When people hear that Lucy Mejia owns a location of The Junkluggers junk removal franchise, they often do a double-take. “When I say I do junk removal, people look at me like, ‘How did you get into this business? You?’” she said. 

Before she became a business owner, Mejia worked as a GIS technician at Southern Company Gas. “I loved my job,” she said. “But then, you know, I wanted to start a family. Once I had my son, I decided, ‘You know what? I’m going to stay home.’ So I stayed with him, had my daughter, and then I just knew that I would always go back to work one day.”

That desire to return to work eventually turned into something bigger — entrepreneurship. “My husband was like, ‘What if you start your own business?’” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh gosh, that’s a lot to think about.’ My dad’s an entrepreneur. I know what it’s like. It’s very stressful to have a business. You have your ups and downs. But ultimately, the pros outweighed the cons — the flexibility — I could be with my kids during the day and take them to school and go to their games and have family life — not the nine-to-five.”

Finding the Right Fit

When Mejia and her husband began looking at franchise opportunities, one brand stood out immediately. “We did decide on The Junkluggers,” she said. “They checked every single box — from sustainability to being community-oriented, to the people at headquarters, to the other franchisee owners. The culture was solid, and it really hit all my passions and checkpoints.”

Founded in 2004, The Junkluggers is an eco-conscious junk removal franchise that donates, recycles and repurposes items to keep them out of landfills. The brand’s mission is to make junk removal more sustainable with a growing network of over 75 locations across the country. For Mejia, that mission wasn’t just appealing — it was personal.

“My day-to-day, I do the business and the marketing for my locations,” she said. “I hired a chief of ops and he’s handling the day-to-day with the crew. I’m out there being the face, connecting with the community, finding all our resources for recycling. We have eight different recyclers that we work with and over 15 different donation partners that we work with that need and recycle different kinds of items.”

Leading With Heart

Whether she’s networking at business association meetings, collaborating with local nonprofits, or jumping in to help her crew on a clean-out, Mejia’s leadership is hands-on and values-driven. 

“I couldn’t do it without my team,” she said. “They show up every day, no complaints. They get the job done. They work hard and they take care of us, and we take care of them. I don’t expect them to do anything that I wouldn’t do.”

As a woman in what’s often considered a male-dominated field, Mejia doesn’t see barriers — she sees opportunities. “I don’t really see it as a roadblock,” she said. “I just show up like I need to, and they give me respect. It actually gives me a point to stand out, which I think is an advantage.”

Building a Legacy and a Message

Today, Mejia’s business continues to thrive — and so does her family. 

“To have my kids watch me growing a successful business, it just means the world to me,” she said. “Having that business, growing that legacy, helping the community and then educating people that we can do better — bringing that circular economy into the mix of our everyday lives is my ultimate goal. And I hope to pass that trait on to my kids.”

Learn more about The Junkluggers franchise here: https://junkluggersfranchise.com/.