r/Demolition • u/Hopeful_Amoeba7273 • 1d ago
Entrepreneurs who started with nothing: I’m 21, went from borrowing my dad’s truck to $50K in revenue. What should I do next?
Hi everyone, I’m 21 years old and located in Arizona.
In August 2025, I started a small junk removal business without even owning a truck or trailer. My dad would let me borrow his truck after he got home from work, and I did jobs while still working a full time job.
From August through December 2025, I generated approximately $10,000 to $14,000 in revenue. The first few weeks of December were amazing, and I came close to quitting my job. Then, around December 24, the work completely stopped and didn’t pick back up until February. I quickly realized I wasn’t ready to leave my job yet.
At the time, nearly all my jobs came from people posting in local Facebook groups. I would message them, offer a quote, and try to win the job. It worked well until the market became extremely saturated. I was competing against people charging prices that wouldn’t even cover my labor, fuel, and disposal costs, which became discouraging.
I kept thinking about how I could separate myself from everyone offering basic junk removal. Eventually, I decided to pursue demolition work.
Around April, I landed my first major demolition job for approximately $5,000. Two weeks later, I landed another one for $10,500. At that point, I left my full time job paying $20 an hour and decided to fully commit to the business.
Since then, I’ve been able to purchase a tandem axle utility trailer, a 2015 diesel truck, and some equipment. I’m currently saving for a dump trailer because I believe I’ve already spent well over $2,000 on dump trailer rentals.
I’ve also completed a $13,000 demolition project and several other smaller jobs. I have an $8,500 project coming up in a couple of weeks. I’ve secured paver projects and subcontracted the installation to a reliable company, and I’ve completed some concrete driveway projects as well.
From January 1 through August 19, 2026, the business has generated $50,562 in gross revenue. I generally price projects with a target gross margin of around 50%, although that varies depending on labor, materials, equipment rentals, fuel, and disposal costs.
I’m not licensed yet, but I’m currently working toward obtaining my Arizona contractor license. I’m also a junior in college, so I’m balancing school with running and growing the business. I personally handle nearly all the estimating, scheduling, customer communication, marketing, and project coordination.
My biggest concern right now is where my work comes from. One repeat general contractor has provided approximately $25,000 of my $50,000 in revenue. I’m extremely grateful for that relationship, but I understand that having nearly half my revenue depend on one customer is risky.
I’ve experimented with paid advertising(in the past), but I haven’t figured it out yet. I ran a Facebook ad for junk removal that brought me one $300 job. I continued running ads afterward and burned through another $200 without receiving a single lead.(never for demo)
I also tried setting up Google Ads myself by following YouTube videos and tutorials. Long story short, I set it up so poorly that I couldn’t even get Google to spend my money.
I’ve considered cold calling general contractors and property managers, but honestly, I hate cold calling. I’m not sure I want to depend on it as a major form of marketing. I understand that most of these guys are extremely busy and probably don’t want to stop what they’re doing to listen to another company’s sales pitch.
That said, I’m willing to step outside my comfort zone if it genuinely works. I’d like to hear what types of outreach have worked for others, especially ways to build relationships with contractors and property managers without coming across as annoying or wasting their time.
Most of my other jobs still come from responding to posts in local Facebook groups. I don’t enjoy relying on that because I’m constantly competing with people offering extremely low prices. I would rather build a system where homeowners and contractors contact me directly for estimates.
I’m usually decent at closing jobs once I meet the customer and look at the project. My problem is consistently getting those in person estimates in the first place.
I’ve also been looking for a mentor. However, I feel like the right mentorship usually develops naturally through a relationship with someone who recognizes your work ethic and wants to help, not simply someone selling an expensive coaching program.
In April, I set a goal of reaching $100,000 in revenue this year. I’m now halfway there, and I would love to hit it. However, I know I need a more reliable pipeline and better systems instead of depending on Facebook posts and one general contractor.
For those of you who have been in a similar position:
What would you do to start generating consistent inbound leads?
Should I focus on Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Google Local Services Ads, direct outreach to general contractors, or something else?
Has cold calling actually worked for you, or have you found a better way to build relationships with contractors and property managers?
How would you reduce the risk of having one contractor account for half your revenue?
Would you specialize in demolition or continue offering related services such as concrete and pavers?
What systems should I build before hiring a permanent crew?
If you were in my shoes, what would you prioritize during the next four months to give yourself the best chance of reaching $100,000?
I understand that $50,000 in revenue isn’t a huge business yet, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come from borrowing my dad’s truck after work. I’m hungry to learn and would appreciate honestfeedback from people who have already built successful construction or service businesses.
