PITTSBURGH JUNK CO | JUNK HAULING & REMOVALThe Confidence to Stay the Course
After losing his job during COVID, Hugh Benson started hauling junk with a single truck. The business grew quickly, and eventually his wife, Dina, left her career in tech to join him.
They had built a promising family business, but they needed to know if it could ultimately support the life they were working toward. Together, we built a financial roadmap that replaced uncertainty with confidence.
Read the full story below…
THE ENGAGEMENT: Diagnostic | Reality Check
“Sarah helped us understand our numbers and got us on the same page about what it would take to reach the income level we need to support our family. With her help, we were able to make an educated, data-backed decision to continue investing fully in the business. Our work together was absolutely worth it.”
– Dina Benson | Co-Owner, Pittsburgh Junk Co.
THE TAKEAWAY
Sometimes the most valuable outcome isn’t changing the plan. It’s having the clarity to know the plan is worth sticking with.
The Outcome
The analysis confirmed what they had hoped: the business could support their family’s goals. It also showed that the timeline would take longer than they expected. Instead of wondering whether they were making the right decisions, they had the confidence to keep investing in the business they set out to build. The visibility didn’t change the trajectory. It gave them the confidence to stay on it.
The Work
We dug into the financials, the cost of delivering the service, and the unit economics of the business. Then we built a model showing what the company would look like at different stages of growth, including when it could support their salaries, generate meaningful profit, and fund future investments. For the first time, they could clearly see the road ahead.
The Challenge
Pittsburgh Junk Co. had grown from a single truck into a thriving local business. Hugh and Dina had built real momentum, but they still didn’t know whether the business could ultimately support the future they wanted. Could they afford to hire more staff? Buy another truck? Pay themselves a living wage? Before making those decisions, they needed a clearer picture of what the numbers actually said.