TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

In June,&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.twomenandajunktruck.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=orlando-launch-schopp-merlo-2732336" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK</a> will add a new Orlando location to its growing Florida footprint. The opening will be led by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-schopp-b2254041/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=orlando-launch-schopp-merlo-2732336" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Tom Schopp</a> 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&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.twomenandatruck.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=orlando-launch-schopp-merlo-2732336" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TWO MEN AND A TRUCK</a> 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&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/twomenandatruck/info">TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK</a> 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.&nbsp;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&amp;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. &nbsp;

franchisee Tom Schopp & Carlo Merlo Two men and a junk truck

TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK Orlando Launch | 25-Year Veteran Passes Leadership to Rising GM

1851 Franchise

After working their way up through frontline roles, Tom Schopp and Carlo Merlo are leading the Orlando expansion while creating new leadership opportunities within the brand.

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

orlando-launch-schopp-merlo

FRANCHISE INFORMATION

Own a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Marks 40 Years of Success

Multi- Unit Owner Success Story

Executive Q&A with President Randy Shacka

Learn

Visit Website

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

YouTube

FIND US ONLINE!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Marks 40 Years of Success With New Signings, New Franchisees and System Growth

Treasure Coast Business: TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Treasure Coast Expands Under New Ownership

TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK® Makes Entrepreneur’s Top New and Emerging Franchises List

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK MOST READ STORIES

1851 LOGIN

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

ABOUT TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

CONTACT TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

facebook

instagram

linkedin

youtube

First Name

Last Name

Email

Phone

City Of Interest

When are you interested in purchasing a franchise?

Preferred contact method (phone/sms/email)

Preferred contact time

Own a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Franchise

image of franchisee John Bailey Two Men and a Truck owner from toronto 

 How John Bailey Rebuilt After the Recession and Grew to Five TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Locations

two-men-in-a-truck-franchisee-john-bailey-toronto

image of two men and a junk truck owners dedrick hill, darrell hill, and duran mcgregory

Three Brothers are Trading their Diverse Careers to Build a Moving Empire in LA with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

three-brothers-two-men-and-a-truck-los-angeles-launch

1851 Franchisee Spotlight with photo of Heidi & Brent Welsh & TWO MEN AND A TRUCK logo

20 Years and 30,000 Moves Later: Meet TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Canada’s Longest-Tenured Owners

two-men-and-a-truck-london-20th-anniversary

ST. LOUIS, Mo.&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.twomenandatruck.com/">TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.twomenandajunktruck.com/">TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK®</a> brought franchise owners and corporate leaders together for the company’s 2026 Annual Conference, held Feb. 21-24 at the Marriott Grand in St. Louis, Missouri. The multi-day event focused on collaboration, recognition, and strategic planning as the brand prepares for the upcoming busy moving season.“TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has always been about empowering our franchise owners to grow strong businesses while serving their communities,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyshacka/">Randy Shacka,</a> president of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK. “Annual Conference gives us the opportunity to come together, celebrate the achievements across the system and share the strategies that will help our franchises continue to grow, even in a changing market.”This year’s theme, “Gateway to Growth,” was inspired by the conference’s host city and its historic significance as the gateway to the American West.“We were in St. Louis, which is home to the Gateway Arch, and historically it served as a staging point for explorers and pioneers. Our conference represents a gateway to growth for the system and our franchises”, said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikishook/">Riki Shook</a>, marketing and communications director.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>A Week of Learning and Collaboration</h2>Throughout the four-day event, franchise owners participated in keynote sessions, breakout workshops, and networking opportunities designed to help them strengthen their operations and prepare for the busy season ahead.“A lot of the focus this year was on innovation and technology, looking at where the system needs to be from a sales, marketing and operations perspective,” Shook said. “We really focused on tools for growth and where the moving industry is going as a whole.”The conference also featured a vendor marketplace with record participation from partners providing technology, marketing and operational services to franchise owners.“Having our annual conference at the beginning of the year really sets the stage for the rest of the year,” Shook said. “Franchise owners get to connect with peers, talk about what’s working in their markets and share best practices.”<h2>Recognizing Franchise Excellence</h2>A highlight of the conference was the annual awards ceremony, which recognized franchises and team members for operational performance, leadership, and community impact.During the conference, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK recognized franchises that reached major revenue milestones through the brand’s Million Dollar Club, which celebrates locations achieving significant levels of annual gross revenue.“We also had a new award this year, the Heart of the Brand Award,” Shook said. “That one was really to reinforce the ‘movers who care’ mindset and the support system that franchise owners build within their local teams.”The 2026 award winners included:<ul><li>Founders Award: Berkeley, California — Mark Snyir and Tanya Nickel</li><li>Safety Award: Lubbock, Texas</li><li>Business Moves Revenue Award: St. George, Utah — Justin Phillips and Kirk Phillips</li><li>Boxes and Packing Revenue Award: Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida — Britt Lanier and Susan Lanier</li><li>Interstate Annual Gross Revenue Award: St. Louis, Missouri — Naim Gasanov, Doug Haber, John Judson, Tom Schopp, Joel Trost and Steve West</li><li>Multi-Family Award: Columbus, Ohio — Justin and Stephanie Clarey</li><li>Crated Moving Award: Springfield, Virginia — Martin Pollack</li><li>Sales Order Growth Award, Under 18 Months: Huntington Beach, California — Komal and Santanu Bandyopadhyay</li><li>Sales Order Growth Award, Over 18 Months: College Station, Texas — Jay Mellentine and Christine Thomas</li><li>Highest Single Unit Gross Revenue Award: St. Louis, Missouri — Naim Gasanov, Doug Haber, John Judson, Tom Schopp, Joel Trost and Steve West</li><li>Highest Multi-Unit Operating Unit Gross Revenue Award: Minneapolis South, Minnesota — Nick Bailey</li><li>International Move Hero: Sam Hellem - Colorado Springs, Colorado&nbsp;</li><li>Heart of the Brand Award: Taylor Suman — Fort Worth, Texas franchisee</li><li>Newsmaker Award: Twin Cities — Nick Bailey</li><li>Achievement In Excellence Program (AIE) No. 1 U.S. Metro Market: Charlottesville, Virginia — Nathan Bocock and Bryan and Rebecca Feldman</li><li>AIE Program No. 1 Mod-Market: Idaho Falls, Idaho — Terry Bruns, Lucas Keefe and</li><li>Exceptional Customer Service Award: Gainesville, Florida — Mark and Saundria Golden, Chris Hardoin and Anyse Medwedeff</li><li>Humanitarian Award: Grand Rapids North, Michigan — Heidi and Kyle Norcutt</li></ul><h2>Looking Ahead</h2>As the brand prepares for the busy summer moving season, leadership emphasized the importance of refining strategies now so franchise locations are positioned for success when demand increases.“The strength of our brand has always come from the dedication of our franchise owners and the teams they build in their communities,” Shacka said. “When we come together to share ideas, celebrate success and prepare for the year ahead, it reinforces the culture that has driven this brand for 40 years and positions our entire system for continued growth.”ABOUT TWO MEN AND A TRUCK:&nbsp;Headquartered in Michigan, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is an international, full-service franchised moving company with more than 430 locations and 3,000 trucks operating in 47 U.S. states in addition to Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Each location is independently owned and operated, and together, the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK network has performed more than 10 million moves since its inception in 1985. In 2026, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK was featured on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, where the brand was ranked No. 1 in the Moving/Junk Removal Services category. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK was also named a top franchise by Franchise Business Review and was featured on the Best National Moving Company List by Newsweek. In 2021, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK was acquired by ServiceMaster® Brands, which is 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 $3.5B in system-wide sales. For franchising opportunities, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://franchise.twomenandatruck.com">franchise.twomenandatruck.com</a>.

Photo of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK annual conference

The brand’s “Gateway to Growth” conference brought franchise owners, corporate leaders and industry partners together in St. Louis to celebrate achievements and prepare for the year ahead.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Celebrates Franchise Growth and Leadership at 2026 Annual Conference

2026-annual-conference-awards

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

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS