Junk Removal Franchise Profile: Scott Zane of Long Island
Born and raised in Long Island, Scott Zane was looking for a change of pace after working in operations for Cintas and Nestlé’s Poland Spring, so after coming across The Junkluggers in an article in Long Island Business News he decided to open his own location to serve the South shore of Suffolk County. Scott, who lives with his wife and their 16-month-old son in Blue Point, likes the company’s commitment to being eco-friendly and the fact that anything they pick up can be donated to those who need it most in their own Long Island community, including those still piecing their lives back together after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. Nearly one year after Hurricane Sandy hit, there are still huge parts of South shore Long Island where people are displaced or living in trailers. Scott hopes that with The Junkluggers, he can help make a positive impact in their lives.
Scott’s whole family lives where he grew up in Sayville and his parents still own the same house he was born in. Scott attended Sayville High School after going to a local Catholic school from K-8. Scott did 2 years at Suffolk Community College before getting into the operations business in the area. He is married to a woman who also grew up in the area and the two of them have a 16-month-old.
According to Scott, “It’s great to work close to home in the area that you know. It makes you that much stronger in this type of business when you’re familiar and comfortable in the area. I’m looking forward to doing events and getting involved in the community since that’s where I live, and have lived my entire life. I’m looking forward to giving back to my hometown.”
Scott will be running the day to day operations for his The Junkluggers business. The business is set to open October 1st, 2013, and in the meantime they are going through training, getting the trucks, beginning marketing the business, and are still working to solidify their crew of employees.
How did you learn about the brand?
We saw an article in the Long Island Business News about the owner of the Nassau Junkluggers franchise location. I’d been in operations all my life, so The Junkluggers seemed like a natural fit for me. I worked for Cintas uniform company right out of college, and worked my way up from there. After Cintas, I worked for Nestlé’s Poland Spring bottled water and did operations there. So, when I read about The Junkluggers brand and concept, it seemed like a natural fit for me.
Why did you choose an opportunity with The Junkluggers?
It’s a young company with a good vision, especially with their dedication to helping people and the environment. It was a great opportunity to get Long Island on the map in this industry. There’s a lot of room to grow with the company.
Everyone has a need where they have too much junk in their house, and it’s a source of stress for people. Getting rid of that junk is always on the to-do list, and now we offer a service where we can handle that and take the stress away. The company focuses on the environment and donates or recycles what they pick up, and then in-turn provides that saving back to the customer, which I liked. It’s an aggressive, fun, and young company. Also, we have fertile ground to grow in Long Island.
We spoke about the opportunity, so we reached out to Josh Cohen, the CEO, and met with the team and liked what we heard and we just went from there.
What challenges have you overcome to get where you are now?
I grew up in the service industry and was on the truck for a good portion of my young career, dealing with commercial customers and business owners. I’ve had to manage routes and deal with so many different personalities, so you have to be a chameleon to succeed in the business and know how to talk to different people. I have a good grasp on the area and I think all of my experiences have molded me to who I am today and have allowed me to take on the business with the Junkluggers. Dealing with people, and learning how to work with them, is going to help me out once I’m working with our customers in Long Island. The customer experience needs to be perfect for them, so I’m excited to bring a great customer experience to them. This is a great opportunity and I couldn’t pass it up.
What are your expansion or development plans? What is your end goal with The Junkluggers?
We’d like to expand to the other townships in the area. We’d like to hit a point where we’re adding more trucks and employees and keep expanding until we take over all of Suffolk County.
Are there any organizations, charities, or programs you’d like to work with once you’re up and running?
We are involved in the Sayville Chamber of Commerce. We are doing a St. Jude’s event where they have a car show and other attractions and vendors, and we’ll be putting up a tent there soon.
When we open the business and start donating items that we pick up that can still be used, we will be working with Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, and other centers. We have to look at who is looking for what type of items and make sure we’re giving those items homes where they are needed the most.
Are you hiring? Who are you looking to hire?
We are in the interview process right now (week of September 16th, 2013). We already have some good candidates.
I’ll be on the truck every day. We’re actively looking to add to the team and hire those with an entrepreneurial spirit and self-starters who are interested in being a part of this company and what we stand for.
What are some of the publications you read? Local? National? What is your goal publication with your business?
Newsday, Long Island Business News, Sayville Gazette (Joe has a connection at that newspaper)
Do you have any other interesting hobbies or passions?
I love any kind of outdoor activities like running and softball. I like to play cards. I’m a huge Notre Dame fan. I am also a big Yankee fan, and a Jets fan.