505-Junk: A Waste Management Software Success Story
- April 21, 2016
- By: Vonigo
The following is a waste management software success story featuring 505-Junk, a growing waste management company in Vancouver.
Barry Hartman and Scott Foran were just one credit shy of graduating from Kwantlen Polytechnic University when they made the decision to drop out and start their business together.
“How did I know it was time? It just made sense,” remembers Barry Hartman. “We knew we had a good idea and the industry required some disruption. I knew it was time because I broke my ankle playing soccer and had three months in a cast to write a business plan. With Scott, we wrote the plan and applied to Futurpreneur for financing.”
The decision would prove to be a good one. “We received $15,000 as a loan and jumped in with both feet. We’ve been growing every year, and plan on growing by more than 100% this year.”
From the Basement to the Big Leagues
At the 2015 Small Business BC Awards, they were named finalists in the Best Online Marketer and Best Community Impact award, and also won the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Richmond, BC Chamber of Commerce. As if that weren’t enough, Hartman was selected to be one of 23 Canadian delegates representing Canada at the G20 Young Entrepreneur Alliance Summit in Istanbul. Not bad for a company that got its start in 2011 in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, in the basement of Barry’s parents’ house.
Even with all that’s happened already, Hartman says the defining moment of the company is yet to come. “We are planning to expand across British Columbia next year,” he says matter-of-factly, adding: “We intend to expand 505-Junk across Canada over the next 3-5 years.” Those might sound like grand ambitions, but not to Hartman. He’s a former pro snowboarder who is used to jet-setting, travel schedules and getting the job done. You could say he has a higher tolerance for risk and fear than most.
The Secret To Their Success
The secret is there is no secret. Hartman says 505-Junk succeeds because of its people and systems. “Customers like that our Truck Teams are always really friendly and knowledgeable. Each and every one of our team members is a hero in their own way. We are strong believers in work hard, play hard and everyone is working together to reach the same common goals.” Not just smiling faces, the 505-Junk crew are straight shooters. “They also like our transparent, pay-by-weight pricing structure and they like that we always deliver on our promises.”
Waste Management Software’s Role
Vonigo is proud to play a part in 505-Junk’s success. “We are more organized and our system is much more scalable now that we are using Vonigo,” adds Hartman. “Let’s just say that Vonigo is capable of running so many great reports that we can measure the return on our investment on many different levels.”
They’ve seen a lot of success already, and there’s plenty to be proud of. Hartman has trouble picking just one, especially with so much recent recognition for himself and his partner Foran. But like a true CEO, he keeps piling the praise on his team. The best part? “Leading the review board on Yelp,” he confesses.
In the Lower Mainland of BC and need some junk hauled? Get in touch with the team at 505-Junk.
Want to learn more about how you can use Vonigo’s waste management software to transform your junk removal or service business? Request a demo, and we’ll give you a private preview of what our software can do for you.