Entrepreneur Nick Friedman founded a junk removal company during college to make a little extra money. Now, the multi-million dollar company is supporting anyone fleeing domestic violence during COVID-19.
As a result of COVID-19, women and girls around the world have experienced a significant increase in domestic and intimate partner violence, as personal movement has become limited and people are confined to their homes. This sharp rise in the number of domestic violence cases is not going unnoticed—and one entrepreneur is helping domestic violence victims break free from their abusers.
Nick Friedman co-founded HUNKS Hauling Junk and Moving with his high school best friend Omar Soliman to make a little extra money during college. The company aims to offer “stress-free moving” and junk removal services. Since 2003, the company has appeared on Shark Tank and grown to a national company serving communities across the U.S. and Ontario.
“At the beginning of 2020, we had a record year,” Friedman told Ms. “Then, March hit, and we felt like the floor just dropped from underneath us. We were in crisis reaction mode and preservation mode. How do we make sure the brand survives and we stay in business?”
While HUNKS—which stands for Honest, Uniformed, Nice, Knowledgeable, Service—is all about heavy lifting, Friedman knew they could be during more to help those in need during the pandemic.
“We delivered millions of meals to feed the homeless [during COVID-19]. We realized we got trust, and we got labor, so let’s do something. Since COVID-19, there has been an increase in domestic violence cases, particularly with people stuck at home. Why don’t we utilize our franchise owner to give people an outlet to get out of those barriers?”
HUNKS partnered with the National Domestic Violence Hotline to offer themselves as a resource and safe haven for those in difficult situations for those in the 130 markets where it has franchises. Friedman and his team have committed to providing essential, no-cost moves to victims and survivors of abusive living situations with the help of domestic violence shelters, safe houses and counselors across the nation. So far, they have completed over 100 moves across the nation and are listed as a resource on the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
One domestic violence survivor said, “It’s kinda like saving my life; they’re like heroes right now.”
“My client was so appreciative of the help [HUNKS] provided and had amazing things to say about the movers that came” said one domestic violence case worker.
For more information, visit www.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com.
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