How Much Money Did My Pooper Scooper Business Make In Year 2?

Join me as I take you on a journey through my second year in business, revealing my income and the challenges I faced along the way.

 

With a goal to double my first year’s earnings and reach $26,300, I set out on a mission to make it happen. By the end of July, I had already surpassed my goal, reaching a whopping $32k with a loyal customer base of around 30 weekly clients and one reoccurring apartment complex.

 

 

Starting off my reoccurring expenses, I rely heavily on Jobber as my CRM, investing $149.36 per month to streamline my processes and keep everything organized. Additionally, I couldn’t run my business without the help of Nice Job, who not only host my website but also assist me in gathering glowing reviews and recommendations from satisfied customers. With Nice Job, I’ve seen a tremendous boost in my online presence and reputation.

 

I’ve seen a stunning 414% increase in reviews across Facebook and Google, making my review count skyrocket from 14 to 72 across Facebook and Google. While it may seem like a hefty cost at $174 a month, the results speak for themselves and make every penny worth it.

 

Disclaimer: Some of these links are affiliate links where I’ll earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

 

 

Having a professional email address that aligns with my business is important to me, which is why I pay for Google Domains and Google Workspace. By doing so, my email address comes from my own domain name rather than a generic Gmail account.

 

Not only does this create a sense of trust and credibility for my Pet Waste Removal business, but it also sets me apart from others who may be using a free email service. At a cost of $12.86 per month, along with a new domain purchased in November, this investment is well worth the peace of mind and added professionalism it brings to my business.

 

Along with utilizing Google Domains and Workspace, I also rely on a virtual mailbox through iPostal1 for managing my mail. While it does come with its own set of challenges, such as occasionally forgetting to check for mail and incurring fees as a result, the cost of $9.99 a month is well worth it for the convenience and peace of mind it provides.

 

By using a virtual mailbox, I am able to keep my business address separate from my home address, and do not have to worry about any public information being linked to it. Even when I incur a small fee of .99 cents for not picking up my mail within 30 days, it is still a small price to pay for the flexibility and convenience that a virtual mailbox offers.

 

 

As for supplies, I spent $13.97 on a bottle of bleach to sanitize my equipment, $30 on a grabber tool to help me pick up poop from gravel areas since it’s hard for me to bend over with my scoliosis and back pain, and $19.28 on work gloves.

 

I continued with my marketing strategy of using Paid Google and Facebook ads to generate awareness for my business. Despite investing $209.83 on Facebook Ads and $459.90 on Google Ads, I found it challenging to land new clients during the summer. In my area, many people prefer to scoop their own dog poop during the warm summer months, making it difficult to attract new customers.

 

One obstacle that I didn’t anticipate during the year was the intense heat of the Utah summer. While I know that scooper in the southwest United States are accustomed to even hotter temperatures, I found myself scooping in nearly 110-degree weather. The mosquitoes seemed to be particularly attracted to my blood and I had to take extra precautions to protect myself from the scorching heat.

 

I wore long sleeve SPF 50 shirts to shield my skin from the sun’s rays, which helped to cool me down somewhat. However, when the temperature is above 100 degrees, there’s only so much you can do to beat the heat. I found that the best solution was to keep a large brim hat on at all times to provide additional shade for my bald head and face.

 

August was a slower month for me as a professional pooper scooper. I completed 121 scooping appointments, but it came at a cost. I made a total of $4003.24 in revenue, plus an additional $150 in tips for a grand total of $4153.24 for the month of August

 

 

As the temperatures remained high in September, I noticed that my business was still slow and people prefer to scoop after their dogs.

 

Faced with this challenge, I decided to reduce my spending on paid ads. I allocated $83.20 on Facebook ads and $500 on Google ads, keeping a close eye on my budget. I also realized that I was running low on plastic bags, so I spent $61.07 to purchase a couple of boxes to keep me going.

 

Despite spending less on ads, I was able to complete 139 appointments in September. Including the $147.57 in transaction fees, my total expenses for the month came to $1438.05.

 

 

However, my hard work paid off, as all my scooping appointments resulted in $4166.82 in revenue, along with $160.01 in tips, for a total of $4326.83 in September. It was a challenging month, but I was pleased to see that my efforts were rewarded, and I was motivated to keep going.

 

 

As October rolled around, I was eager to try something new that would give my business even more exposure.

 

I stocked up on essentials like bleach and a new dustpan, and even splurged on some high-quality shoe inserts to keep my feet comfortable during long days of scooping.

 

As the weather turned colder, I made sure to invest in some thermal socks and boots to keep me warm. And my apartment complex wanted yard signs for the property, which cost me $79.98 with the manufacturer.

 

But my biggest investment was a sponsorship at an apartment association conference where I could meet property managers and maintenance crews in person. It cost me $900 to be a sponsor at this event,  I got a few hundred flyers made for $136.13 and all the supplies used to build the booth cost $149.15.

 

Overall I spent close to $1200 just for this conference. And I even went all-out on my paid marketing, spending over $1,500 on Facebook and Google ads.

 

 

Unfortunately, the conference didn’t yield the results I had hoped for, and I didn’t land a single new contract. But I didn’t let it get me down. I knew I had put myself out there and made connections that could pay off in the future.

 

And even though October was my most expensive month, with over $3,700 in expenses, I still managed to complete 157 scooping appointments and earn $4,951.15 in income, including tips.

 

 

In November, I had one of the most challenging obstacles that caught me off guard, and had not crossed my mind until it was already upon me.

 

 

We all turned back the clock one hour, and While everyone else was excited about the extra hour of sleep, I was worried about the loss of precious sunlight. As a full-time worker and part-time pooper scooper, completing my routes during the winter season was a difficult task.

 

With my schedules already filled to capacity and more customers signing up, rescheduling appointments meant either wasting gas or rushing through each scoop, compromising the quality of my work.

 

In order to combat the lack of sunlight, I made the decision to lower my ad spend on Facebook and Google. But I didn’t let the setback defeat me.

 

I did splurge on Black Friday and bought some amazing upgrades for my business. Along with another shoe insert, I bought this perfect trunk organizer to keep my supplies neatly stored in the back of my car for $28.79, a balaclava ski mask for $19.29, and and battery-powered heated gloves and vests to keep me warm in the colder temperatures. The transaction fees pushed my total expenses for November to $2408.76.

 

 

I completed 137 appointments in November, which generated $5,165.50 in income and $119.50 in tips, bringing in a total of $5285.

 

 

Not only did I surpass the $5k mark for the third time this year, I was landing more weekly clients to fill out my routes on the days that weren’t full. While my revenue fell short of the record-breaking $7,300 I made in March during the Spring Rush season, it’s still a remarkable accomplishment and a clear indication of the hard work and dedication I put into my business. It’s a proud moment for me as an entrepreneur.

 

 

December brought its own set of unique challenges, not only with the sun setting earlier in the day, but also with clients not properly maintaining their yards from fallen leaves. This made it difficult to service new yards, as piles of dog poop were covered up and hard to see, especially once it started snowing. I found myself frequently stepping on hidden piles of poop and growing tired of having to hand clean my dirty boots.

 

So I bought probably the best piece of equipment for my pet waste removal business, and invested in a backpack sprayer for $362.48. This handy device allows me to fill the tank with a combination of bleach and water and spray down my boots and equipment in between appointments to ensure everything is as clean as possible. I’ll leave links for this backpack sprayer and all my equipment down below, so you can check them out for yourself!

 

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I picked up a brand new pair of snow boots, which kept my feet warm and dry as I tackled the snowy terrain.

 

And I invested in another GT 3070 cultivator rake, considered to be one of the top-performing poop scooping rakes for the winter season. However, I don’t limit its use to just the winter, I use the GT 3070 rake all year round too, and for $22 it’s the most reliable rake I’ve used so far as a pooper scooper. I also stocked up on more plastic bags and bleach, because there’s no such thing as too many supplies.

 

With more weekly clients on my routes and the snow impacting my ability to service new customers, I cut my ad spend again, breaking a little over $500 between Facebook and Google Ads. Along with my transaction fee, my expenses for December was $1872.45.

 

 

I completed 120 scooping appointments in December, and generated $4487.15 in revenue along with another $120.25 in tips for a total of $4607.40.

 

 

Before I reveal my total expenses and revenue, I wanted to share the most important lessons I learned in my second year as a professional pooper scooper:

 

Lesson #1: The sacrifices we make as entrepreneurs and business owners can be tough, especially when it comes to missing out on valuable time with our loved ones. Being a business owner can be a lonely journey, with long hours spent growing your business and less time to spend with the people who matter most. It’s important to remember the reason why you started your business in the first place, your “True North” as a guiding principle.

 

For me, it was to pay down my student loans and debt, and eventually save up to buy a house for my family. I remind myself that everything I do is for my daughter and my family, and that this sacrifice is only temporary. The hard work and dedication will pay off in the end, and the fruits of my labor will one day allow me to spend more quality time with them.

 

It’s important to have a clear purpose and to remind ourselves why we’re working so hard. It’s easy to lose sight of our goals, but when we keep them in mind, it gives us motivation to push through the hard times and to keep going even when it gets tough. Remember, every sacrifice is a step towards a greater future and a better life for ourselves and our loved ones.

 

Lesson #2 is a crucial one: not only are you giving up your precious time and energy, but you’re also putting a significant physical strain on your body. Poop scooping is a labor-intensive job, with repetitive motions of scooping and hauling heavy bags around putting a lot of stress on your hands, elbows, shoulders, and back. My hands are still jacked up from the spring rush, with stiffness in my fingers that have never gone away.  And I’ve even suffered my first dog bite, when a dog escaped her kennel and bit me right on my ass cheek.

 

Remember, you only have one body, so make sure the money you’re earning is worth the effort.

 

Don’t let your body take the hit for low prices. Invest in your health, both physically and financially. It’s time to prioritize your well-being, and make sure that you’re being compensated for the hard work you put in.

 

Lesson #3 Do not be afraid to charge what your services are worth, especially for that first appointment. Society often tells us that our value is determined by the amount of time it takes us to complete a task. But, let’s challenge that notion and instead define our value by the results we provide.  Sure, there may be customers who complain about your prices being too high or who get upset because you finished their yard quickly.  Whether you have one technician or three working on a property, the end result is a clean, poop-free yard that customers can enjoy again. By charging more for your services, your margins will increase, allowing you to scale your business and hire employees to help you out. This way, you can focus on being the business owner and making the important decisions, rather than being an employee who owns a business. Make your business work for you, not the other way around!

 

Lesson #4: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket when it comes to marketing. While paid advertising can be effective, it’s important to diversify your strategy to ensure sustained growth and success. In the past, I relied heavily on paid ads, with a staggering 31.3% of my expenses going towards them in 2021. This number increased to 42.6% in 2022 when factoring in Instagram, Facebook, and Google ads. However, with the cost of paid advertising on the rise, I’m shifting my focus to building a strong referral program with satisfied customers and networking with other businesses in the dog industry to promote my poop scooping services. Paid ads will still play a role in my marketing plan, but I’m excited to explore new ways to bring awareness to my business.

 

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My Total Expenses for my Pet Waste Removal Business in Year 2 came out to $23.882.09. This was a 372% increase from Year 1.

 

 

My Income as a Professional Pooper Scooper in Year 2 came out to $53,311.09, with another $2,129.34 in Tips for a  Total Revenue of $55,440.43. This was a 321% increase from Year 1.

 

 

 

And I’ll see you on the next scoop!

 

And As Always, Acknowledge The Now. Bye!