Episode Summary: Second in Command with Cameron Herold

Ep. 536 - Ally Waste COO Harrison Crum: Profitable Growth in the “Trash to Treasure” Industry

Date: December 16, 2025
Guests:

• Host: Cameron Herold
• Featured COO: Harrison Crum, Ally Waste Services

Main Theme

This episode spotlights the meteoric rise of Ally Waste Services—a unique player in the waste management industry—through the strategic vision of COO Harrison Crum. Cameron and Harrison dive into how Ally carved a niche in multifamily waste services, scaled 20x in four years, and orchestrated over 15 acquisitions while maintaining a culture of leadership development and operational excellence. The conversation also touches on industry partnerships, technology, adapting to labor markets, and personal leadership philosophies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ally Waste’s Market Niche [03:01–07:09]

• Service Focus: Doorstep-to-dumpster (valet trash) and subscription-based junk pickup for multifamily properties (apartments, townhomes, HOAs).
• Market Gap: They handle “everything but the haul”—addressing what trash haulers avoid and what property managers don’t want maintenance staff to handle.
• Expansion Beyond Valet: Now also offer bin pulling, trash chute clearing, recycling sorting in highly regulated markets (e.g., San Francisco, LA).
• Profitability: Fixed-schedule pickups at thousands of communities nationwide yield a highly profitable and recurring revenue model.

“We basically do everything but the haul.”
— Harrison Crum [04:07]

• Segment Timestamps:
  • Niche description: [03:14–05:16]
  • Business model economics: [05:34–06:22]

2. Operational Scale & Reach [07:09–12:10]

• Now active in 40 US states (not yet in Canada).
• Primarily serving multifamily; some expansion into strip malls via services like "waste leveling."
• Sales organization structured with regional VPs, sales execs, and SDRs; heavily data-driven for targeting prospects. [08:10–09:05]

“We know who our customers are. So it’s just getting in front of them in all the different ways.”
— Harrison Crum [08:56]

• Employee count: ~1,500 nationwide, with 20x growth over four years
• Revenue estimates kept private; “over $100 million approach” implied, but not confirmed. [11:36–12:10]

3. Partnerships and Market Dynamics [13:25–15:56]

• Strong ties with national haulers (Waste Management, Republic); their services complement large haulers who occasionally sell Ally’s service as add-ons.
• Unique obstacles in “franchise” or regulated markets (e.g., New Jersey, NYC)—sometimes opt out due to regulatory red tape (anti-mafia laws, extensive background checks).

“It can get pretty convoluted in those markets. So we just choose to stay out of them.”
— Harrison Crum [15:54]

4. Scaling through Acquisition & Integration [16:51–25:19]

• 15 acquisitions in four years—main growth lever alongside organic sales.
• Rationale:
  • Acquire contracts and people (“acquihires”).
  • Enable national coverage for large property management clients (i.e., scale for RFPs).
• Funding: Backed by a board of directors/investors (“motivated” but specific funding undisclosed).
• Integration:
  • Depends on service similarity and culture.
  • Fastest integration: 1 week (when services/culture aligned).
  • Complex integration: Several months (new service lines, different structures).
  • Standardize tech/processes quickly; Ally uses custom-built software to avoid out-of-the-box limitations.

“A big part of what I do in the integration is standardizing to the Ally way of doing things.”
— Harrison Crum [21:34]

• Notable: Named one of 10 National Apartment Association "Best Places to Work" vendors.

5. Compensation, Labor, and Geographic Nuance [25:19–26:50]

• Pay is segmented by market: Wages tied to local labor rates and used to calculate customer pricing.
• Adjust prices higher in regions with higher cost of living.
• Keep compensation competitive to maintain retention and avoid staffing shortages.

“The market will dictate what you need to pay to get a good quality employee.”
— Harrison Crum [26:36]

6. Technology, AI, and the Future of Waste Services [26:50–30:27]

• Robotics: Humanoid robots for trash: “10-15 years out.” [27:02–28:26]
• AI Use Cases:
  • Image recognition (e.g., OCR for identifying dumped items).
  • Sensor integration: dumpster tip notification and rerouting.
  • Generative AI (Claude/ChatGPT) for analytics and managerial feedback.
• Innovation: Always seeking new tech but cautious and practical about adoption timelines.

7. Leadership & People Development [30:27–37:03]

• Delegation and team trust: Expanded team reduces minutiae for COO role.
• Leadership pipeline: Almost all operational leaders promoted from within (internal leadership program, not external hires below VP/C-level).
  • Annual “Leadership Development Program” (multi-week, exec-sponsored, curriculum-based).
  • Half of leader assessment is numbers; half is core values (e.g., humility).
  • Feedback-driven, with tough coaching and targeted skill development.

“Don't apply to this program if you're afraid to get your feelings hurt because we're going to call out the things that need improvement.”
— Harrison Crum [34:25]

• Books used: Dare to Lead (Brene Brown), How to Win Friends and Influence People, tailored picks for each program.

8. COO Reflection & Personal Growth [37:03–39:21]

• Perfectionism was a challenge; greatest growth area was learning to delegate and focus on strategic impact.
• Remains hands-on with final hiring decisions for regional managers.
• Advice to younger self: "Keep grinding. Dream big. Don't let outside noise diminish your dreams." [38:47–39:21]

“Sky’s the limit.”
— Harrison Crum [39:19]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On unique value:
  “We’ve carved out a nice niche. ... We basically do everything but the haul.” — Harrison Crum [03:14–04:19]
• On differentiation from 1-800-GOT-JUNK:
  “We’re not really interested in like, you know, going in and cleaning up someone's garage because that’s kind of a one time job and they’re probably not going to need it again.” — Harrison Crum [09:18]
• On industry relationships:
  “We actually have a great relationship with Republic and Waste Management. ... They’ll actually sell our services and then bill a customer on our behalf.” — Harrison Crum [13:58]
• On scaling via acquisition:
  “Our CEO ... comes from doing M&A constantly and he’s really good at it. And so we’ve acquired over 15 businesses just in that timeframe.” — Harrison Crum [16:51]
• On internal development:
  “Outside of hiring our entry-level managers, we will not hire from the outside. ... Everybody below me has grown in the organization.” — Harrison Crum [31:20]

Memorable Moments

• The “Trash to Treasure” theme: Harrison’s brother browses abandoned storage units as a hobby and resells finds on eBay—a fun sidelight on turning junk into opportunity. [10:15]
• Valuing Culture as Much as Performance:
  “Half… is their scorecard performance … but that’s only half. The other half is our core values.” — Harrison Crum [33:07]
• Leadership Book Exchange:
  Cameron and Harrison trade tips on essential leadership books, reinforcing a shared belief in lifelong learning and intentional skill-building. [36:11]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Ally Waste’s Market Niche & Services: [03:01–07:09]
• Organization Scale & Sales Approach: [07:09–12:10]
• Industry Partnerships & Market Challenges: [13:25–15:56]
• Acquisition & Integration Process: [16:51–25:19]
• Employee Compensation & Market Adaptation: [25:19–26:50]
• AI/Technology and The Future: [26:50–30:27]
• Leadership Pipeline & Culture: [30:27–37:03]
• Personal Growth Reflections: [37:03–39:21]

Episode Tone

Energetic, candid, practical, and full of operational wisdom—with inspiring leadership philosophies and a collaborative, modest approach to success. Both speakers contribute humor (garbage industry jokes, leadership book banter) and genuine insight into the nuts and bolts of scaling a high-growth service business.

Listeners walk away with a vivid sense of how modern “trash to treasure” companies are built, not just by picking up what others leave behind, but by finding repeatable value, scaling smart, and investing deeply in their people.