Sean Setter retired from the Air Force in 2012 after 24 years of service. He later worked for the Department of State, helping African partner nations strengthen their militaries, before moving into government contracting and business development with a local company in Washington, D.C., in 2025. When funding cuts ended that job, Setter began looking at what could come next. He met with a life coach, explored franchise options and eventually found The Junkluggers, the sustainable junk removal services franchise.
“The Junkluggers aligned with me because I wanted to help the environment and lead small teams,” Setter said. “I’ve led small teams in the past and it’s something I really enjoy doing. I went ahead and met everybody, and I saw that the core values aligned with me. So, I purchased the franchise.”
He now owns The Junkluggers of Electric City, New York.
The Junkluggers stood out to Setter because it offered more opportunities beyond basic service work. Unlike other franchises he considered, such as home inspections and lawn care, he liked that The Junkluggers aligned with eco-conscious values through donating, reselling and repurposing items instead of simply throwing them away.
“I thought there were more areas of direction you could go with junk [than other industries],” he said. “The Junkluggers offered more opportunities to build, rather than running a single truck.”
The franchise was also a good fit for his military background. Being a veteran comes with having skills such as discipline, team leadership, problem solving and time management, which are all traits that help him as a franchise owner. The military also instills the importance of professional appearance and communication skills, which he makes sure his employees follow.
“I like being a force for good in the community,” Setter said. “Just getting out there, meeting people, being a connector. You see a lot of different groups, and I like being able to connect with them.”
Setter has been set up for success by the support offered by The Junkluggers corporate team. This has been especially helpful as a very new business owner.
“They support you through business development and through all the steps of getting up and running,” he said. “They provide marketing, the systems, the IT, as well as moral support and coaching.”
He recommends The Junkluggers to other veterans looking for a new career path and encourages them to network with their communities and with other local veterans.
“I think joining Business Network International was a good call,” he said. “Join any local networking groups. I also found volunteering to be a good fit. I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity ReStores before I started the business and I was able to see what furniture they’re looking for, what they would take. And when I started the business, they trusted me to bring donations to them.”
Setter’s The Junkluggers franchise continues to give him a way to serve others while building something of his own.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/the-junkluggers.
The Junkluggers
SPONSORED
After losing his job to funding cuts, Sean Setter saw the eco-conscious junk removal model as a way to keep leading small teams and get involved locally.
Sean Setter retired from the Air Force in 2012 after 24 years of service. He later worked for the Department of State, helping African partner nations strengthen their militaries, before moving into government contracting and business development with a local company in Washington, D.C., in 2025. When funding cuts ended that job, Setter began looking at what could come next. He met with a life coach, explored franchise options and eventually found The Junkluggers, the sustainable junk removal services franchise.
“The Junkluggers aligned with me because I wanted to help the environment and lead small teams,” Setter said. “I’ve led small teams in the past and it’s something I really enjoy doing. I went ahead and met everybody, and I saw that the core values aligned with me. So, I purchased the franchise.”
He now owns The Junkluggers of Electric City, New York.
The Junkluggers stood out to Setter because it offered more opportunities beyond basic service work. Unlike other franchises he considered, such as home inspections and lawn care, he liked that The Junkluggers aligned with eco-conscious values through donating, reselling and repurposing items instead of simply throwing them away.
“I thought there were more areas of direction you could go with junk [than other industries],” he said. “The Junkluggers offered more opportunities to build, rather than running a single truck.”
The franchise was also a good fit for his military background. Being a veteran comes with having skills such as discipline, team leadership, problem solving and time management, which are all traits that help him as a franchise owner. The military also instills the importance of professional appearance and communication skills, which he makes sure his employees follow.
“I like being a force for good in the community,” Setter said. “Just getting out there, meeting people, being a connector. You see a lot of different groups, and I like being able to connect with them.”
Setter has been set up for success by the support offered by The Junkluggers corporate team. This has been especially helpful as a very new business owner.
“They support you through business development and through all the steps of getting up and running,” he said. “They provide marketing, the systems, the IT, as well as moral support and coaching.”
He recommends The Junkluggers to other veterans looking for a new career path and encourages them to network with their communities and with other local veterans.
“I think joining Business Network International was a good call,” he said. “Join any local networking groups. I also found volunteering to be a good fit. I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity ReStores before I started the business and I was able to see what furniture they’re looking for, what they would take. And when I started the business, they trusted me to bring donations to them.”
Setter’s The Junkluggers franchise continues to give him a way to serve others while building something of his own.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/the-junkluggers.
Sign up for the 1851 Franchise newsletter to get our biggest stories before everyone else
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.
No related articles found
