How To Start A Junk Hauling Business - Michelle Hill -All Junked Up

SPEAKER_00 0:04

This is the Beyond the Story Podcast, a show that goes way beyond the story. And now, Sebastian Fr.

unknown 0:24

Ms.

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Chal Hill, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Hi, how's it going? That was a quick uh quick uh introduction.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Yeah, but we just get we just get right down to it. I mean, as as you well know, uh, you know, what I teach is, you know, the last thing people want to hear is the host of the podcast running their mouth for three or five minutes in the very beginning. Like, let's just get right down to it and start talking to the I mean, it is a podcast interview, right?

SPEAKER_01 0:51

So uh, I love it.

SPEAKER_00 0:54

So um you you speaking of podcasts, uh, you and I started working together earlier this year. We launched your podcast. You had absolutely no idea what you wanted to do, you just knew you wanted to start a podcast.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

Correct.

SPEAKER_00 1:05

And at the end of the day, we ended up coming up with the junk project.

SPEAKER_01 1:09

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:10

Because uh you own a company called uh All Junked Up. Is that correct? Yeah, yes, and uh so you do junk removal, which is a less than pleasurable experience, but um you find it extremely rewarding and uh entertaining, which I which I kind of find funny. Um and you and you turn it in. It's it's a very it's a very lucrative business. I mean, it really, really is because let's face it, I mean, people are not gonna stop running you know out of junk. But look, let's back up to the beginning of the story. Let's add some context here for our listeners, help them really understand kind of how you know what your backstory was and what really brought you to present day with what you're doing uh as the junk lady.

SPEAKER_01 1:45

All right, all right. Well, uh before I I got into uh junk removal, I was uh driving 18-wheelers, delivering fuel in the in the DFW area. And the reason I start with that story is because that was a very physical uh manual labor job. And so is junk removal. So when I when I went to uh get out of that industry, which I I really loved it, uh I had to find something that I could just do physically because I I didn't feel like I was book educated to start something along those lines. So I'm like, whatever I start has to have manual labor like included in it. And I wanted to also be able to help people that um, you know, I I just didn't feel like I was, oh, so sorry. I didn't feel like I was getting any of that with my other job. You know, there was no, there was no helping anyone with fuel delivery. I mean, yeah, but it wasn't the same concept. I wanted something more personable, I wanted something that I felt like I was doing more for the community, and and so I um and I love trash and I love getting dirty, and so it just kind of all messed together perfectly, and I came up with uh all junked up and had my dog with me when we started too.

SPEAKER_00 3:06

I love it, I love it. So, and how long you been doing this now?

SPEAKER_01 3:10

Been doing this eight years.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 3:12

And uh it's been uh quite the adventure. Uh the first two years I started doing all the work myself because I didn't even know where to find help. So the challenges were um entertaining. Uh we had one customer who had a two-story house with a curved stairway, and uh he had a floor model projection TV that he was uh he needed to get rid of. And um he's like, it took four of us to get it up the stairs, and I'm it's just me that showed up and I said, Look, I can do this, uh, but it's gonna take me two hours. So if you don't mind, he couldn't figure out how I was gonna get it down, and I'm like, that's that's easy. I'm gonna take it apart screw by screw. So that's what's fun. I think I love the challenges like that. Um probably more than anything else, other than helping the people. Um you know, it's it's uh it it's been wow. So I get a lot of I can't when I show up uh almost almost every job, not every job, and uh I have a new video that I will have to post on how I'm resolving that problem. So it's I think it's pretty funny.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

Yeah. I was about to say, you know, you you probably got some pretty crazy stories here.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

Yeah, I I had one customer, it was a big job. I I did hire help, the help didn't show up, so I showed up. So in the eight years we've been in business, not one time at least so far, that have we ever had to reschedule our customers. And that is really important to me because you know you'll have you know moving companies and things like that. These these customers are really sometimes on a schedule, and they can't afford to reschedule at another time because maybe they're moving out of the house, they have to be out of the house by noon the next day or something like that. And so the particular job, the guy didn't show up. So I showed up and my customer came out and he's like, You can't do this. And I'm like, All right, so I said, Look, let's do this. I said, if I can't do it, I will hire my competition to come out and do it for me. And then I'll give you another hundred for your inconvenience. And I said, But if I can do it, uh I want what I estimated it at, and you can give me another hundred for my inconvenience. And he's like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm like, why not? He goes, because I know if you bet on yourself, I know you're gonna win. I said, damn straight, um going to work, thank you very much, and I did the job. So, you know, I get that a lot, and they don't ever want to bet me, which really sucks because I'm trying to make more money, and um, so I'm I was a little disappointed on that. But uh, I have a a thing, you know, sometimes I'll just be like, here, hold my beer. So I I actually have a video that I just made, and um, I'm getting ready to post it here in the next day or so on uh my reels probably. But it is a uh my solution to that problem of you can't. And um I I just ignore it. I I I get it almost all the time because it's mostly me that shows up.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Yeah, absolutely. And and so uh what do you do with all this junk once you do just haul it to the dump? Yeah, I mean you you said that you you try and sell some of it locally on online marketplaces and eBay too. If if it's salvageable salvageable, that's a tough word.

SPEAKER_01 6:36

Yeah, if we can, so we try and donate what we can. Uh when I come in a trailer, they're really overwhelmed, and sometimes we get told, you know, we we don't want it. So if I can sell it, I will sell it and donate the money to usually like uh the humane society because I think dogs rule. So um I'll do that, or um you know, sometimes I find people just by happenstance who need something and I'll be able to do something with that. But and then sometimes unfortunately it just goes to landfill. It just depends on our time constraint and where we can take it. I mean, I've I've chased around donation centers and and it's just not I can't do it with time. You know, I've gone to two or three in a day, and they're like, Well, we'll take this and then we'll take this, and I'm and I'm still got trailer load, and then you know, we'll take this. So, you know, it's really hard sometimes, and and again, they're overwhelmed with um a trailer full of stuff, so but you do find some pretty cool stuff. I I I don't know if you can see behind me like that disco pig. That that was one of that's one of my favorite ones.

SPEAKER_00 7:51

Yeah, that is for that is kind of cool. I mean, how many times? I mean, I haven't I don't think I've ever seen a disco pig.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

I have not.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

Maybe in a cartoon. So um, you earlier this year you you wanted to figure out you know how to speak in public a little better. And as a podcaster, a blooming podcaster, you wanted to so you sign up for Toastmasters, and then you're doing improv classes. Now you said you're a you're a Toastmasters dropout, but really, but you do, but you do like uh you do like uh uh improv classes. Let's talk about that for a minute.

SPEAKER_01 8:23

So uh in Fort Worth, we have four-day weekend, and they've been around for about 25 years, and and they used to charge for these classes every weekend, and now it is their way to give back to the community. So they give the they do the classes for free. And I I call it just getting out of your own head because uh that's you know, that's where the problem usually lies when you're trying to speak. And um, so I go to the two classes they offer on the weekend, and then I take myself to the show so I can kind of see how what I've learned is implemented in the show. And it's always fascinating. Uh, I try not to go drinking because it doesn't work out so well. It's not as entertaining as if you're sober or so.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

Yeah. But absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

It you know, it I love these classes. I I've noticed uh I'm a little quicker on some of my responses. Now, watch with you, I'll probably be like super slow trying to figure it out. But you know, you know, once you start bragging about it, you suck. So right.

SPEAKER_00 9:25

I think that well, I think that's anything though. I think I think that's anything. Well, it's been so great to see you grow this year. It's been so great to to work with you and and make the junk project a reality. And uh so I I when I was putting our our uh next list of guests together, I thought, you know what, let's do if we had a couple clients on and you're one of them too, and uh just appreciate everything you've you've you've done for yourself. That's what the fulfillment really comes on my part. Uh seeing you become a podcaster and really step out of your comfort zone and constantly um you know lean into to whatever's next, lean into the awkwardness, right? Uh oh man of like this is different and this is new. So uh well I I encourage you to keep rocking and rolling um and uh you know keep keep the junk going, right? To keep the the junk the junk keeps you in uh in in business there. Um but it's been good it's been good to hang out with you for a few minutes, and it's always great to see you, of course. Uh, but I wanted to get you on the show. I want to talk about your business a little bit in the podcast, and I sure do appreciate you carving out some time in between uh loading and unloading trailers.

SPEAKER_01 10:26

Oh yeah, no, no, I I appreciate it too. Thank you so much. It's it's been an honor working with you. Um I I love the podcasting, it it definitely is getting out of the comfort zone, and I I don't want to be there anyway, you know.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

No, nothing grows in nothing grows in comfort zones.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

No, so it it's been amazing. I I see my growth in in how I I speak at other events, and I'm like, yeah, it's getting there. Uh you know, I probably shouldn't have dropped out of Toastmasters quite yet. I still do and ums a lot, so I record myself and then yeah, I record myself and then watch it and go, ooh, I said whatever way too many times. So there you go.

SPEAKER_00 11:03

That that's the best way to do it. It's the best way to record yourself and go back and review it and then be aware of the words that are coming out of our mouth. Uh always it's it's tough to do sometimes, though. But uh keep keep rocking. Uh and if you're in the uh Dallas Fort Worth area and need some junk hauled away, you're gonna have to look uh Michelle up. I'll make sure to put her links uh in the show notes. But uh you keep rocking and rolling, keep smiling there, Michelle.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

All right. Well, dude, thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

You're welcome. Until next time, friends. Thanks so much for tuning into this episode of the Beyond the Story Podcast. Be sure to appreciate it. If you haven't done so already, make sure you're subscribed to the show. This way you'll get updates as new episodes become available. If you feel so inclined, please leave us a review. Signing off from the podcast, LaunchLab.com studios. I'll talk to you next time.