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If you run a junk removal business, you already know how competitive it can be. Most homeowners have plenty of options, which means winning more jobs isn’t just about price—it’s about being the company they remember when the time comes.
In this episode of Housecall Pro’s Superpro Podcast, AJ Dehseraei, co-owner of Junk Fairy, shares how he and his brother built a recognizable junk removal brand by focusing on community involvement, simple systems, and reliable execution. AJ walks through what actually worked, what didn’t, and how tools like Housecall Pro helped reduce friction as the business grew from a side hustle into a full-time operation.
Table of contents
Episode overview
AJ Dehseraei launched Junk Fairy alongside his brother while both were working full-time in entirely different fields. What began as a weekend side hustle gradually grew into a full-time junk removal business.
Nearly 11 years later, the business is on track for $200,000 in annual revenue with a small, efficient team and a brand customers remember.
How Junk Fairy approached marketing
Standing out in San Diego’s saturated junk removal market was one of the biggest challenges early on. AJ explains that success didn’t come from competing on price, but from building a brand people could recognize and recall when they needed junk removed.
From the business name to the pink branding, visibility and memorability became central to Junk Fairy’s junk removal marketing strategy.
Why community visibility mattered more than paid ads
Rather than pouring money into increasingly expensive paid search, Junk Fairy focused on community involvement to generate awareness and trust. Beach cleanups, chamber involvement, and local partnerships put the brand directly in front of homeowners—often with better return on investment (ROI) than traditional junk removal advertising.
AJ shares why being visible in the community created stronger, longer-term brand recognition than paid ads alone.
How online booking helped capture more junk removal leads
As demand increased, online booking became a turning point for the business. By enabling online booking through Housecall Pro and Google, Junk Fairy reduced friction for customers and captured junk removal leads that would have otherwise been missed—especially after hours.
This shift not only improved the customer experience but also reduced administrative work for the owners.
How a memorable junk removal company name improved visibility
Junk Fairy’s name wasn’t just fun—it was strategic. AJ explains how having a distinctive junk removal company name made the business easier to remember in a crowded market. Combined with consistent service and execution, the name became a powerful visibility asset rather than just a creative choice.
→ Ready to streamline your junk removal business like Junk Fairy? Start your free trial of Housecall Pro and see how much easier running your business can be.
Timestamps
- 00:00 — Introduction to Junk Fairy and its origins
- 03:39 — Transitioning to technology: The role of Housecall Pro
- 06:09 — Branding and marketing strategies for junk removal
- 16:04 — Community engagement and building visibility
- 24:33 — Future plans and growth strategies
- 28:12 — Advice for aspiring business owners
Watch the episode
Episode transcript
Guest: AJ Dehseraei, co-owner, Junk Fairy
Host: Roland Ligtenberg, co-founder, Housecall Pro
Introduction to Junk Fairy and its origins
Roland Ligtenberg: All right, everybody, welcome to another edition of the Superpro Podcast. I’m Roland Ligtenberg. I’m the co-founder of Housecall Pro, and since 2013, we’ve been on a mission to champion the trades and champion our Pros, because the work you all do keeps our homes safe, comfortable, and our communities running. And in AJ’s case, clean too, because you’re removing junk and making it disappear.
Through Housecall Pro, I’ve had the privilege of supporting hundreds of thousands of Pros like you, empowering you to achieve more, stress less, and redefine success in the industry.
I’m really excited because today we have AJ Dehseraei, the owner and founder of Junk Fairy, a junk removal business based out of San Diego. They’re on track for $200,000 this year in revenue, with two employees and one big truck on the road. AJ, welcome to the show.
AJ Dehseraei: Hey Roland, thanks for having me. I really appreciate it. We’ve been big fans of Housecall Pro for a while, so it’s great to be here doing this with you.
Roland: Excited to have you on. Tell me the story of Junk Fairy. I love the branding and the name. What made you say, “I’m going to start my own business”?
AJ: I’ve got to give that to my brother. He was working for the government, and I was working at a law firm as a paralegal. He decided to start a business and settled on junk removal. It was his baby in the beginning. I helped out on weekends here and there. We were both working full-time, and it grew from there. It started as a side hustle, and we didn’t know where it would go. Now we’re almost 11 years in, and we’re both doing it full-time.
Transitioning to technology: The role of Housecall Pro
Roland: Before Housecall Pro, what were you trying to solve? What happened that made you decide you needed something like this?
AJ: In the beginning, it was paper and pencil. The job count was low, so there wasn’t much to track. Then we evolved to using Google Calendar to keep the schedule organized as we started booking weeks out. I knew there had to be something better, so I researched platforms. Housecall Pro stood out, and I also liked that it was a San Diego company. I remember people meeting up at Ballast Point back then, and that was cool.
Branding and marketing strategies for junk removal
Roland: We used to do local meetups, yeah. You have really great branding. Who came up with Junk Fairy? Has it always been Junk Fairy?
AJ: That was my brother again. He texted friends and family with name ideas. I don’t even remember the others because Junk Fairy became so ingrained. Everyone liked it. The pink branding was intentional to make it memorable and friendly. He’s goofy, and it was meant to be fun, but it ended up being a great seed.
Roland: What’s been the biggest struggle building the business?
AJ: Brand visibility. Junk removal in San Diego is really competitive. Getting in front of more people and helping them understand who we are and why they should choose us has been the hurdle.
Roland: You’ve got impeccable reviews, over 100 five-star reviews. What are you doing to stay in front of customers and keep business coming in?
AJ: You need a memorable brand, so people think of you when the time comes. Beyond that, you need great customer service, and you have to execute. If you don’t, you might get one job, but referrals and repeat business depend on delivering.
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Community engagement and building visibility
Roland: Where does most of your business come from? Lead sources, repeat versus new, paid spend, word of mouth?
AJ: We’ve tried a lot. Google Ads is competitive and expensive. Our biggest success has been being out in the community. People see us driving around, and that ties back to visibility and branding. This year, what’s been most successful is community projects with local organizations doing good work. It’s rewarding, fun, gets us in front of people, and the return on investment is strong. The spend is minimal; mostly just time.
Future plans and growth strategies
Roland: A lot of that can be treated as a marketing expense too, if documented correctly. How does someone get started doing community work like that?
AJ: Be active on social media and see what resonates with you. Pay attention to events and organizations doing good work. We’re co-sponsoring a beach cleanup at Del Mar Dog Beach with the North San Diego Business Chamber. We became chamber members this year and joined the Environmental Sustainability Council. Through those connections, we’re working with I Love a Clean San Diego, and we’re organizing the cleanup and inviting the chamber to participate. Start with causes that resonate with you, or communities you’re already part of.
Roland: That’s a great tip. When you think about the future of Junk Fairy, where do you want to be in five years?
AJ: We’ve had to pivot post-COVID. Our plan is to grow our team. We’re hoping to hire our first employees in early 2026 and grow to more vehicles, breaking San Diego into multiple territories, so we’re not covering the whole county with one crew.
Advice for aspiring business owners
Roland: Territories matter, especially with traffic and drive time. What resources do you listen to or read?
AJ: I consume a lot on YouTube. I’m not really on TikTok much. We post shorts. Shout out to our friend Dante, who made some videos for us. Personally, I’ve been following Alex Hormozi and how he thinks about scaling companies.
Roland: He puts out a lot of value. One thing he shares is close rates: if you’re closing 100% of estimates, you’re probably underpricing. If you’re closer to 30%–40%, you may be in a better range.
AJ: Exactly. A high close rate can mean you’re undercharging.
Roland: What feature do you wish you started using earlier in Housecall Pro?
AJ: Online booking. It keeps getting better. Now it integrates with our Google Business Profile, so people can book directly from Google Maps and the map pack. It saves time because customers enter their own information and choose a time.
Roland: What would you tell your younger self?
AJ: Early on, we were trying to save every dollar. Now I’d tell myself to focus more on marketing and set the stage for the business you want, not base spending only on what you’re currently making. Spend five to ten percent of the revenue you want to make, spend it in the right places, and measure everything.
Roland: Any parting words? Why are you a Superpro?
AJ: Consistency. Consistency and reliability. There’s no magic bullet or shortcut. You have to execute consistently for your business and for your clients.
Roland: Love that. Consistency is everything. AJ, thank you for coming on the show.
AJ: Hey, guys, thanks for watching. See ya.
