Two Washington entrepreneurs started a dog-waste cleanup business with about $1,000; six years later, Swoop Scoop says the operation generates more than $200,000 a month across multiple markets
What started as a small Washington business built around one of the least glamorous chores of dog ownership has grown into a multi-market operation generating more than $200,000 a month. William Milliken and Levi Swartz founded Swoop Scoop in late 2020 in Spokane Valley, Washington, after recognising that picking up dog waste was an overlooked service that many pet owners would gladly outsource. According to the episode of Millionaire University, featuring Swoop Scoop president Milliken, the entrepreneurs started the business with about $1,000 and grew it from roughly 20 customers to more than 300 within just a few months. In the episode, Milliken says the company now generates more than $200,000 a month and has expanded into multiple markets. Swoop Scoop’s own website describes the company as a dog-waste removal service created to make life easier for pet owners and says it now serves customers across multiple markets.
From a simple chore to a business idea
The concept behind Swoop Scoop was straightforward. Milliken and Swartz had both spent years cleaning up after their own dogs and recognised an opportunity in a chore that was necessary but rarely enjoyable. Rather than creating a new product, the founders focused on providing a service. Customers could pay someone else to regularly remove dog waste from their yards, turning an unpleasant household task into a recurring business relationship.According to Swoop Scoop, the company was founded in late 2020 in Spokane Valley with the goal of eliminating what it describes as one of the most dreaded chores for dog owners. The company says its founders recognised that professional pooper-scooping was an overlooked service across the United States. That basic idea became the foundation for a business that could grow one customer and one neighbourhood at a time.
Image Credit: Swoop Scoop
Starting with about $1,000
The company’s beginnings were modest. Milliken told Millionaire University that he and Swartz started Swoop Scoop with about $1,000. The business then grew rapidly, with the podcast reporting that its customer base expanded from roughly 20 customers to more than 300 in a matter of months. The founders used relatively straightforward marketing methods to attract customers. Milliken discusses Facebook advertising in the podcast, along with the importance of recurring subscription revenue to the company’s model.That recurring element is particularly important for a service such as dog-waste removal. A customer who signs up for regular cleaning can generate repeated revenue rather than providing the company with only a single transaction. The podcast describes this as part of the appeal of so-called “boring” businesses, where a simple service can create a dependable customer relationship without requiring a large initial investment.
Why dog-waste removal can scale
Dog-waste removal may not sound like a conventional high-growth business, but its simplicity can also make the model relatively easy to replicate. A worker does not need to manufacture a product or maintain a large inventory. The company instead organises routes, schedules recurring visits and provides the service at customers’ homes.Swoop Scoop’s current website shows how the original idea has developed into a broader service business. The company says it provides dog-waste removal and has built a team focused on delivering what it describes as a professional, “white glove” experience for customers. The company has also expanded geographically. Its website lists service areas including Spokane, Seattle, Everett and North Idaho, reflecting its growth beyond the Spokane Valley market where it began.
Image Credit: Swoop Scoop
Expanding beyond Spokane
The expansion accelerated as Swoop Scoop built its customer base and operations. In 2023, the company, then known as Scoop Troop, acquired Dooky’s Pet Waste Removal for $54,000, according to the Spokane Journal of Business. At the time, the company had more than 1,500 customers and about a dozen employees and had expanded into Seattle.The company subsequently operated under the Swoop Scoop name as it continued developing its brand and expanding its reach. The company’s growth has also been reflected outside its own reporting. Swoop Scoop was included on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list at No. 653, with Inc. reporting 638% three-year growth. A Spokane Journal of Business report on the Inc. 5000 recognition said the company’s revenue had increased 638% between 2021 and 2024. It also reported that Swoop Scoop had locations in Seattle and Everett, Washington, and North Idaho.
Building around recurring customers
The subscription model remains central to the company’s approach. Instead of waiting for customers to call whenever their yards need cleaning, recurring services allow the company to schedule regular visits. That creates a predictable need for the customer and a repeat service opportunity for the business. The Millionaire University episode specifically identifies recurring subscription revenue as one of the reasons the business model is attractive. The podcast also discusses seasonal demand, expanding into new markets and knowing when to pivot as part of the challenges involved in growing the company.For Swoop Scoop, scaling therefore involves more than simply finding more people willing to scoop dog waste. It requires building routes, hiring and managing workers, maintaining customer relationships and entering new markets while keeping the service consistent.
More than a dog-waste business
The company’s services have expanded beyond routine residential cleanups. Swoop Scoop’s website describes its broader offering as including residential and commercial pet-waste removal, along with odour-control services. The company has also developed expertise around the business itself. Its broader ecosystem includes resources aimed at people interested in starting or growing businesses in the pet-waste-removal industry. That reflects how a service that began as a small local operation has evolved into a business model that the founders believe can be replicated in other markets.
From $1,000 to more than $200,000 a month
The numbers now associated with Swoop Scoop are far removed from its beginnings. The Millionaire University episode describes the company as a multi-million-dollar operation generating more than $200,000 every month. It also highlights the jump from roughly 20 customers to more than 300 within a few months and the company’s expansion into multiple markets. Meanwhile, the company’s own website documents its origins, its expansion into multiple markets and its focus on making dog ownership easier by taking over the task of waste removal.The Swoop Scoop story illustrates how a business does not necessarily need an elaborate product or a huge starting investment to find a market. Two entrepreneurs began with about $1,000 and a service built around a chore many people would rather avoid. Six years later, their company says it has grown into a multi-market operation generating more than $200,000 a month, turning an ordinary household nuisance into the foundation of a sizeable business.
