In a recent episode of PRO Cast, Kiran Deck, owner and operator of Platinum Potty Rentals in Austin, Texas, shared how — at just 18 — he went from power-washing homes to launching his own restroom-trailer business in under a year. What started as a window-cleaning side hustle evolved into something much bigger, and his story offers lessons for anyone considering the leap into portable sanitation.
Smart Moves: Launching without breaking the bank
- Deck adopted a lean, low-risk business model: instead of buying trailers before lining up clients, he sold long-term jobs first, and then bought trailers. This “sell the job, then invest” approach allowed him to avoid tying up capital in idle assets.
- He currently runs three trailers: two on long-term rental contracts with warehouses and one dedicated to special events. Rather than owning his own pump truck just yet, he subcontracts pumping services to a local porta potty company.
- For marketing and lead generation, he leverages Facebook ads — creating custom campaigns (not just boosted posts), targeting local audiences, and iterating ad copy until he finds what works. His marketing background clearly gives him an edge in this space.
Key Takeaways: What Deck’s learned and you should know
- Sanitation isn’t immune to seasonality, even in warm climates like Austin: Trailers for events slow down in heat and over summer, while warehousing contracts tend to hold more steady.
- Access to credit — not necessarily cash flow — is the bottleneck when scaling. Deck reports good revenue flow monthly, but limited business credit prevents him from buying more trailers. He recently got partial loan approval, but still fell short of what he needed.
- Diversification is more than a buzzword: While restroom trailers are the core business now, he’s already considering expanding into portable toilets, grease trap servicing or even onsite septic — a smart way to hedge against market fluctuations.
- Build to sell — even if you’re not ready yet: Rather than thinking of his company as a lifetime gig, Deck says he’s building with future sale in mind. That mindset encourages structure, discipline and scalability — and it’s one that more operators might benefit from adopting.
