Success Story of a Valet Trash Service Business

A man has achieved remarkable success with his side hustle, a valet trash service business, earning $23,000 a month with almost 90% profit margins and no marketing expenses. The business provides convenience to residents by collecting trash from their doors and taking it to the dumpster.

Business Model and Expenses

The business generates $23,000 in revenue with a profit margin of around $20,000, resulting in $3,000 in expenses. The low expenses are due to the initial equipment purchase and reduced costs from buying annual insurance premiums and minimizing labor costs, with the speaker’s family providing assistance.

Initial startup costs: $3,000
Initial costs for starting the business part-time: $600, including $300 for the LLC and $250 for marketing setup
Biggest investment: $3,000 for a trash truck

Time Management and Balance

The speaker manages their time by starting their day at 6:00 a.m. and dedicating specific days to the trash business, allowing them to balance both their full-time job as an accountant and their business. They also discuss the importance of having a supportive family and a full team to help manage the workload.

Growth and Client Acquisition

The speaker’s company currently has nine contracts with apartment complexes, with seven being fully operational. Their strategy for finding new clients and retaining existing ones relies on word of mouth, as the properties are managed by a big company where managers share information about services.

Importance of understanding client needs and identifying gaps in their current service
Tailoring a sales pitch to address those gaps
Learning from mistakes, such as trying to micromanage

Key to Success

The speaker emphasizes the importance of knowing your numbers, keeping expenses low, and increasing revenue. They also stress the need to focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) and empower their team to take ownership and make decisions.

Lessons Learned and Advice

The speaker advises those who are afraid to start their own business to just go for it, as not starting is already a form of failure. They also emphasize the importance of having a backup plan and learning from conflicts to contribute to business growth and high profit margins.

Personal Reflections and Future Plans

The speaker reflects on their past, remembering their parents’ financial struggles and feeling grateful for their current situation. They recall being turned down by over 100 properties, which was discouraging, but persevered, and it was in those moments of hopelessness that they found the strength to continue, eventually finding success.

The speaker’s goal is to provide a good life for their family and achieve success, which can be attained through hard work, determination, and the right mindset.

Key Vocabulary

Term	Definition	Example Usage
Valet Trash Service	A service that collects trash from residents’ doors and takes it to the dumpster for disposal.	The valet trash service business provides convenience to residents by collecting trash from their doors.
Profit Margin	The amount of profit earned from sales after deducting expenses.	The business has a profit margin of around 90%, resulting in $20,000 in profit.
Initial Startup Costs	The initial expenses incurred to start a business.	The initial startup costs for the valet trash service business were $3,000.
Time Management	The process of planning and controlling the amount of time spent on activities.	The speaker manages their time by starting their day at 6:00 a.m. and dedicating specific days to the trash business.
Client Acquisition	The process of gaining new clients or customers.	The speaker’s company acquired new clients through word of mouth and understanding client needs.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)	Measurable values that demonstrate how effectively an organization is achieving its objectives.	The speaker emphasizes the importance of focusing on KPIs to measure business success.
Empowerment	The process of giving employees the authority and autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work.	The speaker stresses the need to empower their team to take ownership and make decisions.
Backup Plan	A plan or strategy that can be implemented if the original plan fails or is unsuccessful.	The speaker advises having a backup plan in case the business does not succeed as expected.
Revenue	The income generated from sales or services.	The business generates $23,000 in revenue per month.
Expenses	The costs incurred to operate a business.	The business has low expenses, with only $3,000 in monthly expenses.

Watch The Video

$23K/Month Side-Hustle You’ve Never Heard Of…

Vocabulary Quiz

1. What does the term ‘profit margin’ mean in the context of the valet trash service business?

A) The total amount of money earned by the business
B) The amount of money spent on expenses
C) The difference between revenue and expenses, expressed as a percentage
D) The initial startup costs of the business

2. Which of the following is NOT a key to the success of the valet trash service business?

A) Knowing your numbers
B) Keeping expenses low
C) Increasing revenue
D) Ignoring client needs and feedback

3. What strategy does the speaker’s company use to find new clients and retain existing ones?

A) Aggressive marketing and advertising
B) Word of mouth and referrals from existing clients
C) Offering discounts and promotions to attract new clients
D) Focusing solely on online advertising

4. What is the speaker’s advice to those who are afraid to start their own business?

A) To wait until they have more experience and resources
B) To start small and scale up gradually
C) To just go for it and be prepared to learn from mistakes
D) To give up on their entrepreneurial dreams

5. What is the biggest investment the speaker made in their valet trash service business?

A) Initial startup costs of $3,000
B) Annual insurance premiums
C) A trash truck costing $3,000
D) Marketing setup and advertising expenses

Answer Key:

1. C
2. D
3. B
4. C
5. C

Grammar Focus

Grammar Focus: Using the Present Perfect Continuous Tense to Describe Ongoing Actions

The present perfect continuous tense is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue up to the present moment. It is formed using the present tense of the auxiliary verb “have” + “been” + the present participle of the main verb (e.g., “has been managing” or “have been providing”). In the context of the valet trash service business, this tense can be used to describe ongoing efforts, such as managing the business, providing services, or collecting trash. For example, “The speaker has been managing their time effectively to balance their full-time job and their business,” or “The company has been providing convenience to residents by collecting trash from their doors.” This tense helps to emphasize the duration of the action and its connection to the present.

Grammar Quiz:

1. The speaker ____________________ their time by starting their day at 6:00 a.m. and dedicating specific days to the trash business.

manages
has managed
is managing
has been managing

2. The company ____________________ contracts with apartment complexes, with seven being fully operational.

has
have
is having
has been having

3. The speaker’s family ____________________ assistance with the business, helping to minimize labor costs.

provides
has provided
is providing
has been providing

4. The business ____________________ $23,000 in revenue with a profit margin of around $20,000.

generates
has generated
is generating
has been generating

5. The speaker ____________________ the importance of knowing their numbers and keeping expenses low.

emphasizes
has emphasized
is emphasizing
has been emphasizing

Answer Key:

1. d) has been managing

2. a) has

3. d) has been providing

4. a) generates

5. d) has been emphasizing