Meet the 18-year-old whose junk hauling business earns up to $15,000 a month

Photo credit: Carter Grandbois / InstagramThis image is improved using Gemini At 16, while many of his classmates were thinking about part-time jobs in retail or food service, Carter Grandbois saw an opportunity in other people’s clutter. Living in Colorado Springs, he borrowed a trailer, posted on social media and started hauling away junk for neighbours and local businesses. Two years later, at 18, he runs a growing junk-removal company that can bill as much as $15,000 in a busy month, all while finishing high school and planning his next moves. His story, as told to Fortune, shows how a simple service business, combined with savvy use of social media and a strong work ethic, can turn a teenager’s side hustle into a serious income stream.Spotting a gap in the marketCarter Grandbois grew up in a family that valued hard work and self-reliance. As a kid, he helped with yard work, moved furniture and learned basic handyman skills from relatives and neighbours. By middle school, he was already thinking about ways to make money on his own terms.The idea for a junk-removal business came from everyday observation. He noticed that people in his community often had piles of unwanted items:...