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What does it take to turn a cargo van and a summer side hustle into two nationally recognized companies? In this episode of Skin in the Game, Saxon Baum sits down with Nick Friedman and Omar Soliman, the founders of College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving and Trash Butler, to explore their entrepreneurial journey.

Their story began in high school detention. A few years later, with a borrowed van and a name Omar’s mom suggested, they started hauling junk for neighbors. The gig grew quickly, and Omar’s business plan even won a college pitch competition.

Instead of seeking early investors, they bootstrapped. They drove trucks, answered phones, and even invested in a 1-800 number to appear larger. As Nick explains, “Bootstrapping was our MBA. Raising money later became the rocket fuel.”

From the start, their brand drew attention. Bright trucks and a memorable name sparked word of mouth, and they leveraged every PR moment, including appearing on the first episode of Shark Tank.

Today, College Hunks is a national brand, and their second venture, Trash Butler, shows how raising outside capital can accelerate growth. This episode delivers insights on branding, franchising, culture, and resilience for anyone building something big.