A lifelong goer of events, Daniel Anderson started a portable restroom business to help others enjoy their experience at concerts, festivals and everything in between
Daniel Anderson has always loved live events — he was the high school student most likely to “high-five” the principal as he skipped a class to attend a local rock concert.
After high school, he joined the military, benefiting from the discipline it brought to his life. However, following a 38-week prenatal checkup in 2015, his second son, Evan, passed away.
“That was a push out of the nest for me,” he says. “Through that experience of losing a child, I realized life is too short not to pursue what we want to do. I think I’ve really been built for events and hospitality.”
Anderson launched Stratum, a live event production business, in 2017. As a boutique firm, the company focuses on producing live corporate events for select clients across the country. With three full-time employees, Stratum calls on a team of 190 contractors in what he refers to as “NFL cities” — places like Dallas, Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix and Denver.
Now 36 years old, Anderson is the owner of Party Poopers, a portable restroom company in Omaha, Nebraska. It was a facial expression from his daughter that led him down the path to become a PRO.
“A year ago, my wife Tori and I were at an event and my daughter had to use a portable restroom,” Anderson recalls. “She opened the door, and I wish I could send you a picture of her face. There was no chance she was going to walk into this thing. I had to drive her to a gas station. That planted a seed in my mind that there might be a need in the area for elevated service.”
Stratum offers a mobile hydraulic stage for concerts, festivals and other events. Anderson noticed that each delivery coincided with the delivery of a load of portable restrooms.
“That was the catalyst for us, knowing that we could make a difference by providing a better service to the patrons of an event so that anybody would be willing to use them — but also simplifying and streamlining the process of sourcing those items for clients we were already working with,” Anderson says. “We dove in headfirst and said, ‘What the heck, let’s do this thing.’”
“When we started Stratum, I made the mistake of buying $25,000 worth of equipment that I thought was cool, but we didn’t actually wind up renting out,” Anderson says. “For the portable restroom business, we basically presold eight, nine, maybe 10 events for the fall before we ordered anything, just because we wanted to know that the demand was there. We tested the theory with 10 standard restroom units from J&J Portable Sanitation Products, choosing local, trusted contractors to service the units for us.”
LEARNING THE ROPES
Anderson admits he knew next to nothing about the portable restroom industry when he started in. He googled “portable restrooms” and contacted the first company he saw listed: J&J. He was contacted by J&J sales rep Jan Anderson, and they talked for an hour.
“He explained which units he thought were good for a market offering and upgrades I might consider,” Anderson says. “He also gave us a rundown of the business on that first phone call. We’ve learned a lot very quickly. Jan has been one of those people who has been able to help guide us through that process.”
He says he was surprised at the simple operation of the units and the fact that they used only 5 gallons of water.
“This will put me right in my place, but I thought they used as much as 25 gallons,” he says. “My idea of the functionality of a portable restroom was also overcomplicated. But I now understand that what does go into it has to be very precise.”
“We went with Party Poopers because we’re focused solely on events and we thought it was a fun name,” Anderson says. “A giant gorilla in a Hawaiian shirt is our mascot, and he’s got a Miami Vice vibe. We’re in Nebraska, and there are no palm trees here, but a lot of customers have told us we’re making bathrooms fun.”
The company also worked with J&J to develop a custom color scheme for the portables — bright pink with a yellow roof and teal back.
“The fact that they were customizable to exactly how we wanted to do them was incredible,” Anderson says. “I’d advise any PRO starting out to exercise their creativity and make their business unique and memorable.”
PROs HELPING PROs
Anderson also says he “unashamedly” reached out to other PROs across the company for advice and assistance. They include Kayce Peters, owner of Buenos Baños in Prescott, Arizona, and Romain and Sarah Schonoff, owners of SWIFT Site Rentals in Soulsbyville, California, who recommended a company that could supply die-cut graphics.
“It’s been a very welcoming group of people,” he says. “From YouTube University to being on the phone with other operators has helped us to figure out how we can help serve, while also avoiding mistakes that they might have made as they continue to grow. They’ve basically given us their entire playbook.”
Anderson originally bought his first portable restrooms to complement the company’s mobile stage offerings. However, atypical weather limited stage rentals for 2025. Still, demand for the portable restrooms remained encouraging.
“We started this at a bad time for the stage business,” he says. “I would say 90% of our business for the rest of 2025 has nothing to do with stage rentals. However, a lot of the bookings for next year are tied to our stage business — local festivals and concerts, for example.”
RESTROOM BUSINESS IS A FAMILY AFFAIR
The restroom side of the business is generally operated by two part-time employees. Sales calls are handled by Anderson and his wife, Tori. If bookings require it, Anderson has the entire family — Elijah (12), Emme (8) and Enzo (6) — pitch in on setup.
“Serving people is one of those things that’s a core part of our home,” he says. “Being able to go out and create memorable experiences, even at the bathroom level, is something that we’re thankful for the opportunity to do, and we have a blast doing it.”
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
“We’re moving forward with reinvesting and growing the inventory, knowing that the demand is there for more and bigger events in early 2026,” Anderson says. “In the short term, we’re looking to buy 25 to 30 standard portables, six to eight ADA-compliant units, and 10 to 15 hand-wash stations as demand continues. Some of the clients we’re talking with now are looking at 100-plus per event, so in the next 18 months, we could be at 150 to 200 units, and I would be pretty thrilled with that growth. I could see us one day being a pretty powerful regional provider with [500] to 700 units, if not more.”
The company currently moves the restrooms using its existing trucks and trailers, but is considering the purchase of purpose-built trailers. Anderson is also currently looking to buy a pump service truck.
“We’re looking for more of that control over the pieces of the portable restroom business, so that we can continue to provide great service to our customers,” he says.
