Erica Krupin tried dozens of jobs — from bartending on golf courses to working as an esthetician — before she found her calling. She didn’t think it would be scooping poop.
The 37-year-old owns Kroopin’s Poopin Scoopin, a dog waste removal business in Northville, Michigan. Krupin started scooping poop as a side hustle six years ago while working as a pharmacy technician. Inspiration struck one morning as she sipped her coffee and watched her pitbull, Java, squat in her backyard.
“I thought, ‘Man, I’d pay good money for someone to clean up after my dog so I don’t have to do this every day,’” she tells CNBC Make It. “And a lightbulb went off.”
She launched Kroopin’s Poopin Scoopin in August 2018 and quit her job as a pharmacy technician to run the business full-time in February 2020, just weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the United States. “It almost felt serendipitous,” Krupin recalls, noting that she transitioned from a job in health care where she would have undoubtedly worked longer hours and burned out to a position she could safely manage outside, catering to pet owners who were adopting dogs during lockdown.
Kroopin’s Poopin Scoopin is on track to hit $250,000 in revenue for 2024. As she approaches her seventh year in business, Krupin envisions expanding her team and servicing more cities in Michigan.
Starting a business was not a straightforward path for Krupin. She struggled in school and was not interested in college, so she started working as a pharmacy tech in 2005. “I just couldn’t imagine sitting in a classroom for another four years,” she says. Yet, her desire for independence and creativity grew over time, leading her to explore entrepreneurship.
She shared her unique approach to launching the business: spending just $1,000 on supplies, forming an LLC, and creating a simple marketing strategy. This involved visiting local pet-related businesses with donuts in one hand and business cards in the other, which quickly led to her first 15 customers.
After a year of running her side hustle, Krupin was earning more than she did at her pharmacy job, prompting her to dive into the business full time. Now, she runs a successful operation with employees and revenue streams from both her waste removal services and additional ventures like her podcast, “The Scoop With Erica Krupin.”
She emphasizes that while some might view poop scooping as undignified, her experience has been empowering. She values the growth she’s experienced both personally and professionally, describing her job as unexpectedly therapeutic: “It doesn’t matter that you’re handling poop; working outside while the sun is rising and the birds are chirping … it’s weirdly therapeutic.”
If you’re looking to start your own side hustle, Krupin’s journey underscores the importance of identifying a unique niche and seizing opportunities that align with your strengths and interests.
Source: CNBC
