Garbage removal is, at its core, a simple business model with a relatively simple startup plan. When Kirk McKinney decided to start his own junk removal business as a teenager, he already had an idea of the industry. After discovering a landfill near his home in Massachusetts, he began collecting discarded speakers, electronics, weights and
Garbage removal is, at its core, a simple business model with a relatively simple startup plan.
When Kirk McKinney decided to start his own junk removal business as a teenager, he already had an idea of the industry. After discovering a landfill near his home in Massachusetts, he began collecting discarded speakers, electronics, weights and other items and reselling them. The more time he spent there, the better he got to know the local scrap metal removal workers. Finally, he began to help them.
That’s when he saw the business opportunity.
“I was basically doing all the work for them,” he told Business Insider. “The guy paid me pretty well and still took money at the end of the job.”
To start his own version, he thought he needed two things: another person to help him collect and transport the trash, and a vehicle.
He recruited his younger brother, Jacob, and the two pooled their savings to buy a $4,000 Ford F-150 in 2021. As of mid-July 2026, Kirk, 22, and Jacob, 21, have built Junk Teens into a seven-figure business that’s on track to surpass $5 million in revenue this year, according to a profit and loss report seen by Business Insider. Since 2021, the company has expanded beyond its main location in Norwood to Cape Cod, the North Shore and Rhode Island, and now has about 25 employees and seven dump trucks.
Starting Junk Teens with around $8,000
In total, the brothers estimate they spent about $8,000 to get the business up and running in the first year. Half of that went to the F-150. The rest went toward basic startup costs, including setting up the business and building walls on the sides of the van so it could haul more trash.
They stopped buying tools like a saw and a drill for as long as possible. At first, they borrowed money from their parents or used what they found at work.
“We were very fighting,” Jacob said.
The McKinney brothers started the business with a $4,000 Ford F-150 before upgrading to a dump truck. Courtesy of Kirk and Jacob McKinney
One advantage of the business, they said, is that customers often pay junk removal companies to haul away items that may still be useful. If the brothers removed office supplies, tools, or furniture from a job, they often kept them and used them in the business rather than buying them new.
“I don’t think we’ve ever bought a trash barrel, a broom or a shovel,” Jacob said. “We’ve always had them for free, so that definitely saved us a lot in the beginning.”
How to stand out in a competitive industry
Junk removal has a low barrier to entry, making it easier to get started but harder to stand out.
“Almost anyone can do it, and that’s why it’s very competitive,” Kirk said.
At the most basic level, a person needs a vehicle that can transport items, which could be a truck, minivan, or rented U-Haul. The brothers said three things helped them compete: speed, clear pricing and branding.
1. Move fast. Speed is one of the most important parts of the business, as customers often want their trash removed immediately.
“Junk removal is a very fast service,” Kirk said. “People want it done the same day or the next day, most of the time.”
2. Learn how to price jobs. The price was one of the first things the brothers had to figure out. At first, they called other junk removal companies and asked for advice.
“I would just ask them, ‘Hey, I just started my business. I’m pretty young. I’m really looking to learn. Do you have five minutes?'” Jacob said.
Over time, they learned to price jobs based on factors such as volume, weight, labor, extraneous items and disposal fees. For example, a pile of trash in a garage may be easier to remove than the same amount of trash in a third-floor attic. Heavy materials, mattresses, box springs, or items with special disposal requirements may also affect the price.
The McKinney brothers started their business as high school students and continued working on it throughout college. Courtesy of Kirk and Jacob McKinney
Kirk said transparent pricing helps customers understand what they are paying for.
“I think a lot of people will get into this and have no idea how to put a price on their jobs,” he said. “Customers, when they receive the price, do not understand the reason for that figure.”
3. Build a brand that customers can trust. Initially, the company was called K&J Removal, but Kirk said he realized that customers hired them because they were teenagers doing junk removal. That became the basis of the Junk Teens brand.
“I just took what made us stand out, our competitive advantage, and built a brand around that,” he said, adding that branding is important in a crowded industry because customers often compare companies online before booking.
“When they look and see good reviews, a good online presence, a strong logo, solid colors and consistency, they will feel like everything is more integrated.”
He said a mistake beginners make is trying to compete on price alone. Junk Teens wanted to build a business by offering quality work and attracting clients willing to pay for it.
“The best customers are the ones who simply pay what the service is worth and don’t shop around,” Kirk said. “We want to do great work and we want clients who want to pay for great work.”