SPEAKER_00 0:00

The the big franchises in the area. I mean, they've been operating for 10 plus years. So for me to gain on them, I just have to be super persistent. I have to be on top of my game.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

What's up, everybody? Welcome to another episode of Connections That Matter, where we interview Northern Colorado's best entrepreneurs and share their stories of how they're able to network and build connections that have helped their business grow. Today I have a good friend, uh super networker Mike Kane on the on the show today. Well, Mike, welcome. Yeah, thanks for having me. I appreciate it. Awesome. Well, your your logo's on the on the jacket, looking looking good, looking nice and clean. Uh, but you have one of those dirty jobs, uh, as they would say. So tell me a little bit more about what you do.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

Yeah, so rubbishworks junk removal of northern Colorado. Uh, we provide full service clean outs, um, on-demand junk removal. Um, so really it's if you need anything hauled out of your house, you need your garage, basement, attic, whatever it is, cleaned up. We show up with two guys in a big old truck and make it happen and make it disappear. So and some jobs are really dirty. But we're not afraid of it all.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

You're not afraid of it, but uh, I know some people watching them like, how dirty does it get? Is it like you know, animals?

SPEAKER_00 1:20

Like, is it we won't handle, I'll say like we won't handle bio cleanup. I do have referral partners for that. Um, we won't handle like chemicals and stuff like that, but yeah, I mean, you name it like bad. So a lot of times customers sometimes are embarrassed when we come over and they'll say, Oh, you know, it's not usually like this or whatever. And it's like, seriously, no sweat. I've literally seen it all. So um, yeah, if it's as bad as you can imagine, I've probably seen it.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

Yeah, well, I think that's a great place to kind of get into it, is like clients, maybe they're finding you on uh through a referral or through your Google presence or something like that, and they've got this mess. Maybe they've been trying to clean it up, or maybe they've been trying to do it themselves, but they're at the point where like, hey, I need some professional help. They call them in and like you said, they're embarrassed potentially. Um, but you're trying to build relationships with these people where it's there. So uh take us through kind of that intake call to put somebody at ease.

SPEAKER_00 2:16

I mean, for us, uh like we try to be compassionate and professional. That's kind of what sets us apart, right? Like there's a lot of different companies out there that can clean up or, you know, if you have a pickup at home, right? You can you can take your stuff to the dump or to to a donation center, whatever. Um, for us, really, it's just, you know, we we we try to find out what they have, you know, do we need special tools or whatever else? Um, but oftentimes it's just approaching it in a professional manner where we put them at ease, right? So, like sometimes someone's just gone through loss in their life or something like that, and they don't want to deal with that mistake clean out because maybe it's just too difficult or too emotional. Um, we've had situations where kind of like a hoarder cleanup or crazy stuff happens, right? And kind of what we offer to these people is we say, hey, like no judgment. This is what we do. The more the better for us, to be totally candid. Um, and we just come out and we give them a transparent price and make it go away really fast.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

There you go. And you've uh from what I've watched of you, Mike, like you just made a big splash on the scene. You're coming there, uh, you're getting some awards out of it, which uh is good to see. But as somebody who is getting into a space that, you know, I hear of the other uh businesses are out there. Um, what have you done? What's some of your secrets to get such a vast start?

SPEAKER_00 3:30

Yeah, so um as of today, we're up to almost 150 Google reviews. Yeah, um, a vast majority of them are five star. I have one or two one stars. One was my fault. Um, but yeah, I mean, we just we just go for it. So we just ask people flat out. So once we've once we've completed a job, first and foremost, we always ask them, hey, did we complete everything the way you wanted it to? And once once they're satisfied, we just flat out ask them. Uh, we make it really easy for them to get to the review point. Um, and yeah, so we have tap cards, we have QR codes and everything, but we just really get aggressive about it and say, hey, we're a brand new business. If you were happy with us today, we'd loved if you shared you know your thoughts online because that really does help you with your credibility so much.

SPEAKER_01 4:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:17

Um, and then the other thing that probably took more effort was we just won best of no. So congratulations. And and junk removal is a brand new category, and there's a lot of other uh competitors out there, and there's a lot of companies, frankly, that are great and they've been around for years. Uh, so really I thought we had no chance, but we just went after it and asked literally everybody to write us in first. Got on the ballot, and then we got enough votes to win.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

So well, I think that's cool, is like you said, the client comes in, maybe they're embarrassed by their situation, and then uh you work with them and they're just so thankful and gratitude, not not just to write you the check of what the invoice is, but to go and give you that five-star Google review or take time out of their day to go vote or vote, go advocate for you. Um you said you you're you're aggressive about it, but like take us through that more to if you're if we could talk to other entrepreneurs who are trying to get that loyal following the way that you've been able to create.

SPEAKER_00 5:12

I think honestly, the biggest thing, so we make it easy for the customer, right? Like you'll especially um clients that aren't really big about tech or whatever, like like elderly customers, especially, right? Like they'll say, Oh, I I don't know how to use this or whatever. So um we we have uh a landing page for our reviews set up where it takes you directly to Facebook and Google. We have a QR code, we also use a Google tap card, which are super easy to get. You can find them on Etsy and stuff like that. And then you just put in your you know your website. But we just flat out ask the customer and then we follow up with them. So usually what will happen for me is if my guys have closed out a job, if they don't get a review right away, we'll generally check. And then I will personally follow up with the customer as well. And so it takes a lot of effort and time, but I follow the guys throughout the day, and then I'll text or call that customer personally and say, Hey, you know, my name is Mike, I'm the owner, just wanted to make sure you had a great experience. And then if they, you know, assuming they say yes, which most of the time they do, then I send them my link personally. And then I also have a follow-up system where they actually get a link two days later as well. So it's kind of just that continue to follow up because people really do get busy, and sometimes you know, it's kind of like the overload with notifications nowadays and stuff. So I think you just have to be persistent and polite and just hey, this is what I need from you. Are you cool with that? Yeah, and most people are so well.

SPEAKER_01 6:34

I think the the personal service, like it honors them when you call in from the owner. Like uh right now I've you do a business, a lot of CRMs are really good at reminding you via text and email, like, but some of that I just it turns into white noise. But if the owner or somebody actually calls me and directly asks for it, yeah, goes a long way. Um, when did you decide to like prioritize that as like a way to spend time on your business to take that extra personal touch?

SPEAKER_00 7:01

Yeah. Um, I mean, almost right away, honestly. So like I I try to be as disciplined as I possibly can. So like I'm a very structured um, you know, person when it comes to whatever it is, laying out my day or my business or my personal life, whatever. So, you know, so first few months it was a little bit slower. And I think we we kind of hesitated to just be direct and and transparent with with customers in that way. Like I would ask them one time for a review and then they'd say, Oh yeah, sure, I'll get to it. And then I just went bug them.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

And then I think for me, I don't know, maybe in the last few months I had this epiphany where, you know, like I'm I'm looking at my competitors and I'm seeing them getting 10, 15, 20 reviews a month. And I'm like, no, I'm gonna take this guy on, right? And so like I make it this like mental competition of my of my own, I guess. And so as ridiculous as maybe as it sounds, is like I'll pick one of my competitors in the near area and be like, okay, they're at 150 reviews. Well, maybe I can pass them next month, right? Um, so like last month, for instance, we made a huge focus out of it. We made an internal competition with our our our crew and we got 25 reviews last month, which is kind of kind of crazy. It takes a lot of effort, but like we all have kind of we we kind of have fun with it, right? So I don't know if that answered your question.

SPEAKER_01 8:18

No, I think that's great. And now I'm curious with 150 reviews, um, are people like looking at those before they calling you? Are they representing there? How do you feel like that's helping you take the next step of your business?

SPEAKER_00 8:32

I think it really just helps with credibility, right? Like if you look at, you know, my my Google search rankings, my SEO, my local SEO, I still have, you know, a huge mountain to climb, right? Like some of my competitors have been in business five, 10 years, right? The the big franchises in the area, I mean, they've been operating for 10 plus years. So for me to gain on them, I just have to be super persistent. I have to be on top of my game. Um and and yeah, so for me, like I think I've had a few customers that have actually referenced the reviews. Um, I've even had a couple commercial clients where they'll say, Hey, I called these two other guys, they didn't come on time or something happened. I looked on Google, you had great reviews. If you can be here today, like the business is yours. And I'm like, Yeah, I drop everything that I'm doing and I go do it, you know? So, and and I think like Colorado's kind of a different community too, right? With like you've got the front range metro area, and then you've got some of these smaller mountain kit mountain towns, and I've had that happen a few times with customers where they say, Hey, I'm up in Lions or Red Feather or whatever. Like, are you willing to come up here? I'm like, Yeah, like of course I am. Okay, well, you know, I've had a couple other people cancel on me for no reason. Like, yeah, if I tell you I'm gonna be there, I'm gonna be there at that time, right? Yeah. So, and uh, and that that follows up in the reviews too.

SPEAKER_01 9:53

Really cool. Yeah, really cool. So let's let's get into like your networking uh efforts. And so one thing that I've seen, Mike, is that you've made a very conscious effort uh to engage in the networking scene in northern Colorado. And what's been your overall philosophy strategy? What are you hoping to accomplish with your networking efforts?

SPEAKER_00 10:10

Yeah, I mean, so for me as a new business, you know, only been in operation for eight months. Really, it's just getting the word out there about myself and the business and building, you know, positive, healthy relationships, right? Um, I would say some of the folks that I've met in the different groups, like I'm not gonna be a great referral partner for them because maybe they're in financial services or whatever. Um, but it's still talking with them and having that camaraderie and that rapport where like maybe it's even just us lending a positive, you know, mention or a vibe or whatever it is that month. And then they remember me down the road, or vice versa, I do the same for them. So really it's just you know, getting out there and pounding the pavement and talking to people.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

So well, you uh struck me as a very genuine guy. Like uh you're building relationships, you're going about it the right way. Um, what are some of your goals? Like, where's rubbish works going? I I know you're of northern Colorado, and uh, but more and more people are starting to get a hold of you. Yeah. Uh, what's the vision?

SPEAKER_00 11:08

Oh gosh. Um, you know, would love to continue to take market share just by showing up every day and providing great service. Um, you know, eventually would love to expand maybe down further south into Denver and stuff like that. But right now the primary focus is definitely, you know, northern Colorado. So Wyoming border, down to Boulder, out to Greeley. Um, yeah. I mean, so we we actually just added a second crew, second truck.

SPEAKER_01 11:32

Nice.

SPEAKER_00 11:33

And that's, you know, kind of a leap of faith because I don't always have the business to sustain that. But it's um, you know, it's hopefully the networking will help that and we just you know continue to show up and be disciplined and structured and get out there.

SPEAKER_01 11:47

Yeah. Uh well, it's it's fun to watch watch all of your growth. Um, how much of your clients are hey, I have this one job. Um, it's like a one incident versus hey, uh, I need you to consistently come in and and help with the cleanup.

SPEAKER_00 12:03

It's funny. I would say, I would say junk removal is not necessarily impulsive. I mean, there is some of that, um, but it's also like on demand. Like I find a lot of our customers are it's if it's not an estate, you know, clean out or um someone's moving or something like that, it's like they just started tackling their garage or basement and they realize they're in over their head. Sure. I would say probably 90% plus is that kind of one-off customer, but I do have I do have a lot of repeat clients. We've um we've had some realtors that have been great uh repeat referral type uh clients for us. And I also have a couple different homeowners where I like I know them by name now. Like they'll send me a text and say, Hey, I've got something else for you. Um, and I think that's just because we treated them well and you know, we were respectful, professional, and like had a had a decent price and we provided them with value. So yeah, there's it's it's kind of funny. Some people will like I've had a few clients, I I just had one last week. I want to say I've done four jobs for them now. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

Well, I was thinking about the key situations, right? Like moving, obviously trying to get rid or downsizing, or you know, I and people get attached to their stuff. I mean, it's uh people really do. So, how do you navigate that with people who are like, oh, I know I need to throw it away or get rid of this stuff, but very attached.

SPEAKER_00 13:25

I I think it's just being respectful, and you know, and and like the way we'll um I've actually had it both ways. Like I've had estate cleanouts where you know people are like, I just get rid of everything, I want it done. And sometimes you'll find something and you're like, hey, like, you know, this is you know, your parents' whatever memories or something about your family. Like, are you sure you want to get rid of that? Um and so we'll have those conversations, but we try to be polite about it because you never know what they're going through, what's going uh through their heads. And then other clients, yeah, like if they're you can always tell those people they're gonna be difficult, right? Like generally, if you got to that stage where it's like hoarding or quasi-hoarding or whatever, like it's because they had an attachment to those items. So you just you know, you just present it respectfully and say, Hey, like you got us here, you're paying us a service, like I think you can let go, you know. Yeah. Um, we usually let them make the decision though, obviously. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:22

How how much do you know what you're walking into when you get the phone call? You're like, hey, this thing. Um, and then you show up on the job. Uh, how how directly do those match the expectations to the reality?

SPEAKER_00 14:35

Usually never. I would say uh in our business, generally everyone always wants to get the best price, right? So they'll be like, Oh, I only have a little bit of stuff. Then you get there and you're like, Wow, yeah, you have like five trucks. Um, but yeah, it usually doesn't, you know. People are are a are a bad judgment of volume, I would say. So especially if it entails dirt. Sure. Ton of labor and time and effort goes into that.

SPEAKER_01 15:01

So they'll just haul it away.

SPEAKER_00 15:03

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:04

Um, well, very cool. I I just uh I'm sure you've seen a lot of things, a lot of yeah, and another thing too, it's like you're in people's business, like you're in their homes, like you're in their backyards or uh into their families, right? If they're going through things. Um how do you navigate the clients like why you're actually doing the work and building those relationships?

SPEAKER_00 15:27

Yeah. I mean, you know, we don't try to be like their best friends necessarily, but we try to be really polite and positive. And um, you know, like when we get there and once we've quoted a job, like people want to see the guys working hard, right? Um and and really like we just ask them simple questions, you know. Tell me about your life or your story, like how long have you guys lived here, all that kind of stuff. Especially in the difficult situations where you know there's like they're they're navigating or transiting a difficult time in their lives, like you just ask them simple things, right? Like about their family or their day or what they do for work, that kind of thing. So um, I I think that usually puts people at ease and you just build a quick connection and you know, if they trust you, they're they want to work with you and it goes better. So awesome.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

Have you ever found any hidden treasure? Like you're digging through some something like what is this? And it's maybe something super rare or valuable.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

It's funny because like everybody has their little precious things, right? We've found some cool stuff. Um, I'm a big camper, so like I've I you know, we won't take chemicals and like gas and stuff like that, but I've had a couple times where they're like, Hey, I have this old camping stove, or um, like I have enough little of those like camping propane bottles now to save me for my entire life, probably. So if you ever need one, let me know. Um, but yeah, like my guys, like they found um one of them's really big into lifting. He found a workout bench. Um, we found some really cool uh military memorabilia. Um so I'm a veteran, so that's that was that that was cool for me too. Um, but yeah, like we had this one one estate clean out where we worked with the realtor and we were like, hey, we found dozens of photo albums from you know this one gentleman's career in Vietnam and Korea and all this kind of stuff. So that that stuff's pretty cool when you see that and you know it's valuable to the family too. So sometimes they don't even know that stuff exists. Wow, you know, so that's that's pretty fun.

SPEAKER_01 17:17

Really cool. Um you know, I'm I'm thinking of like who you who you are for your clients, who you are for your community, but also like making the decision to to buy rubbish works and to to go like right, it's a competitive space, and you're looking up to people who've been in the market five, 10 years. Yeah um, you come in, getting the five-star gulrous, like, hey, I have a place in the market too, but then getting best stuff. Like it's really cool. So give some words of encouragement or advice to another entrepreneur who might be looking to maybe have some passion or they see an opportunity, but it's a competitive space.

SPEAKER_00 17:56

I think you just got to keep showing up, right? Like, like you made that decision to become a business owner, an entrepreneur, investor, whatever it may be. Like, you need to give it 110%, right? Like there's never, there's never gonna be an easy day. Um, when I first got into this, someone told me they were like, you know, when people buy into a small business or they start something, like, like they think they're gonna have freedom, right? Like, like they just left corporate America behind and it's in their rear view and they never have to worry about it. And this one guy told me he's like, Well, that's not true, but what you do have is freedom of time. Like you can choose what to make important for you yourself on any given day. And for me, like showing up for my clients is super important, showing up for my employees is super important just to make sure they have what they need. And and when it's time to network and build relationships, like just give it all that focus, right? So um like in in in in the groups that we're in, there's so many people that have been really a positive influence for me. And so even if I'm having a tough day or something like that, or things aren't going great, maybe maybe I've got an empty schedule for that day or something. Like, I just think, okay, what what can I do that's productive today and and try and leave a positive spin on it?

SPEAKER_01 19:06

Yeah, yeah. And that's a lot of the entrepreneurs behind the scenes. It's not all the the shiny stuff. It's like, man, it's there's some pressure on there.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

Yeah, calm on the surface and crazy down below. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

Well, Michael, I appreciate coming on the show. Uh, there's people watching this, and maybe they want to network with the best uh junk removal company in northern Colorado.

SPEAKER_00 19:26

So um, how did they get a hold of you?

SPEAKER_01 19:28

How did they uh reach out to you?

SPEAKER_00 19:30

So um, cell phone or email. Um can I share my yeah, yeah. Share uh my email is mkane m k a-n e at rubbishworks.com and my cells nine seven oh four oh two eight eight seven nine.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

Right on. Well, check out his website, see some of the before and afters that he has, or come network with us and uh network with Mike. And uh, but Mike, thanks so much for coming on the show. It's been awesome. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Yeah, right on. Hey all, thanks for watching. I love networking and building relationships with other northern Colorado business leaders. So if you want to come meet some of these podcast guests, meet me or meet some other amazing entrepreneurs in Northern Colorado. I would love to have you attend one of our next events. Uh, go in the podcast description. There's a way so that you can see our upcoming schedule, and maybe uh you could be a future podcast guest as well. Thanks.