Picking up dog poop probably isn’t the first business idea that comes to mind when you think about making extra money. But once you learn how a pet waste removal business works, it starts to make a lot of sense.

It’s a simple local service that people gladly pay for, it can be set up with low startup costs, and it can bring in recurring monthly income.

In today’s interview, I’m talking with William Milliken, who runs a pet waste removal company that has grown way beyond a small side hustle. He originally thought this would be a way to make around $1,000 a month, but it quickly turned into something much bigger.

In his first calendar year (2021), his company brought in over $260,000 in scooping revenue and had over 300 recurring customers. And in 2026, they hit their first month with over $400,000 in scooping revenue in a single month, and now service over 2,500 recurring clients across multiple states.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this interview:

• What a pet waste removal business is and why people pay for it
• How much you can realistically earn in the first 6–12 months
• The best ways to get your first 10 customers
• What you need to buy to get started (and what you can skip)
• How to price your services and avoid common beginner mistakes
• A step-by-step plan to start this month

I also recommend checking out Poop Scoop Millionaire. If you like William’s step-by-step approach, this is where he teaches the exact systems behind starting and growing a pet waste removal business – pricing, getting your first customers, billing, and building routes so you’re not wasting time driving all over town. It’s a good fit if you want a clear plan (and support) instead of piecing everything together yourself. You can learn more here: Poop Scoop Millionaire

How To Start a Pet Waste Removal Business

If you want to learn how to start a pooper scooper business, this interview is a great place to get started!

Tell us your story! Who are you, and how did you get started in the dog waste removal business? What made you decide to try it?

I didn’t grow up dreaming about scooping dog poop. My background is in digital marketing, specifically marketing for home service companies.

I would partner with operators like electricians and garage door companies, own the business alongside them, and focus on getting the phone to ring and building the systems to scale quickly. Over time, we developed a repeatable playbook for turning local service businesses into structured, scalable operations.

My friend Levi, who I’ve known since elementary school, saw the success we were having and asked if we could start something together. The challenge was that he didn’t have a specific trade or construction background, so we needed a business model that didn’t require years of technical training.

Around that same time, my wife hired a dog waste removal company because I was busy with work and we had a baby on the way. The experience wasn’t great. Service was inconsistent, communication was weak, and billing felt disorganized.

That’s when it clicked.

The business itself was simple to start, it had recurring revenue, and the competition was not very sophisticated. I realized this wasn’t really about scooping dog poop. It was about building a professional, systemized, subscription-based home service in an industry that hadn’t matured yet.

Honestly, I did not have high expectations at the beginning. I thought maybe it would turn into an extra $1,000 per month on the side and give us something simple to run together.

But before I knew it, we were buying trucks, hiring employees, and realizing this was much bigger than a side project.

What is a dog waste removal business (pooper scooper business)? Can you explain what the service is, what customers pay for, and who usually pays for this type of service? Why do people pay for this service?

A pooper scooper business is a recurring home service where we visit customers’ homes on a set schedule, typically weekly or bi-weekly, remove the dog waste from the yard, dispose of it properly, and move on to the next property.

It is straightforward by design. The value is in consistency and reliability.

Our average customer pays a little over $110 per month. Pricing is based on the number of dogs, yard size, and how often we visit. Some customers prefer once per week, others every other week, and some choose multiple visits per week if they have several dogs.

Our client base is surprisingly broad. We serve elderly homeowners, disabled individuals, dual-income households, busy parents, and professionals who simply do not want to spend their limited free time doing a chore they dislike.

At the end of the day, people pay for this service because picking up dog poop is arguably one of the most hated chores of all time. It is recurring, messy, and easy to procrastinate. We remove that problem entirely so customers can enjoy their yard without thinking about it.

3. How much money can you make with a dog waste removal business? If you’re comfortable sharing, what has your income looked like (or what is realistic for a beginner in the first 6-12 months)?

A solo operator can typically handle between 125 and 150 recurring accounts depending on route density and efficiency. With that many customers on weekly service, it is very realistic to build a six-figure business working alone.

For someone in their first 6 to 12 months, income depends heavily on marketing consistency and execution, but many operators can realistically build to 50 to 100 recurring customers within that timeframe if they treat it like a real business and not a side hobby. From there, it compounds because it is recurring revenue.

What makes the model appealing is the simplicity. Compared to other home service trades, overhead is low. You are not buying construction materials or carrying large equipment. The main consumables are bags and basic supplies. That keeps margins strong and operations straightforward.

You can also choose to scale beyond being a solo operator, which is what we did.

In our first calendar year in 2021, we generated over $260,000 in scooping revenue and had over 300 recurring customers. Fast forward to 2026, and we had our first month with over $400,000 in scooping revenue in a single month. Today, we service over 2,500 recurring clients across multiple states with full teams in place.

The opportunity exists on both ends of the spectrum. You can build a strong six-figure lifestyle business, or you can build infrastructure and scale into something much larger.

4. What does a typical day or week look like in this business? What tasks take the most time (driving, scooping, customer service, billing, marketing, etc.)?

A typical day looks very different depending on the size of the company.

In the beginning, when you are a solo operator, most of your day is spent in the field. You are driving between homes, cleaning yards, responding to customer messages, handling billing questions, and promoting your business whenever you can. Marketing and route density become extremely important because driving time can eat up your margins if you are not careful.

In that stage, scooping and driving take the majority of your time. Customer communication and marketing usually fill the rest of your day, especially in the evenings.

As the company grows, the role shifts.

Today, my day-to-day looks very different because we have department managers who run the core functions of the business. We have an operations manager, marketing manager, office manager, location supervisors, and sales reps, customer service reps, and so on. My time is spent more on strategy, expansion, financial oversight, and leadership rather than field work.

The business can start as a hands-on, physical service job, but if built with systems, it can evolve into a management and leadership role.

5. How did you get your very first paying customers? What are the best ways to get your first 10 customers today?

We got our very first customers through local Facebook groups and simple door hangers.

In the early days, we posted in neighborhood groups offering weekly dog waste removal and replied quickly to anyone who showed interest. At the same time, we walked neighborhoods with lots of dogs and left door hangers to introduce our service. It was simple, direct, and effective.

Facebook groups are still one of the best ways to get your first 10 customers today. They cost nothing and let you connect directly with local communities. The key is to avoid being spammy. Introduce yourself professionally, explain your service clearly, and respond fast.

Another powerful strategy is what I call the “free trial” method. Offer a free cleanup to a few people in your personal network in exchange for honest feedback and a review. This builds social proof quickly and makes it much easier to win future customers.

If you have a small marketing budget, our top three channels today are Meta Ads, Google Ads paired with strong SEO, and truck wraps. Meta helps us create demand and reach local dog owners directly. Google captures high-intent customers already searching for this service. And truck wraps act as moving billboards, building brand recognition in the areas we serve.

We’ve also tested marketing ideas that completely failed. At one point, we partnered with Pizza Hut and printed our ads on thousands of pizza boxes. On paper, it sounded great — local families, high visibility, wide household reach.

We spent over $5,000 on the campaign and got zero calls. In hindsight, dog waste and pizza probably weren’t the best marketing match.

6. Is there still room for new people to start this business now? Why do you think this is a good opportunity for the future?

Yes, there is still a huge opportunity in this industry.

In our first location, there are only about 10 dedicated dog waste removal companies, compared to more than 700 lawn care businesses. That gap alone shows how underserved the market still is. It’s a relatively young industry compared to other home services.

At the same time, consumer behavior is changing. People are spending more on their pets than ever before. Dogs are treated like family, and pet-related services keep growing year after year. We’ve also seen a big rise in search volume for dog waste removal over the past several years, which proves demand is increasing.

What makes this opportunity so attractive is that it’s simple, recurring, and scalable. It doesn’t require professional licensing like many trades, startup costs are low, and it solves a problem that never goes away.

Every dog produces waste every single day. That creates built-in, ongoing demand.

I always joke that this business would be too good to be true if you didn’t actually have to pick up dog poop.

7. Can this be started as a side hustle while someone still has a full-time job? If yes, what’s the best way to do that?

Yes, this business can absolutely be started as a side hustle.

One big advantage is that you can build your route around your schedule. Many new operators serve customers in the evenings or on weekends while keeping their full-time job.

The key is organizing your service area well. I recommend splitting your overall territory into five smaller zones, with one zone assigned to each weekday. This keeps routes dense and cuts down on driving time, which is essential for profitability.

If someone only has weekends free, they can start with one or two focused neighborhoods and group customers close together. As the route grows and income becomes steady, they can gradually add more availability and eventually go full-time if they want.

The most important thing is to treat it like a real business from day one. Clear scheduling, consistent billing, and professional communication matter just as much with 10 customers as they do with 1,000.

8. What are the startup costs for a dog waste removal business? What do you actually need to spend money on at the beginning, and what can beginners skip? What do you do with all of the poop that is picked up?

Startup costs for a dog waste removal business are much lower than for most home service trades.

The basic equipment you need to start is a garden rake, a sturdy dustpan, waste bags, kennel-grade disinfectant, reliable transportation, and a smartphone for scheduling and messaging. If you already own a vehicle, you can realistically launch for just a few hundred dollars.

As for what beginners can skip, it’s important to separate necessary costs from optional ones. You can speed up growth with more spending on Google or Meta ads, truck wraps, and professional branding — we’ve used all of these to scale fast.

But none of that is required at the start. It’s smarter to test your market first, confirm demand, and make sure the model works for you before spending thousands on ads. Start lean, prove the business works, then reinvest profits into growth.

For waste disposal, we’ve used two common methods.

One is hauling the waste away and using a garbage service like Waste Management. We use 4–6 yard dumpsters, fill them with collected waste, and have them picked up on a schedule.

The method we now use in all new locations is double-bagging waste with scented bags and placing it in the customer’s trash bin. In our experience, most customers don’t care which method we use — they just don’t want to do it themselves. We saw almost the same growth with either approach.

9. Do you need any licenses, permits, insurance, or other legal setup to get started?

In most areas, no special trade licenses are required for a dog waste removal business beyond standard business registration and local city or county licenses.

Even so, I always recommend setting up the business properly from day one. Form your legal entity correctly, get any required local licenses, and carry a good general liability insurance policy. Even though the service is simple, you’re entering private property regularly, and insurance protects you if something unexpected happens.

Rules can change if you add extra services like certain odor control or sanitation treatments. Depending on the products used and how they’re applied, some areas may require extra licenses or compliance. Always check local rules before adding those services.

For basic dog waste removal, though, the legal setup is usually straightforward.

10. How do you price your services? What do most people charge for weekly service, and what pricing mistakes do beginners make?

Pricing in this business is usually based on three main factors: the number of dogs, the size of the yard, and how often you provide service.

Most companies charge more for multiple dogs and larger yards, and offer weekly or bi-weekly plans. Our average customer pays just over $110 per month, but prices vary by market.

One common mistake beginners make is underpricing. Early on, it’s tempting to charge too little just to get customers. This usually leads to burnout and low profits. Prices need to cover travel time, route density, and long-term sustainability.

Another tip that boosted our conversion rates is showing pricing clearly. When customers see a per-visit price next to a monthly total, they focus on the lower per-visit number, which helps increase sign-ups.

Billing structure also matters more than people think. Billing monthly, quarterly, or annually usually leads to fewer cancellations. The less often someone is reminded of a payment, the less friction there is. Annual billing especially improves retention and cash flow.

Pricing isn’t just about how much you charge — it’s about how you organize and present it.

11. What do you like most about this business? And what are the parts people may not realize are challenging?

What I like most about this business is the consistency.

With a large base of recurring customers, you have predictable revenue. We usually know what the next month will look like financially, which removes a lot of stress compared to project-based businesses where you’re always chasing the next big job.

This recurring model lets you focus on improving operations, customer experience, and growth instead of scrambling for sales every week.

And honestly, it’s also fun telling people we run a multi-million dollar business picking up dog poop. It always gets a reaction.

The challenges are mostly operational.

It’s a people-heavy business, so you need strong systems for hiring, training, and keeping employees. As you scale, your team’s quality directly affects customer satisfaction and retention. Without good leadership and clear processes, growth can cause more problems than profits.

Demand is also heavily affected by weather. In colder climates, for example, when snow melts in spring, demand spikes because waste builds up all winter (we call this “peak poop pain season”). Managing these seasonal surges while keeping staffing balanced takes planning.

From the outside, it looks simple. And operationally, it is. But building it into a multi-million-dollar company still takes discipline, structure, and leadership.

12. What advice would you give to someone who feels nervous or embarrassed about starting this kind of business, but really wants to try it?

Starting any business can be nerve-racking. The good news with this one is that the financial risk is relatively low. You can start with minimal overhead, validate demand, and scale from there. That lowers the pressure compared to businesses that require a large upfront investment.

As far as feeling embarrassed about the type of work, you might be surprised how many people genuinely love this business. There is something satisfying about building recurring revenue, running efficient routes, and creating something simple that works.

Of course, there will always be people who look down on it. That is true of almost any blue-collar or service business. I remember attending a business conference filled with doctors, lawyers, and other entrepreneurs. When conversations turned to revenue, our “simple” dog waste removal company was outperforming many of the more traditionally respected professions in the room.

That experience reinforced something for me. Income, freedom, and ownership matter more than status. If the numbers work and you are solving a real problem, the opinion of outsiders becomes much less important.

13. Can you list the step-by-step process of starting a dog waste removal business?

At a high level, starting a dog waste removal business follows a clear sequence.

First, set up the business properly. Form your entity, obtain your local business licenses, and secure general liability insurance. Even though the service is simple, professionalism from day one matters. It is also important for your own psychology. When you make the business legally legitimate, it stops feeling like a hobby and starts feeling real. That shift changes how you show up.

Second, purchase the minimum equipment needed to operate efficiently. A quality rake, lobby dustpan, disposal bags, kennel grade disinfectant, reliable transportation, and a smartphone are enough to begin.

Third, define your service structure. Decide how often you will offer service, how you will price based on dogs and yard size, and how billing will work. A clear structure prevents confusion later.

Fourth, choose and divide your service area. Break your territory into smaller route zones assigned to specific days. Route density is one of the biggest drivers of profitability.

Fifth, begin acquiring customers. Start lean, validate demand, focus on strong communication, and build early reviews. Recurring revenue compounds quickly once you secure your first base of customers.

Sixth, build systems. Scheduling, billing, route optimization, hiring processes, and customer communication systems are what turn a small operation into a scalable company.

Seventh, decide your growth path. Some operators stay solo and build a high six-figure lifestyle business. Others hire teams, expand into new territories, and scale into multi-location operations like we did.

The process itself is not complicated. What separates successful operators is consistency, pricing discipline, and systems.

For those who want a much deeper walkthrough, including exact equipment lists, pricing models, marketing strategies, software recommendations, and sales scripts, we teach the full framework inside the Poop Scoop Millionaire community.

14. Can you tell us more about Scoop Start and your paid community membership? Who is it best for, and what can someone expect to learn?

Poop Scoop Millionaire is our paid membership community built specifically for dog waste removal business owners.

It is designed for two types of people: those who want to start correctly from day one, and existing operators who want to scale.

Inside the community, we have over 30 hours of structured courses covering business setup, equipment, pricing strategy, routing, software, marketing systems, sales scripts, hiring, retention, and scaling. Everything is based on what we have actually implemented while growing to thousands of recurring customers.

We also host two live training calls every single week where members can ask experienced operators direct questions about real challenges they are facing. Those conversations often go deep into marketing strategy, hiring issues, and scaling decisions.

With over 700 active members, the community has also developed real negotiating power within the industry. We have secured exclusive discounts on software, equipment, and key services that can often offset a significant portion of the membership cost. That buying power is something individual operators typically would not have on their own.

Beyond the training, the biggest value is the network. Members share wins, mistakes, marketing results, and financial benchmarks openly. It has become one of the most collaborative and transparent communities in the industry.

It is best for someone who wants to treat this like a serious business and dramatically shorten the learning curve.