Indiana University senior Brady Wright has signed a franchise agreement to bring College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk & Moving® to Bloomington. He plans to open before he graduates from the Kelley School of Business in spring 2027.
The Tampa-based company offers junk removal and moving services under one brand. It has more than 150 locations and over 370 open and committed territories across North America.
Wright, 21, won a competitive franchise scholarship that covered the initial franchise fee for the Bloomington territory. The scholarship grew out of a friendly bet between co-founder Omar Soliman and Chief Legal Counsel and Development Officer Kelsie Ackman when Indiana and Miami met in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Wright learned about the opportunity from a television commercial.
The award did not shorten the path to ownership, however. Wright reviewed the company’s Franchise Disclosure Document, visited headquarters, met with the development team and signed the same agreement every owner signs. He also shadowed Chad Jacob, the brand’s Kalamazoo, Michigan, franchisee, and began building relationships with Bloomington business and community leaders.
“We look for the same thing in every candidate … the drive to lead a team and build something that lasts,” said Eric Osborne, director of franchise development for College H.U.N.K.S.
Wright is a lifelong Indiana resident studying entrepreneurship and corporate innovation. He said his love for Bloomington’s people and sense of community drove his choice of territory. His story echoes the company’s own: Nick Friedman and Soliman founded College H.U.N.K.S. in 2003 as college students hauling junk between classes in Washington, D.C.
Wright aims to grow the Bloomington location faster than any territory in company history. He is documenting the journey, mistakes included, on Instagram and TikTok at @BtownCollegeHunk.
“Entrepreneurship can be a tool for service, and that’s the story I want to document,” Wright said.