How One Veteran Turned Roadside Scrap into a Million-Dollar Junk Removal Business
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Camo Crew Responsible Junk Removal grew from roadside appliance pickups into a million-dollar junk removal business. Along the way, founder Andy Weins built systems using Jobber to quote jobs, schedule trucks, collect payments, and manage the day-to-day without being tied to the business 24/7.
Wins with Jobber Junk Removal Software
- Built a $1 million+ junk removal business
- Made $380,000 in year one after starting with roadside appliance pickups
- Uses online booking with about 80% accuracy
- Captures after-hours calls with Jobber Receptionist
- Runs four to five trucks with centralized scheduling and routing
- Tracks revenue, invoices, and truck activity from one dashboard
- Gets paid faster with Jobber Payments and Tap to Pay
- Uses reporting and heat maps to identify $300,000+ revenue areas
From roadside scrap pickup to a million-dollar junk removal business
Andy Weins didn’t take a traditional path to entrepreneurship. After graduating near the bottom of his class, joining the military, volunteering for Iraq, and spending time touring the country with a band, he came home looking for a fresh start.
But just before Christmas in 2008, Andy was laid off from his job and started picking up discarded appliances from the side of the road. “In January 2009, no degree, no plan, I started picking up appliances on the side of the road,” Andy said. Following his second deployment, Andy decided he would never work for someone else again.
He wrote a 60-page junk removal business plan, launched Camo Crew, and generated $380,000 in the company’s first year. A few flyers and business cards later, that side hustle became the foundation for Camo Crew Responsible Removal.
I wrote a 60-page business plan, executed it, and made $380,000 in year one. That’s when I knew I found it.
The systems that helped Camo Crew Junk Removal scale
As the junk removal company grew, Andy knew scaling required more than hard work. It meant creating systems that keep jobs, trucks, payments, and crews organized. “Without having systems and processes in place, we would lose money every day,” Andy said.
Today, Andy’s day in the life as a junk removal business owner is built around data, not guesswork. From his computer, or even from his backyard, he can see the numbers that matter most.
Camo Crew uses Jobber’s all-in-one system to manage:
- Scheduling
- Routing
- Estimates
- Customer follow-ups
- Invoicing
- Payments
- Reporting
When we adopted Jobber in 2017, that’s when we became a real business.
And with Jobber reports, Andy stays close to the business every day without being stuck inside it. “Why would I want to be at work when I know my company’s working for me?” said Andy. It also gives him the freedom to manage the company remotely while his team handles daily operations.
I know where my revenue is at for the week. I know where it’s at for the day. I know where my accounts receivables are. I know where my trucks are.
Quoting and follow-ups that protect junk removal profit
Every junk removal estimate at Camo Crew starts with a Jobber quote. From small residential pickups to full-house cleanouts, the team easily stores junk removal pricing and line items directly in Jobber for fast, consistent quoting.
Since Camo Crew prices jobs based on capacity, the team can also quickly determine whether a job fills half a trailer, three-quarters of a trailer, or multiple trailers of material.
Once a quote is sent, the team uses Jobber follow-ups to help convert estimates into jobs.
The best way for us to convert more quotes into actual jobs is by follow-up. So whether that’s text message, emails, phone calls, consistent contact with our customers is the key.
Improving the customer experience with online booking
At first, Andy was hesitant to turn on online booking, but the results proved customers could handle much of the process on their own.
I was really apprehensive about turning on online booking. Turns out customers are about 80% accurate on booking jobs online.
On top of scheduling work, customers can also use the Camo Crew’s client hub to:
- Review quotes
- Approve work
- View appointment details
- Make payments
Capturing after-hours leads with Jobber Receptionist
Camo Crew uses Jobber Receptionist to capture overflow calls and after-hours leads when staff are busy. From the first call, the team collects customer information and the scope of work directly in Jobber.
If all reps are tied up, Jobber Receptionist can:
- Field the overflow call
- Collect details
- Create a follow-up task so the team stays accountable
It’s huge over the weekends and after hours if you’re tied up.
That extra coverage helps Camo Crew avoid missed opportunities and keep leads moving, even when the office is busy or closed.
Scheduling that keeps teams and trucks productive
With running multiple trucks daily, junk removal scheduling has a direct impact on revenue and profit.
Production Manager Mike McKenna uses Jobber’s scheduling tools and map views to:
- Optimize routes
- Reduce drive time
- Maximize truck capacity
“If we take a look at today’s schedule, each box is a job,” Mike said. “Each color is a schedule, and we stay hyper-focused on ensuring we’re remaining as efficient as possible throughout the day.”
The team also cross-references Jobber with FleetSharp GPS tracking to:
- See where trucks are
- What jobs they’re completing
- Where additional opportunities fit into the route
What I love about Jobber is as we go down the schedule, it highlights each location on the map… That’s the chef’s kiss in terms of routing.
Collecting junk removal payments on-site
For Camo Crew, collecting payment quickly is critical to maintaining healthy cash flow.
Businesses fall apart at two different times. Either selling, they’re unable to sell their product or service, and collecting payment.
The team uses Jobber Payments for:
- Invoices
- Cards on file
- Tap to Pay in the field
That means crews can collect payment at the job site instead of chasing customers later. “Using Tap to Pay has allowed us to scale to over a million dollars in business. It’s all about convenience for the customer and for us,” Andy said.
Using revenue heat maps to improve junk removal profit
Marketing at Camo Crew is backed by data from completed jobs and customer activity.
Andy uses Jobber’s reporting dashboard and revenue heat maps to:
- See where customers are located
- Which areas generate the most revenue
- Where to invest more marketing dollars to improve profit
The nice thing about the heat map is we can see in a given month where our customers are and where they’re not.
The team can also identify places that have generated more than $300,000 in revenue. Those areas become priority markets for investing more in their:
- Google ads
- Networking
- Visible trucks
- Reviews
- Marketing campaigns
- Referrals
- Website
Those are the sweet spots. Those are the places we want to spend more of our time, energy, and money when it comes to marketing efforts.
How to scale a junk removal business
Camo Crew Junk Removal is a real and practical example of how to scale a junk removal business beyond the owner.
Andy is no longer running jobs every day and instead has shifted toward leadership, systems, and long-term growth. “The goal isn’t just money. It’s about building something that runs without you,” said Andy.
This is all thanks to:
- Documenting processes
- Standardizing pricing
- Using Jobber junk removal software to manage daily operations
The simplest way to scale a junk removal company beyond an owner is having systems and processes in place so the business runs when you’re not there.
Advice on how to start a junk removal business
Andy’s advice for anyone researching how to start a junk removal business is straightforward: “Fall in love with the process and then you can build a million-dollar business.”
For him, success came from consistency, accountability, and building systems early.
If you want to get into junk removal, go bang out 100 jobs and see if you still have the passion for it.
About Camo Crew Responsible Junk Removal
Camo Crew Responsible Junk Removal is a veteran-owned junk removal company serving residential and commercial customers across Wisconsin. Founded by military veteran Andy Weins, the business focuses on efficient, system-driven removal services with a strong commitment to recycling, donation, and responsible disposal.