My name is Jeff, and I'm a father, husband, veteran, and now a small business owner. Let me tell you how I got here.

In December 2024, I saw a video of someone cleaning trash bins in another state. At first, I was mildly intrigued, but it wasn't until a walk with my dog, Yoda, in April that the idea truly hit home.

That day, we passed several trash bins that had just been emptied. I found myself dodging them, holding my breath, giving them a wide berth. They stank. When I got back to my own driveway, I realized my own bins were just as bad. Like many people, I'd always blamed the trash. But the real culprit? Bacteria.

That sparked a memory. Back in 2006, I served as a MedTech (4N051) in the U.S. Air Force. I worked as a lab assistant/phlebotomist, studied pre-nursing, and learned firsthand that bacteria, not just waste, is what causes foul odors. Whether it's rotting food, a wound, or bad breath, bacteria is the enemy.

When I realized that I had zero tolerance for vomit, I knew I couldn't pursue a career as a nurse, so I focused on something that could advance my Air Force career, and instead, I pursued a BA in Accounting and later transitioned out of the military with a medical retirement due in large part to PTSD. For a while, I hid from the world.

But life nudged me back out. I took a job as a handyman and janitor at my daughter's preschool. What started as maintenance work became something more. I took pride in keeping everything the children touched sanitized and safe. If you asked me today, I'd proudly call myself a "sanitization specialist."

Later, I found purpose in creative work. I earned a BS in Computer Animation and an MA in Game Development. I led 3D artists in an educational game startup and even spent a year substitute teaching in local schools during the post-pandemic staffing crisis. That experience, while fulfilling, showed me that younger classrooms, despite being fun and rewarding, weren't quite the right long-term fit for me.

So, I returned to game development, teaming up with fellow creatives to build our first game. While awaiting my next task on the project’s creative side, I started exploring the business side of things. I wanted to learn how to support not just our game, but the potential careers we could build from it. The question was, "How?"

The walk with Yoda had a dual purpose: he likes walks, and I needed to step away and think about how to move forward. That's when I remembered that trash bin cleaning video. I realized there was an opportunity not just to clean trash bins, but to build something meaningful and give back to the community that supported me during my toughest years.

San Diego County is beautiful year-round, and some people enjoy it by walking around their neighborhoods with their partners, their kids, and their dogs. One of the things I want Trash Bin Troopers to do is make that walk just a little better. You shouldn't have to dodge stink and bacteria just to enjoy your block. And for people already struggling, whether emotionally, mentally, or financially, even something as small as a smelly bin can feel like Mount Everest. I know that feeling.

This business isn't about making me rich. It's about expressing gratitude. It's about providing a helpful, affordable service with heart. I know what it's like to feel stuck or overwhelmed. If I can reduce even one burden, one bin at a time, I'm doing what I set out to do.

I spent a fair amount of time in the Air Force. While it wasn't as long as I had planned, the core values stuck with me: Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence in All We Do. These aren't just military slogans. They're the foundation of Trash Bin Troopers. That's why we don't use contracts. That's also why we offer a bin-to-curb service, so you never miss a cleaning just because you forgot to take the bins out. (I've been there too.)

I started by contacting city and county agencies to understand water recovery rules and greywater regulations. I learned that starting this business legally and ethically was no small task. A commercial cleaning rig was out of my budget, so I studied trailer breakdowns and engineered a rig that fits both my finances and my truck. It's not fancy, but it's functional, and it's the beginning of something bigger.

That's how Trash Bin Troopers was born.