Teenager Builds $15,000/Month Junk Removal Business While Finishing High School

Photo credit: Carter Grandbois / InstagramThis image is improved using Gemini

At 16, while many of his classmates were thinking about part-time jobs in retail or food service, Carter Grandbois saw an opportunity in other people’s clutter. Living in Colorado Springs, he borrowed a trailer, posted on social media and started hauling away junk for neighbours and local businesses. Two years later, at 18, he runs a growing junk-removal company that can bill as much as $15,000 in a busy month, all while finishing high school and planning his next moves. His story, as told to Fortune, shows how a simple service business, combined with savvy use of social media and a strong work ethic, can turn a teenager’s side hustle into a serious income stream.

Spotting a gap in the market Carter Grandbois grew up in a family that valued hard work and self-reliance. As a kid, he helped with yard work, moved furniture and learned basic handyman skills from relatives and neighbours. By middle school, he was already thinking about ways to make money on his own terms. The idea for a junk-removal business came from everyday observation. He noticed that people in his community often had piles of unwanted items: old furniture, appliances, construction debris, yard waste—but didn’t want to deal with the hassle of loading, hauling and dumping them. Professional junk-removal services existed, but they could be expensive or slow to respond, especially for smaller jobs. Carter realised he could fill that gap: offer fast, affordable junk hauling with a personal touch, marketed directly through the platforms where his neighbours already spent time.

Starting with a borrowed trailer At 16, Carter launched his business with minimal equipment. He did not have the capital to buy a truck or a dedicated trailer, so he borrowed a trailer from a family friend and used a vehicle he could access to tow it. His initial “marketing” was simple: posts on Facebook, Instagram and local community groups advertising junk removal, yard clean-ups and small move-out jobs. Early customers were neighbours, friends of his parents and people who saw his posts online. He priced jobs competitively, often undercutting larger companies while emphasising speed and reliability. If a customer needed something gone the same day or next day, Carter made it happen. Word spread quickly. Satisfied customers recommended him to others, and his social media feeds filled with before-and-after photos of cleared garages, cleaned-out basements and tidied-up yards.

Building a brand on social media One of Carter’s key advantages was his comfort with social media. As a Gen Z teenager, he understood how to use short videos, reels and photo carousels to showcase his work. He posted: time-lapse videos of junk removals, showing messy spaces transformed in minutes; before-and-after photos that clearly demonstrated the value he provided; and short clips explaining his process, pricing and service area. He also encouraged customers to tag him or share his posts when he completed a job, creating a ripple effect in local online groups. Over time, his accounts became a de facto portfolio: anyone wondering whether to hire him could scroll through months of completed projects. His online presence meant he could reach customers beyond his immediate area – serving small businesses, landlords and property managers who needed regular clean-outs.

From solo operator to small team As demand grew, Carter quickly hit the limits of what one person with a borrowed trailer could do. He started buying his own equipment, like a more reliable trailer and eventually a truck just for hauling. He also began hiring people on a per-job basis, bringing in friends or acquaintances willing to work on weekends and after school. Instead of building a large, fixed payroll, he kept his team flexible, adding more people for big jobs and scaling down during slower periods. This helped him to manage costs while still being able to take on multiple jobs in a single day. By 17, Carter was no longer just the guy with a trailer; he was running a small business with a brand, a customer base and a growing reputation in the Colorado Springs area.

Hitting $15,000 months At 18, Carter says his business can bill up to $15,000 in a busy month, depending on the season and the number of large jobs he books. Spring and summer tend to be peak times, as people clean out garages, prepare homes for sale and tackle yard projects. Fall and winter can be slower, but there is still steady demand from landlords, contractors and businesses. Revenue comes from a mix of residential and commercial jobs: homeowners clearing out estates, moving or decluttering; landlords cleaning units between tenants; contractors removing construction debris and old materials; and small businesses disposing of old furniture, equipment and packaging. He prices jobs based on volume, weight and labour, often giving quotes from photos sent by customers. That efficiency allows him to book multiple jobs per day and keep his trucks and trailers moving.

Balancing school, work and future plans Running a business while finishing high school is not without challenges. Carter has had to manage to scheduling jobs around classes, exams and extracurricular activities; handle customer communications, estimates and invoicing in his spare time; and decide how much to reinvest in equipment versus saving for future goals, as per the report. He has talked about the pressure of being self-employed at such a young age but also the freedom it gives him to set his own hours and pick his jobs. For the future he is considering options such as expanding his service area, adding more trucks and crew members or even looking into related services such as light demolition, yard work or moving assistance. What makes his model work Carter’s success is not simply about hard work; it’s about a business model that fits his community and his strengths. For other young people looking to start a business, his story suggests you do not need a tech startup or a novel invention to build something profitable; sometimes, solving a basic, everyday problem is enough.

Lessons for other Gen Z entrepreneurs Carter Grandbois is one of a growing number of young people who are choosing self-employment over traditional part-time jobs. Here are some lessons based on his experience: Start small and test the idea locally before making a big investment. Use the platforms you’re most comfortable with, especially social media, to market your services. Focus on reliability and customer experience: word of mouth is powerful for local service businesses. Reinvest early profits into better equipment and capacity, but keep costs flexible. For Carter, junk removal is more than a way to make money; it’s a proof of concept that he can build and run a business on his own terms.

What’s next At 18, Carter is still deciding how far to take the business. He might continue growing it through college, or use it as a financial base while exploring other ventures. Either way, the foundation he has built by 18, equipment, customers, cash flow and a recognisable brand, gives him options many of his peers do not have. From a borrowed trailer at 16 to $15,000 months at 18, Carter Grandbois’s junk-removal business shows that sometimes the most straightforward ideas, executed well and marketed smartly, can turn a teenager’s hustle into a serious enterprise.