The Three P's
Who says hauling junk can't be fun? Certainly not Brian Scudamore, founder and CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, a junk removal franchise based in Vancouver, B.C.
The idea behind Got-Junk originated in 1989, when Scudamore was a high school senior who took on the idea of charging a fee to pick up junk that city trash collectors and charitable organizations would not. Without finishing high school, he managed to enroll in college only to drop out, deciding he could learn more about business operating one than from a book.
Seventeen years later, Got-Junk is becoming a widely-recognized brand across North America with more than 100 franchises and is on its way to achieving $100 million in annual sales.
Scudamore makes a point to inject the 3 Ps – passion, productivity, and partying – into all aspects of his company's operations.
"We love to work hard, play hard," says David Christopher, call center recruiting and training manager. "When I was first looking into the organization, I thought that was just a cliche. Having worked here now for a year, I know that's true."
Got-Junk's more than 150 employees take pride in the fun company culture, which emphasizes open communication, goal setting (and achieving), and, above all, treating workers right. The staff enjoys benefits such as flex scheduling, private lunches with the CEO, five-week vacations, and a nearly unheard of 25-percent profit-sharing program.
One of the ways the company keeps employees passionate and motivated is by promoting open communication. Scudamore holds company-wide finance meetings each month to review profits and discuss ways of cutting costs.
"Brian believes in opening up the books to team members to help everyone see just how they contribute to our bottom line," says Christopher Bennett, public relations manager.
At Got-Junk headquarters, also referred to as the "Junktion," no one has a private office, including Scudamore. They work in cubes with low walls that allow everyone to remain visible.
"We feed off of each other's energy," Scudamore says. "The open environment really helps bring us together as a team."
The company's daily "huddles" also help encourage teamwork. Every morning, everyone from executives to front-line staff gather for a brief meeting during which they share goals, key metrics, praise, frustrations, and encouragement. Amazingly, each session is kept to a regimented seven-minute time span.
Operations departments also hold individual "adrenaline" meetings where staff members announce their top goal for the day. If another employee happens to be working on a related project, the two can then collaborate to accomplish both goals more efficiently.
"It's a great opportunity to make sure we're all on the same page and going towards the same goal," Christopher says. "Communication is always challenging for an organization, especially one that's fast growing, but these meetings really mitigate a lot of the surprises along the way."
Employees are also encouraged to continually voice their opinions they may have regarding company issues.
"Brian will stop people walking by his desk and ask what they think," says Jerry Granton, director of learning and development. "He wants to know what is wrong, to identify weaknesses. When you think about it, he puts himself in a vulnerable position as a leader. People expect to be told what to do, not asked what is broken and how to fix it; but this empowers people."
All inquiries or complaints receive a response within 24 hours.
"Every company has a suggestion box, right? But in this company, there is a system for logging the suggestions, assigning them for consideration, and following up on them," Granton says.
Employee dreams for the company are also listed on a "Can you imagine..." wall, prominently displayed in the office. Some dreams include "Can you imagine being on Oprah?" or "Can you imagine being among the 100 best employers in Canada?"
Scudamore also asks team members to list their own 101 personal dreams and goals, and he tries to help them accomplish them.
Although Scudamore himself is a high school dropout, he has become a firm believer in the value of continuous education, so much so that he created a department at Got-Junk solely devoted to learning and development. Part of the department's role is to create training programs for franchise partners. The programs teach employees how to run their business as well as how to train their own staffs.
Every company employee is allotted an annual budget ranging from $1,500 to $2,000 to apply towards training programs or workshops applicable to their jobs. "In our roles, we're really given the freedom to grow," says Christopher. "We're challenged daily not only to improve but to grow our skills and find new ways of doing things."
Starting in January, the company will give every employee five weeks personal paid leave. Unlike many businesses which frown on employees taking extended time off, Got-Junk asks that people use their extra days to take at least a two-week vacation during the year.
"When people are well rested and content, they're more likely to inject enthusiasm into whatever they're doing. The by-product, of course, is that we're hitting the goals and financial outcomes that as a company we're trying to achieve," Bennett says.
These benefits and others are based on the company's belief that happy workers are productive workers, and the results will ultimately show in the bottom line.
One only needs to look at the company's numbers to see the truth in that philosophy.
Got-Junk's sales in 2004 topped out around $6.4 million. Thus far, the company has earned more than $50 million in revenue this year.
Scudamore's ultimate goal is to reach $1 billion in sales by 2012 and expand the company to 10 times its current size.
"I think the reason we're the only national junk removal company and we're the size we are is because Brian's been fantastic at saying 'I want to control the vision of the company, but I can't be in charge of every detail,'" says Katie Dunsworth, public relations manager. "His job is to set the goals so every franchise partner is satisfied and happy."
Scudamore's persistent and visionary goal-setting has steered his company from a one-man, one-truck summer occupation to become the largest junk-removal operation in North America.
Since 1997, when the company first hit $1 million in annual revenue, Got-Junk has grown exponentially, expanding from an initial presence in one city to 120 franchises in Canada and the United States.
Scudamore credits the company's growth to the staff's commitment and dedication. "People are here because they want to be here," he says. "People feel like they're treated well and the respect they're given comes back to us tenfold in commitment and productivity."
One could say that Scudamore could add another "P" to his mantra. "I've always said it's about the people," he says. "It's about having the right people and treating them right."
Company: 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
Web Site: www.1800gotjunk.com
Industry: Junk removal
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Number of employees: 76
Sales: $6.4 million
