📪 HH #98: A Junk Job That Opened the Floodgates
- Justin Hubbard
- Aug 15
- 7 min read
TL;DR – A $125 junk pickup Jeff Beasley almost skipped turned into a $4,200 hoarder cleanout — and a steady stream of work — because he showed up professionally, built trust in person, and treated the small job like a big one.
Key takeaways:
Every job is an audition — show up like it’s worth $10k.
Get face-to-face to build trust and increase close rates.
Sell the experience — connect personally and digitally, not just complete the task.
Take everyone early to learn and grow, then filter for quality customers.
Never quit — persistence, adaptability, and consistent effort win long term.
Even small jobs can open big doors if you treat them right.
Today you're reading a co-written newsletter by myself and Jeff Beasley!
Jeff runs Strong Sons Junk Removal out of Vallejo, California. He’s been in the junk removal game for over 5 years, and he and I have been swapping stories and lessons for a long time.
When we decided to co-write this article, we wanted to share one story that perfectly shows how the smallest jobs can turn into the biggest opportunities, if you treat them right from the start.
That’s Jeff all the way to the right 👆 If you’re not following him online, you should be. Click the image above to head straight to his Instagram page.
Now... let's get into it 👊
The $125 Job That Opened the Floodgates
Jeff:
I’ll be honest, I didn’t even want to take the job. It was a $125 minimum pickup, across town, for a lady in an apartment complex who had just a few items. The kind of job that makes you think, I could be doing something better with my time.
But I went. We loaded the stuff, made her happy, and I’m thinking, Alright, day’s done.
Then the maintenance guy walks up. “Hey, is this your business? We’ve got a unit upstairs… bad tenants… wanna take a look?”
Upstairs, it’s like something out of a reality show: two bedrooms, hoarder-level mess, Tyvek suits required, smells you can’t scrub out of your clothes.
I write up a bid for $4,200.
Next day? “When can you start?”
We weren’t even on their vendor list yet. We did the job, they mailed the check, and now they call us twice a week — dumpster cleanouts, evictions, you name it.
All from that one $125 pickup.
Justin:
And that right there is why I tell people that every job is an audition for something bigger. The second you start treating small jobs like they’re beneath you, you cut yourself off from the opportunities that hide inside them.
Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
Every maintenance guy, every neighbor, every property manager who sees you work is a potential door to steady business.
Lesson #1 – Show Up Like It’s a $10k Job
Justin:
If you want people to trust you with the big work, you’ve got to look like you can handle it — every time, no matter the size of the job.
That means clean truck, clean crew, professional attitude. It means not looking rushed or annoyed, even when you are.
It means carrying something you can hand off — a business card, a one-sheet, something they can stick in a drawer and pull out months later.
Jeff:
Exactly. If I’d rolled in sloppy, that maintenance guy wouldn’t have said a word to me. You never know who’s watching, so you’ve got to treat every driveway, every parking lot like it’s your showroom.
It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
Lesson #2 – Get Off the Phone and Get in the Room
Jeff:
The minute someone calls me, I try to get in front of them. I don’t want to do everything over the phone. I want to shake their hand, look them in the eye, and connect on a personal level.
Even if I don’t close the deal right there, I leave something behind — a folder, a card, a brochure — so I’m still in their house when they make their decision.
Justin:
This works because selling is about trust. And trust builds way faster face-to-face than it ever will through a text message or an email.
You can read them. They can read you. That’s how deals get done.
Not to mention, the close rate on in person estimates as opposed to electronic ones is astronomically higher.
Lesson #3 – Sell the Experience, Not Just the Pickup
Jeff:
I tell my guys — introduce yourself, smile, shake hands. Joke around. Show interest in what the customer’s saying. We’re not just hauling junk; we’re building an experience they’ll talk about later.
And I try to connect digitally before we leave — Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, whatever they use. That way, even if I’m not at their house, I’m still popping up in their feed. When they or someone they know needs something gone, guess who they’re calling?
Justin:
I see too many haulers focus only on the transaction in front of them. They do the job and toss the customer to the side. Some guys don't even save the customer info anywhere and never follow up or try to retarget them down the line.
And that's a big mistake because you've got to keep in mind you paid for that customer in one way or another, even if you weren't running paid ads. The fact that you just move on and do nothing to positively influence the lifetime value of that customer is a losing game.
If you build a connection and keep showing up digitally (social, email, etc.), you’re planting seeds for jobs that come in months or years later.
Lesson #4 – Take Everyone Early, Then Learn to Filter
Jeff:
When I started, I wanted every customer. The good ones, the cheap ones, the demanding ones — it didn’t matter. Every customer was a brick in the wall I was building.
Justin:
I think that’s the right move early. Job volume teaches you real fast. It gets your name out there. But over time, you have to protect your time and your crew.
Jeff:
For me, the big red flag is bizarre hours. If you’re calling me at midnight, that’s not a good sign. We’ll help in true emergencies, but you’ve got to create boundaries, or this business will swallow you whole.
Justin:
Back when I was answering the phone, I would answer no matter what day or time it was. I was answering on major holidays. I wanted every job I could get. It didn’t take long to see the pattern—and that was that all these crazy-hour calls were coming from “nuts.”
The chances of these jobs working out were so small. They often fell through, were cancelled on us last minute, or we’d show up and “their brother-in-law” had actually been able to bring his pickup truck by early that morning and do it, so “we’re good.”
I remember talking to a fellow junk man in my area who told me he just couldn’t disconnect from his business. It ate him alive. He couldn’t set boundaries with his clients and protect his personal time. He ended up selling the company for pennies on the dollar and went and got a job working for someone else.
This example alone highlights the urgent importance of this topic.
Lesson #5 – Never Quit
Jeff:
Don’t quit. Don’t give up on yourself. The phone’s not always going to ring. There will be weeks where every job feels uphill. But you’ve got to enjoy the grind — building brick by brick — and never fold.
Justin:
The winners in this industry aren’t always the most skilled. They’re the ones who just keep showing up, CONSTANTLY EDUCATING THEMSELVES, adapting, and pushing forward no matter what.
Here’s what Jeff’s story should remind you to do this week:
Show up like every job is a $10k job.
Get in the room, not just on the phone.
Sell the experience, not just the service.
Take everyone early, filter later.
Never quit.
So what’s your $125 job?
The one you’re tempted to blow off. The one that feels like it’s not worth the drive. You won’t know what it could turn into unless you show up and give it your best.
Every handshake matters. Which ones are you willing to waste?
That’s the Hauler’s Edge ✌️
Justin Hubbard
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