again, and we are ready to hand the playbook over to passionate franchise owners so they can find in their markets the same success I have found. And I think there are so many people out there who are looking for an opportunity like this — an opportunity to escape the corporate world and take control over their careers. Junk-removal is a recession-resistant business, and we are well-positioned to make the most of it. And unlike our competitors, we have a tremendous amount of white space to take advantage of, so entrepreneurs who partner with Junk Junk Baby! now will have their pick of a range of lucrative territories.

1851: What are Junk Junk Baby!’s current growth goals?

Myers: We are currently focused on onboarding our first franchise owner, and we’re aiming to sign another owner or two by the end of 2022. Next year, we’re aiming for three to five new signings. We are actively seeking qualified candidates across the Northeast, with a particular focus on Boston, where our corporate headquarters is located, which will allow us to provide hands-on support to our earliest investors