TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK Orlando Launch Showcases Culture of Internal Growth

In June, TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK will add a new Orlando location to its growing Florida footprint. The opening will be led by Tom Schopp and Carlo Merlo, two company veterans who worked their way up through the system.

Schopp, a multi-unit franchisee with a 25-year career that started on the back of a truck, is stepping back to let the next generation step up. He selected Merlo, a rising star who originally joined the brand in Tampa to accommodate the college schedule of an aspiring paramedic. Instead of pursuing the medical field, Merlo discovered a long-term career path, climbing the ranks from frontline mover to operations manager in Clearwater Beach, and ultimately to general manager of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK* Orlando.

Through the brand’s internal advancement training programs, Merlo honed his business acumen without a formal degree, driving consistent year-over-year sales and profitability growth for his team. Like Merlo, Schopp originally entered the business without planning to build a long-term career in the industry. He quickly fell in love with the moving industry, taking on nearly every role, including driving, operations, sales and marketing.

Now, Schopp is putting that philosophy into action by entrusting Merlo with the launch of TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK Orlando — reinforcing the idea that long-term leaders are often built from frontline experience.

The pair sat down with 1851 to discuss how their paths from frontline roles to leadership shaped the Orlando launch and reflect the brand’s culture of internal growth. Here’s what they had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Tom Schopp: For me, it was all about opportunity. I'd been with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK for years, and an opportunity for ownership had opened. I knew that my whole career had come to that point. It's a great brand, and I did it for a good 20 years of my life. Working on the moving side, I did everything: the mover, the driver, operations, sales, marketing. Everything that I've learned over the years in moving has put me into this position. So, I'm excited about my role now as the director of the junk removal franchises and giving other people opportunities, coming in, and building the brand in those areas.

Carlo Merlo: I was the operations manager for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK in Clearwater Beach. When the opportunity presented itself, I was able to climb the ladder with Blackwolf Group, who owns this particular store. This is now my fourth year as the general manager of the Orlando branch. 

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Schopp: It was so long ago, but I worked for Coca-Cola as a salesman and merchandiser. I was the guy that went to the stores and set up the displays. I did that for a period of time while deciding what I wanted to do next. I was 30 years old at the time, and TWO MEN AND A TRUCK was going to be a stepping stone. I had planned to go a completely different route, but I fell in love with it, and here I am 25 years later.

Merlo: I started with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK in Tampa while I was in college getting my paramedic's license, and the thing about a moving career is it's very flexible as far as the schedule goes. So, I was able to finish my degree, move to Clearwater Beach where I got picked up by Blackwolf Group. I climbed the ladder and never really followed through with my career path in the paramedic field.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Schopp: It was a new venture to me. A little bit farther in my career, when I really started working in the office and understanding a little bit more, I had a different take on the franchise. Through this entire process, I feel like I've learned a lot.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Schopp: My story is a little different because I started off in moving, then went to junk removal. When I first started doing it, I fell in love with the moving side. I enjoyed the processes, the structure, and the group that I was involved with — they were a really good family. As time progressed, and the junk removal side came up, I fell in love with that too… focusing on landfill diversion and repurposing stuff. I really liked that process and the fact that we were working with the community.

Merlo: I picked the brand early on, recognizing the growth that it had at the time, and still has. Not only that, but the impact in the community and the recognition everywhere I go. It's always, “I know you, I've used you, we love you guys. I always refer you.” I realized early on that this brand was going to take over the moving industry. I remember telling 18-year-old me that years ago, and here we are now.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Schopp: To give more people, like Carlo, the opportunity to step into those new roles by creating a new branch, and to offer our service to the community. The exciting thing is that we just had an annual meeting with a lot of our groups there, and there was a lot of buzz of, “Hey, I want to do it next. When are we going to do it?” There's excitement there, so we're excited for that.

Merlo: Yes, and innovation definitely creates opportunities for employees within the brand. We have stores on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and we also have some on the East Coast, with us in Orlando. We hope to serve Gulf to Gulf, or coast to coast.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Schopp: I started on the bottom and worked my way up, taking advantage of the people willing to help me and surrounding myself with good people. The owner at the franchise I came from in St. Louis always believed in me, even when I didn't always see that path. I remember my manager saying, “Hey, I need you to take this class.” I didn't think I needed to… but I took it and it was the best thing I ever did. It was a commitment, but it was the Managers Moving Forward program. It put everything together into perspective and really helped me get to that next level in my career.

Merlo: I came from the front lines and worked my way through college to be able to understand a P&L and the administrative aspects of a business without having a business degree, which is huge. Again, it's from the support from the home office and our corporate team. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has substantial Managers Moving Forward programs and a lot of resources for guys like me who had no intention of pursuing a career in business management to be able to be successful and excel at what we do. We've had year-to-year growth, and our profitability numbers have gone up since I took over here.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Schopp: My advice would be to take advantage of the opportunity and utilize the foundation that the corporate office has. Utilize those tools, follow their procedures and processes, because they put those things in place for a reason. Utilize them, and I think you'll have success.

Merlo: Focusing on a brand that has a strong foundation on customer service is crucial, and that is the foundation of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, which I think is what has made us successful. Do your homework and focus on feedback from the employees and your customers.

ABOUT TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK:

Headquartered in Michigan, TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK is a full-service junk removal company that is committed to conquering your clutter. The company handles furniture pickup, appliance removal, debris cleanouts and more, offering a hassle-free experience for residential and commercial customers. With over 70 locations across 23 U.S. states, the brand operates as a franchise-based business, and each location is independently owned and operated. TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK is part of ServiceMaster® Brands, a leading franchise provider of needs-based residential and commercial services in the restoration, cleaning, moving and bioremediation industries. ServiceMaster was founded as one of America’s first franchise businesses and does business under seven brands today across 50 states and nine countries that generate more than $3.5 billion in system-wide sales. TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK is the sister brand of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, a trusted moving company founded in 1985, which operates 430 locations in 48 U.S. states, as well as in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom.