When Vincent Satriano started looking for a new business opportunity, he wanted a brand that had both recognition and room for growth. With a background in digital marketing and entrepreneurial experience from running his own last-mile delivery company, Satriano found TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK to be the perfect fit.
“I see the real benefits, and the partnership I was worried wouldn't happen is actually there,” he said. “It's great to see that mindset of 'we're going to win together.' It's not a situation where you're left on your own to do what you do and just give them money. Instead, we're working together to succeed.”
Ahead of his opening in North Franklin, Connecticut, 1851 Franchise spoke to Satriano about his decision to become a franchisee and his plans for future growth.
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Vincent Satriano: After college, I was in the digital online marketing space for about 10-15 years. About three to five years ago, I switched it up. I always had an entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to create something of my own. With that, I ended up creating my own last-mile delivery company. Once that became pretty successful, we wanted to look for another opportunity. I wanted to find a brand that had recognition but still had that startup mentality — someone willing to get their hands dirty with us.
A franchise usually has an established process and experience, allowing us to go to market quicker. I know there are going to be bumps and bruises, but with a franchise, I feel there are fewer of those. There will always be bumps, but having someone to help guide you through them is the reason I thought franchising would be a great opportunity. When the JUNK TRUCK opportunity came up, I thought it was even better because, as I mentioned earlier, it gives us a bit of a start-up feel but with the backing and experience. You're not coming into the marketplace brand new; you have that support. That's why I decided to jump into TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK.
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?
Satriano: Before getting into it, [franchising] felt like a black box. I was concerned about how it really worked — whether it was a bait-and-switch where you get inside, and then you're left to figure it out on your own while they're just taking your percentages. To me, that's not the right partnership or approach. That was my initial fear with franchising. Now that I'm 'behind the curtain,' I can say the TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK team were very forthcoming during the initial exploration process, which convinced me to sign on the dotted line and take that leap. Now that I'm in it, I see the real benefits, and the partnership I was worried wouldn't happen is there. It's great to see that mindset of 'we're going to win together.' It's not a situation where you're left on your own to do what you do and just give them money. Instead, we're working together to succeed, and as a franchisee, when I succeed, the franchisor also succeeds.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Satriano: The reason I picked the brand TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK is something I alluded to earlier, but first, it’s because it's an established brand while still being small enough where we can make an impact. That drew me to the brand. The TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK opportunity is new, and they’re leveraging their network and experience, which allows us to learn together.
On the other hand, what also attracted me to TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK specifically is that, being new, it offers a lot of open space and expansion possibilities. We can work with the team to build better processes and ways of doing things. What's unique for us is that we are the first franchisee that’s not involved in moving. Most junk franchisees come from the moving side which is the sister company of TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK, but we’re coming in brand new. That gives us a fresh set of eyes, which I think is a great advantage. We don't know what we don't know, so we’re going to keep asking questions and challenge the status quo. I think that’s a good thing.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Satriano: From a business perspective, there are two main goals. First, we want to hit the ground running, building a well-oiled machine. I’d love to create employment opportunities for people in the area, especially since we’re coming in as something new. It’s important to establish a good baseline, build a strong team and grow that team, specifically in the Norwich or Eastern Connecticut area. I believe this will benefit the community and provide people with the opportunity to earn a proper wage. I want to see success not only in the business but also in having people stay with me long-term and grow alongside me.
This leads to the second part — growth. It’s about developing drivers and operations managers, moving them up to the next level and giving them the opportunity to advance. With that growth comes the potential to expand into other territories as we become successful. From a business standpoint, financial success will allow us to take advantage of more opportunities. But from a human perspective, it also enables us to promote individuals, give them greater responsibilities as they gain experience, and help them grow. So, the growth plan includes expanding into new territories and promoting people within the company.
1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?
Satriano: My story is pretty simple; I'm just a regular kid from New York. I didn’t get into a lot of this entrepreneurial stuff initially. I worked my way up the hard way, learning as I went. I eventually tapped into my entrepreneurial spirit and kept moving forward with each new venture. I’m someone who likes to get involved and get my hands dirty. My story is about grinding — just putting in the hard work and knowing the benefits will follow.
I think what makes me unique is that I see opportunities and want to expand on them. From a personal standpoint, there’s nothing special about my journey. I didn’t get any loans or have money handed to me. Everything I’ve done has been with my own two hands, putting in crazy hours, day and night, and I still do that because I enjoy it. I love building things from the ground up.
Maybe that stems from my childhood. My dad had a small construction company, so I grew up watching him build things. I never did any construction myself because he wanted me to focus on school, but I think that experience sparked my love for building something from nothing. That’s what excites me about this opportunity — it’s a chance to create something where there was nothing, to grow it and build something meaningful.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?
Satriano: I would say two things: First, do your due diligence. Second, work with the team, specifically with TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK — they’re an open book and willing to work with you on everything. So, don’t be afraid to ask questions — they're more than happy to share their experiences. Just go through the process, make the right decision, and do your research. Make sure to research your area to find the right opportunity.
As for TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK, they’ve been a great resource for us. Their team is always willing to help, and you can even speak to their franchise owners before signing, which I found valuable. Some other franchises don't allow that, which can be a red flag, but not with them.
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. From furniture pickup and removal, getting rid of appliances, debris cleanouts, and more, TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK will do it all, so you don’t have to. 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 $3.5B in system-wide sales. TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK is the sister brand of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK which is a national, full-service franchised moving company with each franchise being independently owned and operated. Currently, there are more than 430 locations and 3,000 trucks operating in 47 U.S. states in addition to Canada, Ireland, and the UK. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has performed more than 9.5 million moves since its inception in 1985.
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
SPONSORED
Vincent Satriano saw the potential in the new venture from TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK® and seized the opportunity to be the first franchisee outside of their sister company’s moving business.
When Vincent Satriano started looking for a new business opportunity, he wanted a brand that had both recognition and room for growth. With a background in digital marketing and entrepreneurial experience from running his own last-mile delivery company, Satriano found TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK to be the perfect fit.
“I see the real benefits, and the partnership I was worried wouldn't happen is actually there,” he said. “It's great to see that mindset of 'we're going to win together.' It's not a situation where you're left on your own to do what you do and just give them money. Instead, we're working together to succeed.”
Ahead of his opening in North Franklin, Connecticut, 1851 Franchise spoke to Satriano about his decision to become a franchisee and his plans for future growth.
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Vincent Satriano: After college, I was in the digital online marketing space for about 10-15 years. About three to five years ago, I switched it up. I always had an entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to create something of my own. With that, I ended up creating my own last-mile delivery company. Once that became pretty successful, we wanted to look for another opportunity. I wanted to find a brand that had recognition but still had that startup mentality — someone willing to get their hands dirty with us.
A franchise usually has an established process and experience, allowing us to go to market quicker. I know there are going to be bumps and bruises, but with a franchise, I feel there are fewer of those. There will always be bumps, but having someone to help guide you through them is the reason I thought franchising would be a great opportunity. When the JUNK TRUCK opportunity came up, I thought it was even better because, as I mentioned earlier, it gives us a bit of a start-up feel but with the backing and experience. You're not coming into the marketplace brand new; you have that support. That's why I decided to jump into TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK.
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?
Satriano: Before getting into it, [franchising] felt like a black box. I was concerned about how it really worked — whether it was a bait-and-switch where you get inside, and then you're left to figure it out on your own while they're just taking your percentages. To me, that's not the right partnership or approach. That was my initial fear with franchising. Now that I'm 'behind the curtain,' I can say the TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK team were very forthcoming during the initial exploration process, which convinced me to sign on the dotted line and take that leap. Now that I'm in it, I see the real benefits, and the partnership I was worried wouldn't happen is there. It's great to see that mindset of 'we're going to win together.' It's not a situation where you're left on your own to do what you do and just give them money. Instead, we're working together to succeed, and as a franchisee, when I succeed, the franchisor also succeeds.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Satriano: The reason I picked the brand TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK is something I alluded to earlier, but first, it’s because it's an established brand while still being small enough where we can make an impact. That drew me to the brand. The TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK opportunity is new, and they’re leveraging their network and experience, which allows us to learn together.
On the other hand, what also attracted me to TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK specifically is that, being new, it offers a lot of open space and expansion possibilities. We can work with the team to build better processes and ways of doing things. What's unique for us is that we are the first franchisee that’s not involved in moving. Most junk franchisees come from the moving side which is the sister company of TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK, but we’re coming in brand new. That gives us a fresh set of eyes, which I think is a great advantage. We don't know what we don't know, so we’re going to keep asking questions and challenge the status quo. I think that’s a good thing.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Satriano: From a business perspective, there are two main goals. First, we want to hit the ground running, building a well-oiled machine. I’d love to create employment opportunities for people in the area, especially since we’re coming in as something new. It’s important to establish a good baseline, build a strong team and grow that team, specifically in the Norwich or Eastern Connecticut area. I believe this will benefit the community and provide people with the opportunity to earn a proper wage. I want to see success not only in the business but also in having people stay with me long-term and grow alongside me.
This leads to the second part — growth. It’s about developing drivers and operations managers, moving them up to the next level and giving them the opportunity to advance. With that growth comes the potential to expand into other territories as we become successful. From a business standpoint, financial success will allow us to take advantage of more opportunities. But from a human perspective, it also enables us to promote individuals, give them greater responsibilities as they gain experience, and help them grow. So, the growth plan includes expanding into new territories and promoting people within the company.
1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?
Satriano: My story is pretty simple; I'm just a regular kid from New York. I didn’t get into a lot of this entrepreneurial stuff initially. I worked my way up the hard way, learning as I went. I eventually tapped into my entrepreneurial spirit and kept moving forward with each new venture. I’m someone who likes to get involved and get my hands dirty. My story is about grinding — just putting in the hard work and knowing the benefits will follow.
I think what makes me unique is that I see opportunities and want to expand on them. From a personal standpoint, there’s nothing special about my journey. I didn’t get any loans or have money handed to me. Everything I’ve done has been with my own two hands, putting in crazy hours, day and night, and I still do that because I enjoy it. I love building things from the ground up.
Maybe that stems from my childhood. My dad had a small construction company, so I grew up watching him build things. I never did any construction myself because he wanted me to focus on school, but I think that experience sparked my love for building something from nothing. That’s what excites me about this opportunity — it’s a chance to create something where there was nothing, to grow it and build something meaningful.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?
Satriano: I would say two things: First, do your due diligence. Second, work with the team, specifically with TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK — they’re an open book and willing to work with you on everything. So, don’t be afraid to ask questions — they're more than happy to share their experiences. Just go through the process, make the right decision, and do your research. Make sure to research your area to find the right opportunity.
As for TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK, they’ve been a great resource for us. Their team is always willing to help, and you can even speak to their franchise owners before signing, which I found valuable. Some other franchises don't allow that, which can be a red flag, but not with them.
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. From furniture pickup and removal, getting rid of appliances, debris cleanouts, and more, TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK will do it all, so you don’t have to. 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 $3.5B in system-wide sales. TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK is the sister brand of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK which is a national, full-service franchised moving company with each franchise being independently owned and operated. Currently, there are more than 430 locations and 3,000 trucks operating in 47 U.S. states in addition to Canada, Ireland, and the UK. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has performed more than 9.5 million moves since its inception in 1985.
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