Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Prieto.
Hi Luis, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In September 2020, I left my six-figure paying job to pursue my entrepreneurial spirit at the height of the pandemic. I was sent home after the virus spread at work and eventually contracted the virus myself. During my time home, I spent a lot of time with my wife and kids and began seeing the world differently. I realized that I had been neglecting my family throughout my career, and it felt good to connect with them again. I also realized life is too short to work a job that no longer fulfilled me. I wanted to create something of my own with the freedom to clock out whenever I wanted.
In pursuit of my entrepreneurial spirit, I started numerous ventures, including a mosquito control company, and even sold ceviche from the back of a small butcher shop in my town. Unfortunately, neither worked out. I was burned out, defeated, and felt so low that I almost got a job…almost.
Fortunately, in May of 2021, a close friend named Jose Sarmiento asked me what happened to the junk removal business I had created in 2015. To cut a long story short, I launched a junk removal company in 2015 after leaving the US Army. I chose to get a job instead after becoming too stressed. At that time, my wife was eight months pregnant, I was transitioning out of the military, I was working toward finishing my MBA, and we were living at my parent’s house. After our conversation, Jose and I decided to work together to launch Cavalry Junk Removal.
In June 2021, we started the business with a small utility trailer, a pickup truck, and a dream. Although we are still in the startup phase, we are growing faster than I could ever imagine. We offer services, including demolition, container rental, and junk removal. What I love most about this business is that I can create a schedule around my family’s needs and not the other way around.
We participated in the annual Conasauga Watershed clean-up and the Dalton-Whitfield Latino Leadership Institute. Last summer, we were featured on an entrepreneur docuseries called BetaBlox hosted by Wes Bergman from MTV’s The Real World and The Challenge, which debuted on January 26, 2023. We strongly encourage aspiring business owners to watch the program to understand more about launching a company. I started Cavalry Junk Removal with no understanding of what I was doing. Fortunately, I had the privilege of learning from other businesses and local leaders of the Dalton community, including Billy Mathis, Chad Poteet, Jose Sarmiento, Josh Killian, S&P Contracting, Charles Campbell Construction, and many others.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My toughest challenge was entirely mental. I had been used to receiving a consistent salary for the previous 14 years, during which I had spent seven years in the US Army and another seven working in the manufacturing industry. I had about $50,000 in my savings when I decided to quit my career. I eventually ran out of money and reached the point where I either needed a job or to figure out a way to create money. I was stressed, wasn’t sleeping much, and didn’t know what to do next. I then changed my mindset and told myself that even if I failed, I would keep on with my entrepreneurial goals rather than get a job. So once I changed my perspective, I attracted my business partner, and the Cavalry Junk Removal Company was born.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Cavalry Junk Removal?
Cavalry Junk Removal is a Veteran powered business. We help keep the community beautiful by removing junk or renting dumpsters to customers who want to do it themselves. We help rebuild communities by providing demolition services for remodeling projects that eventually increase housing availability. We also help deliver construction materials for new construction projects across Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. We swore an Oath to serve and defend this country, and we will continue to serve and defend through our company! We instill Army values into our business.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
The US junk removal industry is estimated to be worth $10 billion annually, and the average person generates more than four pounds daily, says Sourgum.com. You will require our assistance as Georgia continues to expand. Unfortunately, some people lack the physical capacity, tools, or free time to clear their trash. We purposefully divert waste from landfills at Cavalry Junk Removal by recycling, reusing, and donating goods. Our significant change in the upcoming years will be to work with our customers to encourage them to be more deliberate about recycling to preserve the neighborhood’s beauty.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cavalryjr.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CptLous
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lprieto06/
- Twitter: @LuisPri28980578
