JUSTJUNK® is a nationwide junk removal franchise and winner of the Canadian Franchise Associations Award of Excellence. JUSTJUNK® provides a customer service based approach to full service junk removal. From the removal of old furniture and appliances to hot tubs, shed demolitions and more - JUSTJUNK® offers a winning formula for success.
Mike Darbyshire, franchise owner of JUSTJUNK® Calgary has always been self-employed. When he moved to Canada from England eight years ago, he knew he wanted to work for himself. After working in the construction industry, Mike came to the conclusion that opening a Calgary franchise best suited his professional goals. He considered both retail and food and beverage based operations, but when he stumbled across JUSTJUNK® CEO and founder Mike Thorne’s face on the cover of Franchise Canada Magazine, he knew he’d found his calling. Six months later JUSTJUNK® Calgary began operations.
Today, Mike Darbyshire enjoys his busy days working in the truck, marketing and managing his truck teams. From cleaning out garages to demolishing a deck, Mike and his team of junk removal experts are always busy. “I couldn’t believe how quickly my business has grown. I started with one truck and quickly purchased a second truck to keep up with the demand. Now I need a third truck because of how great the response has been for our service.” comments Mike. They like that every day, every job, is different from the last. Never one to be hands-off, Mike firmly believes that even as a business owner he would never make his team do something he wouldn’t do himself!
Mike attributes a large part of his success to the support of the management team at Head Office. “The people at head office and the other franchise owners are phenomenal; I always have someone I can go to with questions 24-7.” says Mike Darbyshire. Prior to opening operations, Mike received an intensive weeklong training program at the JUSTJUNK® corporate office and 1 week of training in Calgary onboard the trucks. Mike remembers feeling comfortable calling up management or any of the franchisees to talk about his operations. But what Mike felt really separated JUSTJUNK® from other services is their sales center and savvy marketing strategies. Staffed with university educated individuals, each sales associate is committed to selling JUSTJUNK®’s excellent service on behalf of Mike and his truck teams.
“Owning a JUSTJUNK® franchise is exciting.” says Mike. Mike looks forward to the unexpected at each job site. In his experience on the truck Mike has come across whimsical, interesting and historically significant “junk”. His collection now includes an antique pedal car, 1947 projector and a German Bible from the late 1800’s. Everyday on the truck is a new adventure, that’s for sure!
