This Facet Hustle Highlight Q&A options Boston-based brothers Kirk McKinney, 21, and Jacob McKinney, 19. The McKinney brothers are the founders of Junk Teens, a seven-figure junk-removal business that repurposes, resells and donates “as many objects as potential” and offers job alternatives for different native teenagers. Responses have been edited for size and readability.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Junk Teenagers. Jacob McKinney, left; Kirk McKinney, proper.
What was your day job or main occupation if you began your aspect hustle?
On the time we began our side hustle, we have been highschool college students and in addition working at a grocery retailer.
When did you begin your aspect hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it?
We started our side hustle in 2021. The inspiration got here when I discovered a working pair of audio system on the dump. I’ve at all times been captivated with audio system, and my curiosity led me to begin accumulating numerous objects. Ultimately, my room grew to become so cluttered that our mother made me throw all the pieces out — over $1,000 value of stuff! As a substitute of tossing it, I offered the objects on Facebook Marketplace. That second made me understand I might work for myself, doing one thing I liked, so I give up my job and went all in.
What have been among the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the bottom?
One of many first steps we took was absolutely committing to the enterprise. We realized we could not handle each a job and the enterprise on the identical time, so we centered solely on it. We informed everybody we knew, constructed up our confidence and have become obsessive about making it work — even engaged on our web site throughout household Christmas. We additionally labored on making a story that resonated with our local people, which helped us achieve assist. We invested in vehicles and instruments and established our presence, taking the risks wanted to get off the bottom.
What have been among the greatest challenges you confronted whereas constructing your aspect hustle, and the way did you navigate them?
After all, there have been challenges. Finding employees was troublesome, however we boosted our social media presence and constructed a enjoyable model to draw expertise. Getting extra jobs required us to stay to our area of interest and discover our distinctive promoting proposition. And once we struggled with time administration, we created techniques, added construction and realized the way to delegate.
How lengthy did it take you to see constant month-to-month income?
Attaining constant month-to-month income wasn’t straightforward. Junk-removal is unpredictable, and even at present, there are sluggish weeks we marvel if we’ll stay in business. However as soon as we centered on one factor and have become one of the best at it as an alternative of juggling a number of aspect hustles, issues grew to become extra secure.
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You’ve got since turned the aspect hustle right into a full-time enterprise. What does progress and income appear like now?
In 2021, we earned $120,000 with only a pickup truck, U-Haul and dumpster leases. By 2022, we grew to $430,000, including a dump truck and upgrading our pickup. In 2023, we introduced in $910,000 with two dump vehicles and a pickup, and we’re projecting $1.2 million in 2024, working three dump vehicles and a pickup.
What do you take pleasure in most about working this enterprise?
We take pleasure in offering actual alternatives to different younger, ambitious people and seeing the influence we have had on others, particularly by means of social media. We have impressed different children to begin their very own companies, and thru Junk Teenagers, we get to meet our passions for music, constructing and journey, all whereas creating a powerful sense of group, household and mission.
What’s your recommendation for others hoping to begin profitable aspect hustles or full-time companies of their very own?
Our recommendation for anybody seeking to begin a aspect hustle or a full-time enterprise is to keep it simple. Individuals usually overcomplicate issues. In junk-removal, for instance, it is as straightforward as selecting up junk, getting paid and driving away. Momentum is essential — do not take progress as a right; at all times construct on it. Additionally, select a enterprise that aligns along with your passions. For us, we have at all times liked looking out by means of dumpsters for cool finds, and Junk Teenagers lets us do this on daily basis.
This text is a part of our ongoing Younger Entrepreneur® sequence highlighting the tales, challenges and triumphs of being a younger enterprise proprietor.