As a start-up, it can be difficult to obtain financing for any business. Throw in equipment unfamiliar to the lender and gaining funds seems almost impossible. Tommy Endsley did not give up that easily on his new business. With previous knowledge from working for other waste management businesses, Tommy decided to start his own. Charlene’s Waste Services LLC was founded by Tommy and Charlene Endsley in March 2016. The waste management business offers liquid waste collection and disposal for St. Louis and surrounding areas, including St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and Jackson County.
Providing services for construction sites at the beginning, Endsley was looking to expand. The business had a huge outdated truck and 65 porta-potties. They needed an upgrade to take on new revenue streams. The business stumbled upon Beacon Funding and the rest was history. Beacon aided Charlene’s Waste Services by financing two brand new portable restroom trucks and 84 porta-potties. This has enabled them to expand to a different market: special events. “I find that financing the truck through Beacon Funding has given our company the opportunity to service our customers in a more timely and efficient manner,” Tommy says.
Charlene’s Waste Services LLC Snapshot
- Waste management business established in 2016 in Wentzville, MO
- Offers liquid waste collection and disposal within a 100-mile radius of St. Louis, MO
- Started with 65 porta-potties and a huge outdated truck
- Expanded to almost 300 porta-potties and two new portable toilet trucks; Beacon Funding financed the trucks and 84 porta-potties
- Financing has allowed them to run larger routes, take on harder jobs, and cover a new market
- Plan to finance 100 more porta-potties
It Takes Two
Charlene’s is special in that they don’t use advertising to garner customers. Their business is predominantly brought in through word-of-mouth. “We do whatever it takes to make our customers happy. We go above and beyond,” Tommy says. Tommy and Charlene pride themselves on giving on-time service and are always there for their customers in any capacity. They differentiate themselves from their competitors with their great service and taking care of their customers. “If you go above and beyond for your customer, then they will keep coming back,” Endsley says. Tommy and Charlene are able to run this business themselves with just the help of a part-time employee. The pair plan to maintain their unparalleled customer service by hiring more people to keep up with all their recent and upcoming equipment acquisitions. Charlene’s was able to obtain new equipment because Beacon gave them something other lenders and banks couldn’t give: a chance.
Hands Down Best Around
One day, Tommy was perusing Pumper.com’s classifieds and found Beacon Funding when he clicked to finance a truck. Tommy filled out an interest form in hopes that Beacon could help his business grow. “I got a hold of my financing consultant, and it’s been awesome ever since,” Tommy says. Tommy and Charlene had a hard time finding funding elsewhere due to being a start-up. Banks told them they had to be in business for a longer period of time to be considered. “Without Beacon, we would have been stuck in the water with the bank. We would have to wait until we’re two years in business,” Tommy says.
After looking around at other options, Tommy came back to Beacon and was able to finance his first truck within a few months. Beacon was able to accommodate Charlene’s despite the company’s status as a start-up business. The lender understands the value of start-ups and wants to help them succeed. Tommy says his financing experience has been top-notch and has helped out his business tremendously. When he didn’t understand something, his consultant went out of the way to answer his questions, stay in touch, and walk him through every step of the process.
“It eases us to know that Beacon is available for financing. I would 100 percent refer Beacon to others in the waste management business."
In 2017, Charlene’s financed a new vacuum truck and within six months of that purchase, acquired 28 porta-potties. Then in 2018, the business financed another vacuum truck and 56 porta-potties. They plan on financing another 100 porta-potties within the next six weeks. That’s two trucks and over 180 porta-potties in less than a year. “My consultant and his team are excellent. They do whatever it takes to make the customer happy. And they walk you through the process, hands down best around,” Tommy says.
New Equipment, New Market
Gaining new trucks gives them the ability to handle longer routes. They hold a larger capacity, which means less stops at the sewage plant and less issues servicing. “We were able to grow our sanitation routes and expand into new territories because the new trucks help out with route optimization, keep hours down, and service customers a lot better,” Endsley says. Having more porta-potties enables them to branch off from construction sites into special events, i.e., weddings, carnivals.
“Our business has improved dramatically with the new purchase of equipment through Beacon Funding. After financing we have 25 percent more customers.”
Adding more equipment has given them flexibility to take a risk on large scale job sites. Some job sites want a new company on-the-fly. They can now provide a quick turnover and say “yes” to those jobs because they have the inventory needed and are ready to go at any time. Besides adding 100 more porta-potties, Tommy and Charlene plan on recruiting two more full-time employees to keep this operation going strong as ever. “As our business grows, we will get new trucks and porta-potties with Beacon Funding. It’s a win-win for both of us,” Tommy says. It’s safe to say Charlene’s is already winning.
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Thank you to Charlene’s Waste Services LLC for participating in Beacon Funding's Success Spotlight program. The Success Spotlight program gives Beacon customers and partners a chance to shine with recognition of their equipment financing success. This is achieved through enhanced exposure and free nationwide publicity through Beacon's online channels. To learn more about the program click here.