Nope, it’s not a magic trick (that would be kind of weird), but it is another unique way to acquire some new wealth. Some of you may already know about it or even use the service yourself. I know I do.
For those people not in the know, I am talking about a “pet’s waste pick-up service.” Yes, they are out there. I always feel that if it requires manual labor, then there will always be people willing to pay to have it done, and, if you can afford it, then why not?
Anyways, the core of what these companies do is essentially come to your home and pick up your dog’s waste. For example, I have the company come and pick it up, around my backyard, once a week. To stand apart from competition, some companies may provide additional a la carte services, but most of them are pointless and not worth addressing.
The average cost for a regular 1 dog service, once a week service cost about $10 – $15, which would put you at about $48 a month off 1 client. Now obviously if this is your business you are not going to plan on having one client.
One great thing about this business is that your real supplies only consist of a pooper scooper and plastic trash bags. You can already use your own car, and, if you really need to, you can spend a whopping $50 on a top of the line pooper scooper. I have lived in two different states where this service has been done, and both times the guy will double bag it and then leave it in the trash can or on the curb. So you don’t have to worry about carrying the waste with you in the car. Many cities don’t even allow you to bring it with you. I have also watched closely and saw that they put the bag on the scooper so the shovel will never touch the dog’s little treat.
The competition for these companies in most places is usually barely existent, if at all. In most areas, there may just be 1 – 3 companies offering this. Also, it is so easy to customize or find new clients because many people have dogs. As a pooper scooper, you don’t have to limit your clients to single households. Many of these groups build contracts with local parks or roads, and there is virtually no training. Extra help can be added in a snap.
However, there is something I have never seen, which, if done correctly, could turn your venture into a very profitable one. I have never seen anybody offer the option of lawn care along with dog waste removal. For me personally, if I could have all these services in one, I would easily pay $30 – $40 (during the time grass needs to be mowed) a week to have those done by one company.
Another thing that is great about this venture is that it can be done by almost all age levels. If you are a kid who mows lawns during the summer, then why not ask if they would like to add this service. On top of that, if you are in a place where it snows, then you can also add shoveling to your services in the winter. With your client base already established, they will trust that you can do the job. If I knew about all this when I was growing up, it would have changed so many things.
Finally, if you are looking to make this your own career, then you can either create your own business from scratch or find companies that offer franchising options (Pet Butler). Either way I think there is a low-barrier of entry to a hot and rising market.