A fast-growing London company is successfully combining the old business of junk removal with the latest Internet technology.
Only three years after he founded 1-888-Junk Van with a $500 GMC van, Marcus Kingo has expanded with franchises in Kitchener, Hamilton, Mississauga and Ottawa.
Kingo lives in Strathroy and the business is based in London, but you won’t find a head office in either community.
1-888-Junk-Van is a virtual business with the bookings done through a website and call centres, invoicing done through e-mails and credit cards, and staff working through online dispatch and cellphones.
“We have been able to expand and grow without paying rent anywhere,†Kingo said.
1-888-Junk Van is facing tough competition, ranging from global giant 1-800-GOT-JUNK to small local operators.