We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mike Prosky. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mike below.

Hi Mike, thanks for joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

The idea for a trash-to-curb service type business came from my brother. He was very excited to share this with me. When I heard the idea, I knew immediately that I had to bring this idea to fruition. I came up with the name and logo that same day, made a Facebook business page, ordered uniforms and was ready to start….until I didn’t.

A few months passed by with the idea virtually forgotten about, until my best friends Fiancé called me asking if I saw our local towns Facebook Group. See, about a week prior to this conversation, our township mandated 96 gallon trash cans to every single resident. Large blue trash cans, double or even triple the size of the standard can, showed up at everyone’s door steps. Residents were now forced to use them. The Facebook group was in an uproar. These bins were cumbersome, and heavy–even without trash in them. I knew that it was time to launch the business.

See, the idea was created to help senior citizens, veterans, and individuals with mobility limitations, move their cans so they didn’t have to worry about slipping and falling, or struggle with their trash. All of a sudden, their situation got worse in a matter of days when our township received the new cans, and I knew I would be able to make a difference. Curbside Appeal was officially in business.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Mike. I am 31 years old and always aspired to be an entrepreneur, but I couldn’t find anything that stuck. The trash industry isn’t something I was looking to get into, but I’m glad I stumbled upon it. Starting a business can be a daunting task, and I didn’t know the first thing about managing a business, or even how to create an LLC, but one step at a time, I learned.

Curbside Appeal offers multiple trash related services, with our most popular being our trash-to-curb service. We show up at our customers houses the day before trash day, take their cans to the curb, and return the following day to put the cans back in their rightful spot, a fully automated trash service. We also offer bin sanitations, emergency pickups, and whole house cleanouts. Additionally, we pride ourselves in giving back in the communities we work in, offering as much community service as we can find. Whether its donating to local sports teams/plays, litter cleanups, or offering help to somebody in need, we do what we can to give back.

What I am most proud of is that our team actually makes a difference. I can hear it in our customers voice. This service is something they have needed for a long time, but it just didn’t exist. Months after they have signed up, their sentiment is the same. Hearing how happy they are, and how much they appreciate what we do is what keeps me going.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building a presence on social media is no easy task. It takes dedication, persistence, and creativity every step of the way. In the beginning, you just have to grind. You have to find anything related to your business, come up with a graphic with a quick call to action, and just roll with it. Over time, the ideas get easier. I am fortunate enough now to have a wonderful social media manager. We bounce ideas off each other, and this makes a multitude of difference. When you have two minds to focus on the same task, it brings way more to the table. In the end, the key to growing your social media presence is consistency. JUST POST. Join groups and share to them (but follow their rules), ask your friends and family to join and share your post. Never give up, and you will slowly find success.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Brand loyalty is everything. Your clients need to know that you are there for them. You could have 3 customers, or 250, but the customer needs to feel like they are your number one priority. Juggling this has its challenges. As you grow, it is much harder to maintain. What we do at Curbside Appeal is check-ins. When dealing with trash, problems tend to occur outside of our control. For example, their trash gets skipped by the trash men, or they put something out that won’t be taken, or maybe you notice unusual like their garage door is open when it typically is closed. These are opportunities for you to call the customer, and get a 1 on 1 conversation ruling. You address the issue at first, and then you ask them how the service is, and what you can do better for them. This build brand loyalty and gives the customer the sense that they are of the highest priority. Additionally, updating your clients via email regarding your business, or doing quarterly service reviews, really helps as well. Bottom line is communication is key. Find that sweet spot where you aren’t bombarding them with phone calls, but they appreciate when you call.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://curbsideappeal.org
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/curbside.appeal
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/curbsideappeall