Swoop Scoop has turned dog waste removal into a steady, high-demand service. Owner William “Will” Millikin walked through a typical day, showing how a simple idea scales with smart systems, solid pricing, and focused marketing. Along the way, he and his team explained the tools, safety steps, customer experience, and the operational choices that helped the company reach a record month of more than $400,000 in sales.
The Big Idea Behind a Simple Service
Dog owners want clean yards and more time. Swoop Scoop provides weekly and flexible cleanups that solve both problems. The service is straightforward. The hard part is organizing routes, building trust at the door and gate, keeping tools safe and clean, and managing growth once demand picks up. Will shows that success here comes from consistent service, clear communication, and constant attention to efficiency.
“We’re picking up dog poop. It’s got to be one of the most simple businesses you could think of. You need a bucket, a rake, and disinfectant.” – Will Millikin
At the Yard: Tools, Technique, and Safety
Field work is predictable when done in a set order. Crews arrive, follow the customer’s notes, and move through the yard with a method that reduces misses and saves time.
Tools are basic and low cost. A lobby-style dustpan, an extendable garden rake, and a lined bucket do the heavy lifting. A kennel-grade disinfectant helps prevent germs from moving between properties.
Will’s go-to disinfectant is a Virkon kennel-grade spray. He stresses spraying the bottom of shoes and all equipment at the end of every service. That step protects pets across the route. It also supports a professional standard that customers can trust.
Technique matters. Crews start at the back fence, scan in sections, and move in a pattern like mowing. They collect everything on the first pass, then turn and cover the yard again. This scanning pattern cuts mistakes and keeps visits quick, often under ten minutes for a typical suburban lot.
- Standard tools: lobby dustpan, extendable rake, lined bucket with a clamp, and kennel-grade disinfectant.
- Method: section-by-section scanning, back-to-front passes, then a return pass to verify.
- Final steps: close and lock gates, photograph the secured gate, and disinfect all gear before leaving.
The gate photo is a key part of the customer experience. It shows the service was completed and the gate is locked. That simple message cuts worry about pets getting out.
Route Optimization and the App That Changed Everything
Will explains that early on, the team used fixed arrival windows. It seemed helpful, but it forced them into inefficient driving. Crews crossed town to match time promises rather than the best route. That burned fuel and time.
A routing app changed the game. The team posts notes about gate codes and pets, sees the order of the workday, and keeps driving time tight. The app also captures the final gate photo and any notes the customer might need.
One of the first rules they adopted: do not promise rigid arrival windows unless needed for access. When routes are optimized for drive time, crews can serve more customers and stay on schedule.
Pricing, Frequency, and Keeping It Simple
Swoop Scoop charges per visit with options for frequency. Customers can choose monthly, biweekly, weekly, or twice weekly. More dogs and more frequent visits cost more. A typical example Will mentions is a two-dog home billed per visit at $24.99 with level billing based on the number of weeks in a month.
Ease matters at signup. Customers can get an instant quote and join the schedule without a call. That mirrors how many people prefer to buy services today; fast and online. When customers add new pets or change frequency, office staff update the plan in a few clicks.
Demand, Safety, and Scale
Dog bites are rare. Across more than 260,000 yards cleaned, Will estimates a bite about once every 15,000 to 20,000 yards. Most incidents are avoided by reading yard notes, watching pet behavior, and using calm, steady movements when pets are present.
Waste disposal has two modes. In many areas, crews double-bag the waste and place it in the customer’s bin with permission. At larger locations, Swoop Scoop hauls waste to its own dumpsters. In Spokane, two dumpsters serve all routes and are emptied three times per week. Lids cut smells and keep the site workable.
From First Clients to a $400,000 Month
Growth started fast. In the first three to four months of real advertising, the company went from about 20 to more than 350 clients. Will and his business partner, Levi, had to hire crews and buy trucks quickly to keep up. A single tech can handle around 125 to 150 customers, so headcount grows as routes grow.
The company hit a ceiling at about $200,000 per month when Will and Levi managed most functions themselves. The next leap came from building a full team. Today, Swoop Scoop has an operations manager, office and location supervisors, a marketing manager, a sales lead, and an executive assistant, among others. That structure freed the founders to work on expansion and larger decisions.
“The people that succeed are the ones that actually go out there and they start and they make something happen.” – Will Millikin
The Numbers Behind the Operation
In January, the company recorded $411,345.39 in dog waste removal services, plus about $6,500 in add-on odor control treatments. They reported around 2,500 active clients and are aiming to reach about 3,000 to 3,500 clients after the spring rush.
Seasonality helps. In Spokane, 75% to 80% of the annual client base signs up in the first quarter. Snow melts, yards thaw, and homeowners want fast help. Some late-year sales convert to paid subscriptions that begin in the new year, adding to the first-quarter surge.
Churn runs at roughly 4% to 5% per month, often due to moves or pet deaths. At scale, that loss piles up, so keeping acquisition strong is essential. Customer lifetime value (LTV) is healthy. Swoop Scoop reports about $2,700 LTV for Spokane and $2,925 for Seattle. Seattle costs more to acquire customers but also yields higher revenue per customer.
- Record month: $411,345.39 in January service sales.
- Add-on: ~$6,500 in odor control treatments that month.
- Active clients: ~2,500, targeting 3,000–3,500 post-rush.
- Monthly churn: ~4.4% to 5%.
- LTV: ~$2,700 (Spokane) and ~$2,925 (Seattle).
Cash flow is steady because of pre-billing. Customers can pay monthly, quarterly, or annually. Pulling cash forward helps with payroll and fuel, and it smooths the effects of seasonality. The founders did face a common early challenge: limited business credit. They used personal truck loans to grow until they could refinance and formalize funding as the company matured.
Marketing That Works at Every Stage
Swoop Scoop grew from lean, low-cost tactics to larger, paid campaigns. The approach changes by stage and budget, but the core ideas remain the same: show up where dog owners spend time, look like a real local team, and make it easy to book.
Start With Free or Low-Cost Outreach
Will’s first wins came from posting in local Facebook groups. He suggests finding 20 to 30 active groups and posting as often as allowed. A friendly photo, such as someone in a high-visibility vest who is smiling in front of a vehicle, builds trust. A free first cleanup offer boosts response, especially when there is no ad budget.
Yard signs turned out to be one of the lowest acquisition costs in their data. The team later ordered 10,000 signs and placed them across the city. Simple wins. A direct line like “We Scoop Dog Poop,” a logo, and one clear way to contact the business are all most drivers can read at speed. New operators should also add “Dog Waste Removal” so people understand the service at a glance.
Scale With Paid Ads and Clean Analytics
As the team grew, they shifted more spend into Facebook and Google ads. Marketing manager Tanner watches creative performance by area. If a campaign spends and does not produce signups, they test other creatives or reduce spend in that region. The lesson is to track outcomes by area and by ad, then put money where clients convert.
Billboards are a later move. Swoop Scoop has 26 across Spokane. Will clusters boards along commuter routes so people see the brand multiple times on daily drives. That repetition improves recall. He cautions that billboards are not for the earliest stage. First, max out core channels like Google search and social ads. Billboards reinforce a brand that people already search for and recognize.
Operations, Team, and Culture
A walk through the headquarters highlights a lean, hands-on office built to make fast decisions. The executive assistant, Samantha, filters walk-ins and saves time. Andrew manages the office operations. Tanner runs campaigns and tests creative. Josh, the operations manager, focuses on compliance, cost control, and daily execution. Ryan leads sales, answering questions and guiding new customers through options.
Levi, Will’s business partner, leads major operational shifts and reviews the top-line numbers, including churn, LTV, and the flow of new subscriptions. He also watches seasonality and billing timing. He points out that many end-of-year signups start billing in January, which boosts early-year revenue reports.
The company keeps overhead modest. Their current Spokane headquarters is in a former credit union and costs about $2,500 per month. As Swoop Scoop opens more locations, the team plans to move headquarters to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for tax advantages while keeping operations in multiple states.
Culture has a light touch. The team gathers for “Pack Rip Friday,” where they open collectible card packs. It is a simple ritual that creates shared fun and keeps morale up. A small display of cards sits in Will’s office, a reminder that work can be both focused and enjoyable.
Customer Care and Trust-Building Habits
Small steps build loyalty. The gate photo is one. Another is a check-in call to confirm dog names when something seems off, like a mismatch between listed pets and what crews notice. This approach avoids awkward accusations while keeping subscription details accurate.
There is also a program for a tough part of the job: pet loss. Each year, hundreds of dogs on the company’s routes pass away. Will is working on a national flower distributor to send a kind note and bouquet when it happens. It is a humane touch that honors the bond between pet and owner.
Safety comes up often. Crews rely on calm behavior, reading dogs’ signals, and sticking to yard notes about access, codes, and pets. With a bite rate measured in tens of thousands of yards, the record is strong. Disinfection between jobs protects against disease spread, and careful gate handling protects pets.
How to Start Small and Grow Steadily
Will believes anyone willing to do simple work well can start this service, even on weekends. The tools are cheap. The steps are clear. Early growth depends on talking to people in your circle, posting in local groups, and being fast to respond. A free first visit reduces risk for the customer and creates a chance to prove the value.
For new operators with a full-time job, weekend and evening routes can build a client base slowly. With level billing and recurring service, revenue adds up. Will notes that if someone charges around $100 per month, reaching six figures in annual gross sales would take only about 83 to 84 recurring clients. Full-time, a single tech can serve 125 to 150 clients, depending on density and routing.
- Start with basic tools and a simple process.
- Use routing software as soon as possible to cut drive time.
- Avoid strict arrival windows if they harm route efficiency.
- Post in local groups and offer a first-time special to fill the pipeline.
- Keep signage and ads simple and easy to read.
- Pre-bill to smooth cash flow and cover payroll.
Common Pitfalls and How Swoop Scoop Avoided Them
Two early habits slowed progress: rigid arrival promises and scattered routes. Removing fixed time windows gave dispatch more control. Customers still get reliable service, but crews move when traffic and density make sense.
Another pitfall is overcomplicating the message. “We Scoop Dog Poop” is blunt and clear. Busy drivers and quick scrollers understand it in a second. Fancy taglines and long explanations do not help in a fast-moving feed or at a crowded intersection.
Cash gaps are a risk, especially when hiring or buying vehicles. Swoop Scoop reduced this by pre-billing, then used refinancing once the company had more history. Will also recommends keeping overhead lean. Their functional HQ at a modest rent is a practical example.
What the Team Watches Daily
Data drives decisions. The marketing desk tracks spend, leads, and cost per signup by area. Underperforming ads get swapped or paused. Operations checks cancellations, vehicle status, and route coverage. Sales tracks response time and conversion. Leadership watches churn and LTV because those two numbers shape how hard the team must work to grow net client counts.
During spring, seasonality brings a rush. Spokane can see up to 80% of its new annual client base in the first quarter. Billing intervals and lagging subscriptions make January and February totals look large. The team plans around that spike, then prepares for steadier months as the year goes on.
Proof of Concept at Scale
The company’s January report shows more than $411,000 in service sales and a client base near 2,500 across locations. Spokane is the largest market by client count, and Seattle is close in revenue due to higher pricing. With churn near 5% in some locations, growth requires filling the funnel each month.
The numbers also show why route density matters. A tech can only cover so many yards per day. The tighter the route, the more yards per hour. That is why the routing app, no-arrival-window policy, and careful expansion to high-demand areas matter.
Why Marketing Made the Difference
When Swoop Scoop began, there was little search volume for “pooper scooper services” in their markets. They had to build awareness from scratch. They treated the service like a product with an online checkout. Instant quotes and easy signup met customers where they were.
They also stayed visible. They put the brand in the places dog owners live and drive. Online, that meant local groups, then targeted ads. Offline, it meant yard signs and later billboards clustered on commuter routes. That plan turned a niche service into a regular monthly expense for thousands of homes.
A Day in the Life, Five Years In
The day Will shared looked calm compared to the early hustle. A single yard visit showed the workflow: open the gate, scan and collect, photograph the locked gate, then disinfect. Back at HQ, he checked in with the team, reviewed marketing tests with Tanner, traded notes with Josh on operations, and walked through sales numbers with Levi.
In the afternoon, the crew kept up a light team tradition, opening a few card packs. It is a small investment that builds community in a high-output environment. The day closed with a reminder that progress comes from action. Start with what you have. Learn while doing. Improve the systems each week.
Key Takeaways
- Simple service, strong systems: route optimization, no rigid arrival windows, and clear post-visit proof build trust and speed.
- Low-cost marketing first: local groups and yard signs fill early pipelines, then scale with paid social and search ads.
- Cash flow matters: pre-billing smooths payroll and growth. Keep overhead lean and vehicles financed wisely.
- Data guides the plan: watch churn, LTV, cost per signup, and route density. Adjust spending by area.
- Customer care breeds loyalty: secured gate photos, gentle dog-count check-ins, and condolence flowers show respect and care.
Swoop Scoop proves that steady service plus smart operations can win in a basic category. The company’s record month, team depth, and clean processes show how a direct offer can scale when leaders keep the message clear, the routes tight, and the customer at the center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much can a solo operator handle before hiring help?
A single technician can usually serve about 125 to 150 recurring clients with efficient routing. The exact number depends on drive time, yard sizes, and how many days are scheduled.
Q: What should I charge when starting out?
Begin with a clear per-visit price based on dog count and visit frequency. Offer monthly, biweekly, weekly, and twice-weekly options. Keep billing simple and use level billing so invoices are predictable.
Q: Where should I spend my first marketing dollars?
Start free. Post in local Facebook groups with a friendly photo and a first-visit special. Add yard signs with a short message and one contact method. Once those work, test targeted Facebook and Google ads.
Q: How do I avoid long drives between jobs?
Use a routing app to cluster stops and remove strict arrival windows unless access requires it. Keep routes dense by focusing on one area at a time and filling nearby neighborhoods before expanding outward.
