SCHEDULE A CALL

Rubbish Works Franchise Opportunity: Is It Right for You? (And How It Compares to Commercial Cleaning)

Rubbish Works Franchise

If you’re exploring franchise opportunities, you might be considering various service businesses – from junk hauling to cleaning. One option on the radar is the Rubbish Works franchise. In this in-depth review, we’ll break down what the Rubbish Works franchise offers and how it works. We’ll also compare the junk removal industry to the commercial cleaning business franchise model to see which might be the better long-term bet for someone looking to leave the corporate world and build a scalable business.

By the end, you’ll understand Rubbish Works’ strengths and challenges – and why a commercial cleaning franchise like Assett Franchise could offer more stability, recurring revenue, and growth potential for first-time business owners.

What Is the Rubbish Works Franchise Opportunity?

Company Overview and Industry

Rubbish Works is a franchised business in the junk removal and hauling industry. The company was founded in 2009 and began franchising in earnest around 2020 after joining the Premium Service Brands family according to entrepreneur.com. Premium Service Brands (PSB) is a multi-brand home services franchisor, and Rubbish Works became one of its portfolio companies in 2020. This partnership gave Rubbish Works additional resources for growth, and by the end of 2022 the brand had expanded to around 10 franchised outlets in the U.S.. (It remains a relatively new and emerging franchise system, with fewer than 20 units currently operating.)

Rubbish Works operates in the junk removal and dumpster rental industry, serving both residential and commercial clients. In essence, franchisees help customers dispose of unwanted items – from old furniture and appliances to construction debris – in a convenient, on-demand fashion. It’s an “asset-light” service business: instead of a storefront, you’re running trucks and crews that travel to customers to haul away rubbish.

The junk removal sector itself is sizable and growing. Americans generate enormous amounts of waste and often need help getting rid of clutter, which has led to rising demand for hauling services according to franchisechatter.com. One estimate pegs the U.S. junk removal market at roughly $10 billion annually. Drivers of growth include the popularity of decluttering and minimalist lifestyles, as well as businesses seeking efficient ways to clear out waste. Rubbish Works’ positioning within this industry emphasizes being eco-friendly – the brand recycles or donates at least 50% of the items it collects, striving to minimize landfill use. This “green” approach appeals to environmentally conscious customers and differentiates Rubbish Works from some competitors that might simply haul everything to the dump.

As part of its company culture, Rubbish Works highlights that it offers more than just junk hauling – it provides “peace of mind” by freeing customers of clutter and doing so responsibly. The signature green trucks and branding reinforce this eco-friendly, stress-relief image. Overall, the company sits at the intersection of waste management and home services, an industry that saw new prominence in recent years as cleanliness and proper disposal became top-of-mind for many consumers.

What Franchisees Get

When you invest in a Rubbish Works franchise, you’re getting a turnkey system to run a local junk removal business. Here are the key elements of what franchisees receive:

  • Service Offering: Rubbish Works franchisees offer on-demand junk removal and dumpster rental services to a broad customer base. That means you might handle anything from picking up old furniture and yard debris for a homeowner, to providing roll-off dumpsters at a construction site or doing a commercial office clean-out. The ability to generate revenue from multiple streams – individual junk hauling jobs and longer-term dumpster rentals – is a selling point Rubbish Works emphasizes. The franchise markets itself as a full-service junk removal solution with on-demand labor, not just a basic hauling company. Importantly, franchisees can serve both residential and commercial clients: homeowners who need garages cleared, property managers clearing out apartments, retailers disposing of old inventory, contractors with construction debris, and more. This diversified customer base means you’re not reliant on a single market segment.
  • Training and Support: Rubbish Works provides initial training and ongoing support to help franchisees launch and grow. New owners attend a comprehensive training program (historically a 5-day session at the home office in Bellevue, WA, plus additional on-the-job guidance). You don’t need prior industry experience – the training covers business operations, scheduling, pricing estimates, marketing, and best practices for hauling and disposal. After launch, each franchisee is typically assigned a Regional Service Coordinator (RSC) or business coach who provides coaching and support as you ramp up. Being part of Premium Service Brands also gives access to their broader franchising expertise and systems. For example, Rubbish Works owners benefit from PSB’s Owner Experience Program (OXP) – an intensive 3-week training combining online and in-person instruction on operations, marketing, hiring, and sales, led by experienced brand coaches. This kind of structured onboarding is designed to give new franchisees a running start.
  • Business Tools & Systems: One standout benefit is the technology and call center infrastructure that Rubbish Works franchisees get. The franchisor operates a centralized call center that handles incoming customer inquiries and booking of jobs on behalf of franchisees. This means when local customers call to request junk removal, a trained rep answers and schedules the job for your territory, sparing you from fielding calls 24/7. The appointments are dispatched to your team via a web-based scheduling and GPS dispatch system. This proprietary software platform manages crew assignments, mapping routes, tracking trucks, and processing payments, which greatly simplifies daily operations. In short, Rubbish Works largely automates your front-end customer intake and dispatch, so you can focus on managing your crews and marketing your business.
  • Equipment and Vehicles: Junk removal is a physical business, and Rubbish Works assists franchisees in getting the right equipment. Franchise owners typically start with at least one commercial-grade dump truck (fully branded in Rubbish Works colors/logo) to perform hauling jobs. The franchisor helps with specifications for these trucks and has relationships with suppliers – though the franchisee is responsible for acquiring or leasing the vehicle. Basic tools (dollies, straps, safety gear, etc.) are also part of the startup package. Notably, Rubbish Works prides itself on being the “only national company offering multiple income streams with on-demand hauling and roll-off containers”. In practice, this means you can generate revenue both by sending your crew to remove junk and by dropping off dumpsters that clients fill at their own pace. The franchise model enables this dual service, whereas many small independent junk haulers don’t offer temporary dumpster rentals. Having two service lines can increase your earning potential.
  • Marketing and Branding: Franchisees get the benefit of an established brand image and marketing support. Rubbish Works provides professionally designed marketing materials, a branded website presence, and playbooks for local advertising campaigns. The parent company’s corporate marketing team handles broader national strategy (like brand awareness, digital marketing programs), while franchise owners receive quarterly marketing playbooks to guide their local efforts. These include ready-made materials for social media, direct mail, networking, etc., tailored for the season or campaign. Rubbish Works also partners with marketing firms and secures national vendor discounts for things like print materials and online ads. All of this helps a new owner generate leads more effectively. Additionally, because Rubbish Works is part of a family of home-service brands, there’s potential for cross-brand referrals – for example, a painting or cleaning franchise in PSB’s network might refer their customers to you when junk hauling is needed. This integrated approach can give Rubbish Works franchisees a leg up in finding business.
  • Ongoing Semi-Absentee Model: Rubbish Works is marketed as a franchise that can be run semi-absentee, appealing to owners who may not want to quit their day job immediately. In fact, the company explicitly allows passive or semi-passive ownership. In practical terms, as an owner you’d hire a small team (perhaps 2 employees to start) to handle the physical work, while you manage scheduling and growth part-time. Many junk removal franchisees begin by also working on the truck to understand the business, then transition to a management role. Thanks to the centralized call center and other systems, Rubbish Works claims you can manage the business in a more hands-off way than an independent operator might. However, keep in mind scaling up (adding more trucks and crews) will require your involvement in recruiting and coordinating staff – it’s not 100% passive. But relative to some franchises, the operational burden is lower since you aren’t stuck answering every call or driving the truck on every job.

In summary, a Rubbish Works franchisee gets a business-in-a-box for junk removal: training to get started, ongoing coaching, advanced scheduling technology, a call center to book jobs, marketing support, and an eco-friendly brand identity to attract customers. Your role is to manage local operations – hiring a couple of reliable crew members, maintaining your truck, and networking in your community to drum up business (with help from corporate marketing). The typical day might involve dispatching your crew to a morning house clean-out, ensuring a dumpster delivery is on schedule for an event clean-up, then meeting with a property manager about recurring pickup needs. It’s a hands-on, field-based business, but backed by the structure and support of a larger franchise system so you’re not going it alone.

Startup Costs and Ongoing Fees

One of the most important considerations for any franchise buyer is the investment required. Rubbish Works is positioned as a relatively low-cost franchise in the home services space (since you don’t need a retail buildout or expensive real estate). However, it does require an investment in equipment and territory launch. According to Rubbish Works’ Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), the total initial investment to open a franchise ranges from about $117,100 to $195,000. This includes everything from the franchise fee to your truck, initial marketing, and some working capital. Here’s a breakdown of key cost components:

  • Franchise Fee: $65,000 (one-time). This secures your territory and access to the Rubbish Works brand and system. The company offers a 10% discount for military veterans off the franchise fee.
  • Equipment and Vehicle: You’ll need a dump truck or similar vehicle. The FDD estimates only $1,500–$5,000 upfront under “Vehicle”, which likely assumes a lease or financing down payment rather than buying a truck outright (a new dump truck can cost $70K+ but many franchisees start with a used or leased truck). Additionally, budget ~$1,250–$3,500 for other equipment and supplies (tools, uniforms, safety gear). Branded signage for your truck or any storage facility is estimated at $3,000–$4,000.
  • Initial Marketing: Rubbish Works requires a grand opening marketing spend to kickstart your business. The 2025 FDD outlines $10,000–$20,000 for initial marketing campaigns in your territory. This would cover things like launch advertisements, local promotions, and networking efforts to let your community know you’re open for business.
  • Training, Travel, and Misc.: Plan for about $3,000–$5,000 in travel and living expenses when you attend the initial training in Charlottesville, VA (PSB’s headquarters) or another designated location. Licenses, permits, and insurance can add another few thousand dollars as you set up the company (e.g. the FDD lists insurance $2,000–$5,000 and licenses $100–$1,500). They also include an allowance for a manager’s salary (up to $30,000) if you choose to hire a manager right away instead of running the daily operations yourself, and 6 months of additional working capital ($22,500–$40,000) to cover any operating losses or cash flow needs as you grow.

The franchise is home-based, meaning you don’t need to rent an office or retail space – many Rubbish Works owners start by parking the truck at home or a small storage yard and running the admin from a home office. That keeps real estate costs effectively zero or minimal (the FDD even shows $0–$3,000 for real estate, reflecting perhaps a few months rent of a parking yard or small warehouse if needed).

In addition to startup costs, franchisees pay ongoing fees to the franchisor:

  • Royalty Fee: 6% of gross sales, paid weekly. There’s typically a minimum royalty of $150 per week, but effectively you’ll pay 6% of what you earn. This fee gives you continued use of the brand, systems, and corporate support.
  • Marketing/Brand Fund: 2% of gross sales contributed to the national marketing fund. This goes toward broader brand advertising, website maintenance, and other collective marketing efforts that benefit all franchisees. Rubbish Works also can require up to an additional 2% of gross sales (or $10k/year) for local advertising co-ops or initiatives. In other words, you’re expected to reinvest in promoting your business locally, whether individually or through regional co-op programs.
  • Call Center/Technology Fee: The centralized call center isn’t free – the FDD indicates a fee equal to 2% of gross sales (or a minimum amount) for the contact center services and software. Essentially, a small portion of revenue funds that scheduling and call-answering infrastructure that helps run your business.

Other ongoing costs include typical business expenses like fuel for your truck, disposal fees at landfills or recycling centers, payroll for your crew, vehicle insurance and maintenance, etc. While those aren’t fees to the franchisor, they do affect your profit margins. Junk removal franchises often have notable disposal and fuel costs that vary by job – for instance, you might pay dumping fees by weight at the local landfill or recycling facility.

Earnings Potential: As a prospective owner, you’ll want to know what you can earn. Rubbish Works is still new, and performance data is limited. The franchise’s Item 19 (financial representation) has so far reported metrics like average job size rather than full annual revenue. For example, in 2022, the four Rubbish Works franchisees open all year had an average ticket size of about $305 per job (median ~$360; the highest was ~$450). This means each customer project brought in roughly a few hundred dollars in revenue on average. Of course, the total volume of jobs you complete will determine your annual sales – a busy franchise that completes 1,000 jobs a year could gross $300k+ at that average job size, whereas a newer location might do a few hundred jobs in year one. The company has not yet disclosed average annual revenues or profits, likely because the franchise system is so young (only one franchisee was open in early 2024 per the latest FDD). So, while you should ask Rubbish Works for the most up-to-date financial performance data during your investigation, be aware that as an early franchisee, you’re something of a pioneer – the upside is ground-floor territory availability, but the downside is fewer proof points of success.

How the Industry Itself Compares

Now that we’ve covered the basics of Rubbish Works, let’s step back and compare the junk removal industry it operates in versus the commercial cleaning industry (where Assett Franchise competes). This is an important indirect comparison: someone looking to start a service business might be weighing hauling trash versus cleaning buildings. Both are part of the broader cleaning/maintenance services sector, but they have distinct characteristics. Below, we’ll outline the advantages of Rubbish Works’ junk removal space and then contrast them with the advantages of the commercial cleaning industry. We’ll see that while junk removal can be profitable and fulfilling, commercial cleaning often offers more stability, scalability, and recurring revenue – which are critical for long-term success.

Rubbish Works Industry Advantages

Every industry has its appeal. For junk removal franchises like Rubbish Works, there are several notable advantages:

  • Growing Demand for Junk Removal: Americans invariably accumulate stuff, and eventually, they need to get rid of it. The junk removal business rides a wave of growing demand fueled by trends in decluttering and “spring cleaning” habits. As one industry review noted, the sector is growing thanks to the sheer volume of goods we churn through and the rising appeal of minimalism – people want to clear out old clutter and they often lack the time, vehicle, or know-how to do it themselves. Businesses contribute to demand too, as offices relocate or renovate and need furniture and e-waste hauled away. In short, there’s a fundamental need in nearly every community for reliable waste removal services beyond what municipal trash pickup covers (e.g. large bulk items, construction debris, estate clean-outs). A junk removal franchise taps into this ongoing need. Even in economic downturns, there are foreclosures to clean out or downsizing households; in boom times, there’s remodeling and new furniture displacing old junk. This provides a baseline of opportunity.
  • High Job Values: Junk removal jobs can bring in significant one-time revenue. Unlike some service calls that might be $100 or less, a single large hauling job can be worth several hundred to a few thousand dollars (for example, Rubbish Works reports that over 25% of their jobs are over $1,700 in value). Big projects like clearing a hoarder’s house, cleaning up after a home remodel, or servicing a commercial clean-out can generate sizable tickets. This means with relatively few jobs per week, a franchise can drive decent revenue. Franchisees often find the work rewarding as well – you see immediate, tangible results (a garage emptied, a construction site cleared) and customers are often very grateful to have a huge burden literally lifted from their space.
  • Diverse Revenue Streams: The junk removal industry isn’t one-size-fits-all. Companies like Rubbish Works differentiate by offering multiple services: on-demand junk pickup and dumpster rentals. This diversity can help even out cash flow. For instance, you might have steady income by renting dumpsters to contractors for week-long use, while also doing quick-turn residential pickup jobs. There’s also potential to resell or scrap certain items of value (some junk haulers extract additional revenue by selling lightly used furniture or recycling metal for cash). Rubbish Works emphasizes eco-friendly disposal – donating and recycling items – which, beyond the feel-good aspect, can sometimes reduce disposal costs or even yield tax benefits for donated goods. Overall, the flexibility in services means a franchisee can seize multiple opportunities: house cleanouts, yard debris removal, construction dumpsters, seasonal community cleanup events, etc., all of which add up.
  • Lower Barrier to Entry Skills-wise: Junk hauling is a straightforward, non-technical service. It doesn’t require professional licenses (aside from standard business licenses) or specialized trade skills. A franchisee doesn’t need to be an expert in pest biology or have a personal training certification – the core work is logistics and labor. This can make it easier to recruit workers (you’re mostly looking for reliable, able-bodied crew who can lift heavy items and follow disposal protocols) and easier for an owner to learn the ropes. Many people find the concept of junk removal easy to grasp: it’s about providing timely, courteous service and leaving a space clean. For an owner who likes working outdoors or doesn’t want to be stuck behind a desk, this industry has a certain hands-on appeal. You’re out in the community, every job is a little different (one day you might be picking up old couches, another day clearing out a warehouse), and there’s a sense of accomplishment in seeing immediate results.
  • Community and Environmental Impact: For those motivated by making a difference, junk removal offers visible impact. You’re helping people dispose of unwanted items in a responsible way, often improving the safety and cleanliness of properties. Rubbish Works franchisees often highlight stories of helping an elderly couple clear years of clutter from a home or assisting a family in prepping a house for sale by hauling away junk – these tasks relieve stress for customers. Environmentally, there’s satisfaction in diverting usable items to donation centers and ensuring hazardous materials (like appliances with refrigerants or electronics) are recycled properly rather than dumped illegally. Franchise owners can take pride in running a green business that contributes to sustainability in their community. This aspect can also be a selling point in marketing – many customers choose Rubbish Works because of its eco-friendly practices and charity partnerships, which might not be a focus for independent haulers.

In summary, the junk removal industry offers franchisees a chance to step into a needed service with relatively low technical complexity. The work is dynamic and often high-impact for clients, yielding strong satisfaction. Financially, each job can be lucrative, and offering complementary services (hauling and dumpsters) provides multiple income streams. For the right entrepreneur – perhaps someone who doesn’t mind managing crews and getting their hands dirty occasionally – a business like Rubbish Works can be an exciting opportunity to be “the guy with the big green truck” that everyone in town calls to solve their clutter problems.

However, it’s important to weigh these positives against the characteristics of other industries… especially commercial cleaning, which shares some similarities (service-based, essential upkeep of spaces) but also has key differences. Let’s look at how commercial cleaning compares, and why many consider it a stronger long-term play for a franchise business.

Compared to Commercial Cleaning Industry

When comparing junk removal versus commercial cleaning as franchise industries, there are several factors to consider: market size, revenue model (one-off jobs vs. recurring contracts), seasonality, operational complexity, and scalability. Here’s how the commercial cleaning industry stacks up and why it often comes out ahead as a better franchise opportunity for many entrepreneurs:

  • Massive, Stable Market: Commercial cleaning is a giant industry. In the U.S. alone, janitorial and commercial cleaning services are estimated to be a $60–$80+ billion market annually (some estimates even put the broader cleaning sector over $100 billion worldwide). Nearly every office building, school, healthcare facility, retail store, and industrial site needs regular cleaning. This translates to a huge pool of potential B2B clients with ongoing needs. By contrast, junk removal, while growing, is a much smaller niche – the entire junk removal franchise segment was valued under $1 billion as of mid-decade. Cleaning also benefits from being an essential service: it’s not a luxury or one-time event, but a required line item in business operations. Companies must keep their premises clean for health, safety, and image reasons – even during recessions or pandemics, cleaning is non-negotiable (in fact, COVID-19 underscored how crucial cleaning and sanitization are, making the industry even more recession-resistant). By serving this stable, evergreen demand, a commercial cleaning franchise can enjoy far more consistency and immunity to economic swings compared to a junk hauling business that might see consumers delay discretionary clean-outs during tough times. The bottom line: cleaning offers a larger and more resilient customer base than hauling does.
  • Recurring Revenue Model: Perhaps the biggest advantage of the commercial cleaning industry is its recurring revenue model. Cleaning contracts are typically ongoing – for example, a business might contract a cleaning service to come sanitize their office 3 times a week, every week. That means once you win a client, you have steady income month after month, year after year (assuming you keep them happy). Assett Franchise, for instance, focuses on long-term B2B contracts where services recur on a set schedule, generating predictable cash flow. In contrast, junk removal tends to be transactional and episodic: a customer has a pile of junk, you haul it once, and the job is done. You then have to find the next customer with junk to remove. While junk removal can have repeat clients (landlords, contractors, etc.), it does not inherently create the kind of “sticky” revenue that cleaning does. A junk removal franchise might spend significant marketing dollars continually acquiring new customers, whereas a cleaning franchise can build up a book of loyal contract clients that produce revenue reliably every month. Over time, this compounding effect in cleaning – each new contract adds to your base – can lead to much higher annual revenues. In fact, many commercial cleaning franchise owners reach 7-figure revenues by stacking multiple contracts, something that would be harder to achieve with one-off junk hauling jobs.
  • Recession-Resistance and Seasonality: Commercial cleaning is often described as recession-resistant. Why? Businesses and institutions always need cleaning, regardless of the economy. An office won’t suddenly stop needing trash emptied and floors vacuumed because of a downturn – if anything, cleaning budgets stay as a priority. Additionally, cleaning demand is year-round and not particularly seasonal; offices get cleaned whether it’s January or July. Compare this to junk removal, which does have seasonal swings. Many junk franchises see slow periods in winter – for example, industry veterans note January and February are typically the slowest months for junk removal, with volume picking up in spring and summer. There are also weather dependencies (bad weather can pause outdoor clean-up projects) and holiday lulls. Commercial cleaning, being mostly indoors and on a schedule, avoids those seasonal dips. A cleaning franchise serving, say, a medical clinic will clean just as frequently in winter as in summer. This consistency means revenue doesn’t take the same annual dip that a hauling business might experience during the cold months. For a franchise owner, that steadiness can be a huge relief – you won’t be worrying about how to cover expenses in an off-season, because there largely isn’t one in cleaning.
  • Lower Operational Complexity and Costs: Running a commercial cleaning business can be logistically simpler and cheaper to scale than running a junk removal operation. Equipment needs are minimal – you might need vacuum cleaners, mops, cleaning solutions, and maybe a lightweight van for supplies, but you don’t need heavy trucks, lifting equipment, or to pay hefty landfill fees. Startup costs for a cleaning franchise are typically lower; for example, Assett Franchise reports an initial investment range around $73k–$116k, notably lower than Rubbish Works’ top range, because cleaning doesn’t require purchasing large vehicles or containers. As you grow a cleaning business, adding a new client contract might mean hiring another cleaner (often part-time) and buying another set of mop buckets – a modest incremental cost. In junk removal, adding revenue often means adding another truck (tens of thousands of dollars) and crew, not to mention increased dump fees, fuel, and maintenance. Also, cleaning work is usually done on-site at client facilities, which means no costs like disposal fees that eat into profit. With junk removal, a significant portion of each job’s revenue goes right back out to cover dumping charges and fuel. Therefore, the profit margins in cleaning can be higher, and scaling doesn’t come with as many costly hurdles. It’s also easier to manage quality in cleaning through checklists and routine training, whereas junk removal can involve unpredictable challenges (e.g. removing an unusually heavy item safely or dealing with hazardous waste) that require more problem-solving on the fly.
  • Scalability and Semi-Absentee Potential: Both Rubbish Works and Assett Franchise advertise that owners can run the business without doing all the labor themselves. However, commercial cleaning is particularly well-suited to an executive owner model. Cleaning tasks can be taught easily, and there’s a large labor pool for entry-level cleaning jobs. Assett’s model, for example, is built for franchisees to work on the business (marketing, client relations) rather than in it (mopping floors). In fact, Assett owners can run their franchise in as little as 5 hours per week of oversight once things are up and running, because crews and systems handle the rest. Many cleaning franchisees operate semi-absentee, treating it as a management business – some even keep another job while overseeing their cleaning franchise’s growth. With junk removal, even though it’s possible to hire drivers and crew for the truck, the nature of the jobs might demand more owner attention (e.g. coordinating multiple pickups, handling customer quotes on-site, dealing with equipment or disposal issues). The cleaning business franchise model allows for easier delegation and automation of tasks. Assett Franchise has even tackled the hardest part of any service business – hiring – with an automated system (more on that later) so that filling staffing needs doesn’t consume the owner’s life. This means a cleaning franchise owner can realistically scale to multiple teams and a million-dollar business while keeping a relatively sane schedule. It’s telling that first-time entrepreneurs are often drawn to commercial cleaning because it’s straightforward to understand and manage, and franchisors like Assett provide a playbook that removes the guesswork. You’re not dealing with complex machinery or risky manual labor – it’s a tried-and-true formula of securing contracts and staffing cleaners to fulfill them.
  • “Sticky” Client Relationships: In B2B commercial cleaning, relationships tend to be long-term and professional. Clients (like facility managers or business owners) value reliability and consistency. If you deliver good service, they are likely to stick with you for years, and it often takes a lot for them to go through the hassle of switching providers. Compare this to residential customers who might call whoever has the best coupon for junk pick-up that week, or who only need your service once and then don’t have a need again for a couple of years. Cleaning contracts build loyalty and even allow for up-selling additional services over time (such as floor waxing, window cleaning, disinfecting projects, etc. – many cleaning franchises, including Assett, empower franchisees to offer extra facility services as add-ons). The net effect is that commercial cleaning can produce a compounding income: each new client increases monthly revenue, and as you maintain high retention, your business grows steadily. Junk removal, conversely, can feel like starting from zero every day – what jobs can we book today? While good marketing and referrals can certainly generate repeat junk removal business, it inherently lacks the contractual recurring nature of commercial cleaning.
  • Competitive Landscape: Both industries have competition, but the nature differs. Junk removal in many areas is highly fragmented – you’ll compete with national brands (like 1-800-GOT-JUNK, Junk King) and a slew of local independent “guy with a truck” operators who might undercut on price. It can be a bit of a price-driven commodity business unless you differentiate strongly on service and branding (which Rubbish Works does try to do with professionalism and green practices). Commercial cleaning is also competitive, but the barriers to winning B2B contracts are a bit higher, which can actually protect franchisees. Large clients often prefer established, insured, professional providers – that’s where a franchise like Assett with polished proposals and industry expertise can win over a cheap mom-and-pop cleaner. Moreover, commercial cleaning contracts are often signed for a year or more, so competitors can’t poach your clients easily without a contract lapse or serious service failure on your part. Residential junk removal is easier for a consumer to switch on a whim (each job they might shop around). So, while both markets require hustle to build up, the cleaning industry offers more defense against competition once you secure clients.

In weighing the two industries, it becomes clear that commercial cleaning checks many boxes for long-term business viability: huge market, continuous demand, recurring revenue, easier scalability, and resilience in all economic climates. Junk removal can certainly be profitable and is a needed service, but it faces more volatility – it’s often seasonal, transaction-based, and involves higher operational costs for each dollar earned. For an entrepreneur seeking a “quit your job and have stable income” path, cleaning franchises have an edge because of their ability to deliver steady, growing cash flow with fewer surprises. Next, we’ll see how Assett Franchise leverages these industry advantages and adds its own innovations to further tilt the scales in favor of commercial cleaning for prospective owners.

How the Assett Franchise Compares

Having looked at Rubbish Works and junk removal, let’s turn to Assett Franchise – a commercial cleaning franchise brand – and see how it differentiates itself as a potentially stronger opportunity. Assett is a family-owned franchise founded by Matt Pencarinha that helps entrepreneurs build executive-style commercial cleaning businesses. In many ways, it was designed to address the pitfalls that can plague other service franchises. Below, we break down a few key areas where Assett shines in comparison:

Simpler Systems, Bigger Potential

Assett Franchise is built on the fundamental advantages of the commercial cleaning industry – and it’s already operating in that stable, $100B+ market serving commercial buildings. This means franchise owners start with a strong foundation: essential B2B services with high demand in virtually every city. But Assett goes further by simplifying the model for owners and emphasizing high revenue potential.

With Assett, you’re not expected to be out cleaning toilets or mopping floors yourself. It’s structured as an executive model from day one, meaning the goal is to work on the business, not in it. The franchise is ideal for someone coming out of a corporate career who wants to apply their leadership and management skills to run a business – without needing any prior cleaning industry experience. Assett provides a complete business playbook that covers how to find clients, bid contracts, hire and manage cleaners, and ensure quality. All the systems are documented, and training is thorough, so a newcomer can hit the ground running. In short, it removes the “guesswork” that an independent might face in starting a cleaning company.

One of the most compelling aspects of Assett is its proven model with high income potential. Commercial cleaning has no real ceiling – you can keep adding contracts and crews. Assett highlights that each franchise territory has the potential to build $1M+ in recurring annual revenue, given the right effort and execution. In fact, Matt Pencarinha’s own story illustrates this potential: he started his cleaning business from scratch in 2019 and grew it to over $557,000 in recurring revenue within the first 12 months, with employees handling the cleaning. That rapid growth (zero to over half a million in year one) demonstrated how quickly a scalable cleaning business can ramp up when the model is executed well. Many of Assett’s franchise systems were born from solving the challenges Matt encountered scaling that initial operation – meaning new franchisees get the benefit of those solutions from the outset.

Assett franchises also enjoy low cost of entry and operation compared to equipment-heavy businesses. As mentioned, you don’t need expensive vehicles or machinery, and you don’t have the variable costs like dump fees. This keeps your break-even point lower and margins healthy. It’s feasible to start home-based, and even as you grow, you might only need a small office or storage for supplies. Combined with the recurring revenue, this makes achieving ROI and profitability faster. Assett’s model is designed to be simple to run: you need to maintain quality and customer relationships, but you’re not juggling complex logistics or constant one-off sales.

Finally, scalability is baked in. Assett encourages franchisees to think big – the model can be run semi-absentee with as little as 5-10 hours a week of your oversight once your team and contracts are in place (some owners keep a day job or run multiple businesses). Because cleaning crews can operate independently during their shifts, you don’t have to be everywhere at once. The franchise is set up so that you can manage by metrics and periodic check-ins, focusing on growth and strategy rather than day-to-day grunt work. As your client list expands, you add more employees and perhaps a field supervisor, but you aren’t exponentially increasing your personal workload. This is a stark contrast to many junk removal or other home service franchises that might demand the owner be on-site for big jobs or constantly coordinating unpredictable schedules. Assett simplifies the operational side, allowing you to chase the bigger goal of building a million-dollar business that works for you.

Automated Hiring = Time and Money Saved

One of the most innovative and owner-friendly features of Assett Franchise is its automated hiring system. Anyone who has run a service business will tell you that hiring and retaining employees – especially in entry-level positions like cleaning – can be the single biggest headache. High turnover, no-shows, constant interviews… these can eat up an owner’s time and patience. Matt Pencarinha recognized this from the start and developed a proprietary system to virtually eliminate the hiring hassle for Assett franchisees.

Assett’s automated hiring system is a tech-driven process that continuously recruits, screens, and onboards cleaning staff with minimal owner involvement. It’s an end-to-end pipeline: using online ads, assessments, and scheduling tools to keep a steady flow of qualified applicants coming in and moving through the steps. The system automatically filters out unqualified candidates and even handles initial communications and interview scheduling. By the time an applicant reaches the franchisee for a final say, they’ve been vetted to meet certain criteria. This means you’re never caught shorthanded – even if some employees leave, the system likely has new candidates already in the queue.

The impact of this on a franchise owner’s life cannot be overstated. Assett estimates that its Automated Hiring System saves owners about 20–30 hours per week that they would otherwise spend on recruiting and HR tasks. In a traditional cleaning business, an owner without a hiring system might spend hours posting job listings, sifting through resumes, calling candidates, setting up interviews, and training new hires – often only to have many quit or underperform. Assett removes that drudgery. Franchisees can realistically get the hiring process down to just 2–5 hours of their time per week, because so much is handled automatically or by the system’s prompts. Essentially, it’s like having a built-in HR assistant working around the clock.

This has several benefits: First, it frees your time to focus on growth – you can use those reclaimed 20+ hours a week to sign new clients, network with facility managers, or refine operations, rather than constantly placing “Help Wanted” ads. Second, it saves money – you don’t need to hire a full-time recruiter or manager to handle hiring (which some franchisees in other systems resort to as they scale). Assett owners can keep their overhead lean because the system does the heavy lifting that a $40-50k/yr HR manager might do elsewhere. Third, it tends to produce a better quality workforce. Automated, consistent screening means you’re selecting from the top of the funnel. The system also helps ensure new hires are properly onboarded and supported (which improves retention). Assett reports that with this system, their franchisees experience lower turnover and more reliable staffing – cleaners feel more supported because the franchise has its HR act together, and good workers stick around longer when the hiring/training process is smooth.

For an owner, this kind of tool is a game changer. In many service franchises, after you sell a bunch of jobs you end up scrambling to find enough workers – and if you can’t service the business you’ve sold, everything falls apart. Assett franchisees avoid that trap. They have confidence to grow, knowing that the talent pipeline is always full. It’s a competitive advantage too; while another cleaning company is short-staffed and turning down contracts, you can take them on because you have a bench of cleaners at the ready. In summary, Assett’s automated hiring system eliminates the #1 growth bottleneck in the service industry (finding labor) and in doing so, saves you enormous time, money, and stress. It’s a modern solution that lets you scale up without the usual growing pains.

Personalized and Founder-Led

Another aspect that sets Assett Franchise apart is its ethos as a family-owned, founder-led company. In the franchising world, many brands (including Rubbish Works) are owned by large private equity groups or holding companies. While those can offer resources, they sometimes lack a personal touch. Assett is different – it’s led by its founder Matt Pencarinha and is not controlled by private equity investors. This has meaningful implications for franchisees:

When you join Assett, you’re joining a tight-knit franchise community where the leadership knows you by name. Matt is directly involved in the franchise’s growth and mentorship. Franchisees have direct access to the founders and executive team for guidance. That means if you encounter a challenge or have an idea, you’re talking to decision-makers who genuinely care about your success, not just a faceless support rep. This kind of personalized support can make a huge difference, especially for first-time business owners. You’re not just buying into a system; you’re gaining a mentor who has walked the path before and remains invested in each franchisee’s outcome. The company culture is one of partnership – they view franchisees as extensions of their family. In fact, Assett explicitly states its mission is “to be a blessing to our franchisees and all people”, operating on core convictions like “People First” and “Partnership in Everything” according to bizbuysell.com. This philosophy trickles down in how franchisees are treated – as true partners building something together, not just numbers on a sales report.

Because Assett isn’t beholden to outside investors demanding short-term profits, it can prioritize franchisee success and satisfaction above all. The brand can afford to be selective in awarding franchises and ensure each new owner is a great fit, rather than selling as many units as possible. It also allows for more flexibility and innovation. If a franchisee has a suggestion to improve an operational process, they can bring it right to Matt and potentially see it implemented system-wide. This agility and franchisee-centric approach can be rare in franchising, where some brands are more rigid or bureaucratic. Assett’s leadership is in the trenches with you, iterating the model and sharing best practices in real time.

Additionally, Assett’s community-focused model resonates with owners who want to build a business with heart. Being founder-led, the company retains a clear mission beyond just growth for growth’s sake. Many Assett franchisees are drawn to the family-like atmosphere and the sense that they’re part of a mission to elevate the cleaning industry (making it more professional, reliable, and people-oriented). Contrast this with a franchise that’s one of a dozen brands under a corporate umbrella – there, decisions might be driven by corporate strategy or cost-cutting, not necessarily what’s best for each franchise owner on the ground. With Assett, franchisees often feel heard and supported on their individual journey. Matt Pencarinha’s own story – from struggling to provide for family, to finding success in cleaning, to franchising the system – is one that inspires confidence. He’s personally invested in helping others replicate that success and avoid the mistakes he made early on.

In summary, Assett offers a level of personal attention and values-driven leadership that can be incredibly reassuring for a new franchisee. You have the ear of the founder, access to an experienced mentor, and a franchisor whose incentives align with yours (they grow only if you grow). For entrepreneurs who value relationships and mentorship, this kind of franchise environment is a major plus over more corporate, impersonal franchise systems.

Final Thoughts

Both Rubbish Works and Assett Franchise represent opportunities to own your own business and break free from the corporate grind – but they cater to different goals and risk profiles. Rubbish Works offers a way into the junk removal industry, which can be exciting for the right owner. If you enjoy physical work, don’t mind the hands-on coordination of trucks and debris, and are passionate about eco-friendly waste disposal, a rubbish removal franchise could be rewarding. It has the advantage of in-demand, tangible services and the backing of a larger franchisor (Premium Service Brands). For some entrepreneurs – perhaps those who love being out in the field and want a simpler operation with just a truck and a couple of crew – Rubbish Works might be the right type of franchise. It’s particularly appealing if you’re drawn to the idea of making spaces cleaner by hauling away the “before” mess (instead of maintaining the “after” cleanliness).

That said, when you compare it side by side with the commercial cleaning franchise model, the scales tip toward cleaning for someone seeking long-term income, stability, and scalability. Assett Franchise, in particular, offers more advantages for a first-time business owner who wants to build a substantial, sustainable company:

  • You’re tapping into a scalable, stable business with massive B2B demand, rather than a smaller, more one-off consumer market.
  • The revenue is predictable and recurring – you’re not starting from zero each month, and contracts provide security.
  • Operational complexity is minimal: no heavy equipment, no complex logistics, and major headaches like hiring are largely solved with automated systems.
  • The model is semi-absentee friendly, meaning minimal risk to your time and the ability to maintain work-life balance or even keep another income stream initially.
  • The path to ROI can be faster and less rocky, given lower fixed costs and continuous revenue (some Assett franchisees replace their previous full-time income within the first year or two).
  • You have a modern business model built for executive ownership, supported by a founder who’s directly invested in your success and a community that shares knowledge.

In contrast, junk removal franchises can face seasonality, more volatile cash flow, and the need for higher ongoing owner involvement (especially in the early stages). They can certainly be profitable, but the journey to a million-dollar business may involve more trucks, more capital, and more variables outside your control (like fuel prices or landfill regulations).

If you’re exploring franchise opportunities and want a model that can deliver long-term income, flexibility, and control — we’d love to show you how Assett Franchise can help you build a business that works for your life. Visit https://assettfranchise.com to connect with our team and learn more.