My First Million

The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.

Mobile Trash Bin Cleaning Service

For: Suburban homeowners concerned about hygiene and neighborhood appearance

Buildability

The Problem

Residential trash bins become filthy and smelly over time, but homeowners rarely clean them due to inconvenience and lack of proper equipment

The Solution

Mobile truck with pressure washing equipment cleans trash bins on scheduled routes, using music to signal presence like ice cream truck

Why Now?

Post-COVID increased hygiene consciousness, suburban wealth growth, and successful franchises prove market exists

Build MVP in 7 Days

Day 1

Rent pressure washing truck for testing

Day 2

Clean 50 bins for free in target neighborhood

Day 3

Leave flyers offering paid service

Day 4

Get 10 paying customers before buying truck

Day 5

Test optimal pricing and frequency

How to Validate

Survey neighbors about willingness to pay for service

Test time per bin cleaning to validate throughput assumptions

Calculate route density needed for profitability

Get pre-paid commitments from neighborhood before scaling

Revenue Model

Monthly/quarterly subscription per household ($15-25/month) or per-service fee ($5-10)

Competitive Moat

Territory exclusivity, customer habit formation, route optimization

Risks to Consider

Seasonal demand drops in winterDifficult to achieve claimed 100-200 homes/day throughputCustomer acquisition costs higher than expectedEquipment maintenance and replacement costs