NuGround - Co-Founder, Julian Quinones

Date

Apr 16, 2019


Hey! My name is Julian Quinones and I’m the co-founder of NuGround. A local moving and junk removal company. Growing up, I was always fascinated with the idea of being an entrepreneur. To me, it meant being my own boss, controlling my own future and having unlimited possibilities. My path to becoming an entrepreneur was far from easy but I was determined to make this dream a reality. After plenty of trial and error in my early 20’s, my brother Mike and I decided to partner up to start a little business. We had a pick up truck, tools and lots of hustle. We took on any odd job that we could. Some good, some not so good but we always learned something new. After just a few years, we succeeded in establishing a great brand and a set of services that worked incredibly well together. 

Now, when people ask, “what do you do?” I am proud to say, “I’m an entrepreneur”. My hope is to join forces with like-minded individuals who share the same a passion for independence and unlimited possibility as we grow this awesome company across Ontario, Canada and beyond. 


BeTheBoss.ca:     Tell us about the ?NuGround? concept.

Julian Quinones:     NuGround is a Canadian company offering local moving and junk removal services to residential and commercial clients. The unique thing about NuGround is that we, unlike other competitors, realize that moving and junk removal are services that go hand-in-hand and can be completed with much of the same equipment and the same staff. Our clients love how versatile we are and often use us more than once during a given project.

Also, what’s interesting about NuGround is that one can launch a franchise with a single 16’ cube truck and minimal staff, which allows for very low overhead at the start. Overtime, of course, one can grow to multiple trucks, larger staff, an office and a warehouse. The potential for growth is astounding.


BeTheBoss.ca:     How and when did you become involved with ?NuGround??

Julian Quinones:     I founded NuGround with my brother Mike in Spring of 2015. At the time, I was just finishing college and Mike was working at a landscaping company. We had a few long conversations about our career paths and we somehow decided to combine my entrepreneurial spirit and marketing know-how along with his incredible work ethic and sense for customer service. The partnership would eventually evolve into what people now know as NuGround. A moving and junk removal company based in Bolton, Ontario.


BeTheBoss.ca:     What was your background prior to joining ?NuGround??

Julian Quinones:     Prior to launching NuGround, I was aspiring entrepreneur. In my early 20’s, I was involved in the independent music and entertainment industry. While doing that, I also worked at a small moving and packing company, where I became warehouse manager. After years of doing that, I went off to Fanshawe college in London, ON and started yet another small venture printing and designing merch for artists and small businesses. When the opportunity to start NuGround presented itself, I was able to utilize all of the experiences and the skills that I developed to eventually create a successful business that has grown exponentially in the past few years.

BeTheBoss.ca:     What are some of the advantages in being a ?NuGround? franchisee?

Julian Quinones:     One of the main advantages about NuGround is that one can launch a franchise with relatively low overhead. All you need is a single 16’ cube truck, minimal staff and really good work ethic. Overtime, of course, one can grow to multiple trucks, larger staff, an office and even a storage warehouse. Besides that, franchisees can expect in-depth training, a 3-day marketing blitz and ongoing support. Head office also provides brand marketing and a call centre that helps to streamline job requests so that franchisees can focus on marketing, sales, general management and most importantly, growth strategy.


BeTheBoss.ca:     Who is your ideal Franchisee?

Julian Quinones:     Our ideal franchisee is someone who is known to have a outstanding work ethic and truly understands the importance of providing excellent customer service. A franchisee does not need direct experience with moving and junk removal but he or she must have experience with physical labour. We seek go-getters. People who are energetic, resilient, accountable, and team-oriented. These are qualities that are crucial to becoming successful as an entrepreneur regardless of what industry one may choose.


BeTheBoss.ca:     Tell us a little about the ?Moving & Junk Removal? Market?

Julian Quinones:     The moving and junk removal industries are technically two separate industries that mesh incredibly well under one umbrella. Both services share a lot of similarities including vehicles, tools, materials, staffing, dispatching, and scheduling systems. Understanding this allows for one incredibly versatile business.. I could say that these are both “multi-billion dollar industries”, which may be true, but I’d rather focus on the simple fact that no matter what, people are in constant need of these services. Not everyone has the know-how, the physical capability, the equipment, or the time necessary to move or remove household items and other large, heavy equipment. Therefore, people look for a professional company like NuGround to complete these projects and they are willing to pay a premium for a great experience. When demand is high and customer experience is excellent, great profits can be achieved.


BeTheBoss.ca:     What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned in growing this franchise?

Julian Quinones:     At the moment, we are in the very early stages of franchising. Most of my experience currently comes from running the actual corporate location, which I have done for that past few years and still continue to do. I think it’s important for me to continue being involved with the development of the initial corporate location because I feel like it will keep me innovating and thinking of new ways to improve the systems that we have in place, which in turn will be a great benefit to our future franchisees. Regardless, growing a business is hard work and the main thing I’ve learned is that you need GREAT people working in your company because these are people that will either uphold or diminish your brand’s reputation. There is no in between.


BeTheBoss.ca:     What advice do you have for someone looking to acquire a ?NuGround? Franchise?

Julian Quinones:     The advice that I would give to a NuGround franchisee, is BE PREPARED TO WORK!. If you have a good work ethic, almost everything else just falls into place. You must be learning and staying on top of business especially at the beginning. Overtime, my goal as the franchisor is to guide you, the franchisee, to success by showing you how to build a GREAT team of hard working people that can handle specific tasks. This will eventually allow you to spend your valuable time focusing on “big picture” tasks like marketing, sales and growth strategy.


BeTheBoss.ca:     In your opinion, why do you think that ?NuGround? would be a great opportunity?

Julian Quinones:     Let’s be completely honest... there are thousands of franchise opportunities out there and they come in all shapes and sizes. But what truly sets NuGround apart from the rest is the fact that we are not here to reinvent the wheel. We are not here to put on a new spin on things by using gimmicks and catch-phrases. The fact is that our business model is clear, it’s simple, and it works. We are adamant about operating each and every franchise location like a true local business. A business that is ingrained into the culture of your particular city or town. Because that’s what people want. They want to support LOCAL. They don’t want to pick up the phone and listen to a robot. They want to talk to people. They want excellent customer service. They want honesty and integrity. And that’s what NuGround is built on. Of course, we place importance on building great systems but that’s nothing without excellent service, genuine people, and a great customer experience. If you’re interested in launching your own successful business while at the same time making a real difference in your community, NuGround might be the perfect fit for you.


For more information about this exciting new franchise opportunity check them out here at BeTheBoss.ca.