# 1-800-GOT-JUNK?: Brian Scudamore (2018)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2018-03-05
- Length: 40m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018

## Summary

Brian Scudamore, founder of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, explains how he built a billion-dollar franchise empire starting with a $700 pickup truck and a $80 price point. He details the pivotal decision to fire his entire early team to enforce a customer-centric culture, the struggle to secure the '1-800-GOT-JUNK?' phone number from the Idaho Department of Transportation, and the near-bankruptcy caused by hiring a misaligned executive from Starbucks. Scudamore also discusses the strategic shift to hiring an operational leader, Eric Church, to balance his visionary style with rigorous execution.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=0) Introduction: Brian Scudamore and 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
- [2:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=163) Early Entrepreneurship and the First Truck
- [10:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=625) Dropping Out and Early Growth
- [15:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=919) Firing the Team and Rebuilding Culture
- [19:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=1155) Dreaming Big and the First Franchise
- [22:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=1377) Securing the 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Number
- [25:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=1552) The Fortune Magazine Breakthrough
- [28:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=1693) Leadership Crisis and Near Bankruptcy
- [32:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=1972) Hiring Eric Church and Stabilizing
- [37:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-05-1-800-got-junk-brian-scudamore-2018#t=2261) Postscript: Bloomerent and Wedding Flowers

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, established companies

## Mentioned

- 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (company)
- Rubbish Boys (company)
- Bloomerent (company)
- Bundles (product)
- U.S. Bank (company)
- Fortune (company)
- YEO (company)
- Subway (company)
- Starbucks (company)
- McDonald's (company)
- FedEx (company)
- Eric Church (other)
- Cameron Herald (other)
- David Snyderman (other)
- John Riedel (other)
- Denit Zamir (other)
- Adam Lashinski (other)
- Michael (other)
- Ray Crock (other)
- Guy Roz (other)

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- [#123 Jeff Church's Lessons on Entrepreneurship, from Suja Juice $140 Million/year Success to Shutting down Rowdy Energy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-01-09-123-jeff-churchs-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-from-suja-juice-140-million-year-su) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#79 First Hire Series: Behind the scenes on hiring with Sweet Nothings](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-02-14-79-first-hire-series-behind-the-scenes-on-hiring-with-sweet-nothings) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#115 Pure Gold Series: Lessons on Iterating from Seth Goldman + Updates on Eat the Change & Just Ice Tea](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-11-21-115-pure-gold-series-lessons-on-iterating-from-seth-goldman-updates-on-eat-the-c) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#88 Undaunted Leadership with Hint Founder Kara Goldin](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-04-25-88-undaunted-leadership-with-hint-founder-kara-goldin) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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