While media buzz often spotlights Silicon Valley giants like Uber, Apple, eBay, Google, and Facebook, entrepreneurial wins are happening nationwide—especially among those ready to roll up their sleeves and tackle the tough stuff.
Related: 5 Lessons I Learned From Over 200 Successful Entrepreneurs
Need inspiration for your own venture? These five founders turned messy, hands-on work into multimillion-dollar franchises, proving grit pays off.
The basement, attic, air ducts
Nothing's grosser than mold and mildew, but Jeff Dudan, 49, turned remediation into a goldmine. In 1992, while clearing Hurricane Andrew debris in South Florida, he spotted the opportunity.
Today, his Huntersville, North Carolina-based AdvantaClean is the nation's top environmental franchise: a $50 million annual powerhouse with 225 territories across 32 states. They serve homeowners, businesses, and governments with mold abatement, air duct cleaning, water removal, and more—jobs few dare touch.
"Empathy is huge here," Dudan shares. "Dealing with flooded basements or damp crawl spaces, you're always asking, How can I help them recover?"
Now focused on oversight, Dudan credits tech for cleaner operations. Early days? He handled crime scenes, body cleanups, and sewage floods. "Franchisees rarely face what I did," he notes.
The swimming pool
Pool maintenance isn't glamorous, but that's why Stewart Vernon, 37, thrives. Post-college in 2002, he took over a retiring owner's clients in Macon, Georgia, rebranding as America's Swimming Pool Company.
ASP Franchising now pulls in $46 million yearly across 254 locations in 20 states with 100 owners.
Entrepreneurship ran deep—Vernon ran a high school car wash. "Business beat sports," he grins. Early on, he battled algae; now staff tackle dust storms dumping sand in Arizona pools or even crashed cars.
"Friends still call me 'the pool boy,'" he laughs, but the success speaks volumes.
The house
Ron Holt, 43, CEO of Two Maids & A Mop, launched in 2003 from Birmingham, Alabama. Operating in 46 markets, they plan 20-25 new stores yearly for five years.
A former chemist and lab supervisor, Holt saved $150,000 over seven years via fast-food side gigs to buy his freedom. He chose cleaning for its service potential.
Starting as one of two cleaners, he shifted to management. "Scrubbed surfaces I'd never imagined—from a lab director to bathroom floors," he reflects, building deep empathy for his teams.
Related: How I went from waiting tables to making 7 figures
The backyard
Money doesn't grow on trees, but Josh Skolnick, 34, makes bank trimming them. Post-high school, his landscaping/snow removal firm had 100 clients; sold in 2007, he pivoted to tree work after a client request.
Monster Tree Service now boasts 29 units and $11 million system-wide revenue. Cranes keep most work ground-level, but "you sweat, and stump grinders kick up dust," he admits.
The garage
Barbara Moran-Goodrich, 51, won't find you in her garage—but hopes you'll bring your car. She leads Moran Family of Brands, overseeing Mr. Transmission, Alta Mere The Automotive Outfitters, and Milex Complete Auto Care.
Groomed under her father at Moran Industries, she took CEO reins in 1999 and bought it in 2010, pivoting to franchises. Cars' tech boom helps: "No more 'mechanics'—they're technicians now." But hiring trades-savvy millennials is tough.
Early on, she rebuilt transmissions amid oil stench: "Not skunk-level, but close."
Related: 9 entrepreneurial lessons you never learned in school
