![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/nickfriedman-616.jpg\")
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Key Takeaways<\/p>\n
\u2022 During his keynote address at ASI Show Fort Worth, Nick Friedman of College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving urged distributors to act like trusted experts by recommending clear solutions rather than presenting options. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Drawing parallels between his moving services franchise and promo businesses, Friedman emphasized that standout service, reliability and reputation \u2013 not products \u2013 drive repeat business and brand loyalty.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Friedman stressed that long-term success comes from taking risks, systemizing operations and consistently taking action.<\/p>\n
When people go to the doctor, they\u2019re not looking for options \u2013 they\u2019re looking for answers.<\/p>\n
According to Nick Friedman, co-founder of multimillion-dollar franchise company College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving and the keynote speaker at ASI Show Fort Worth this week, distributors should offer that same type of prescriptive service to customers.<\/p>\n
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Nick Friedman offers his branding and business insights at ASI Show Fort Worth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho do you trust more: someone who\u2019s offering several options or someone who\u2019s recommending one specific option?\u201d he said. \u201cPrescriptions and solutions are your edge. Be the expert, not the order-taker.\u201d<\/p>\n
Distributors might want to take note. After all, Friedman didn\u2019t just start a successful business \u2013 he\u2019s also a buyer of promotional products. Friedman showed up on stage outfitted in sneakers and a vest branded with his company\u2019s colors, name and logo.<\/p>\n
Selling Service<\/p>\n
Friedman has more in common with distributors than some of them might realize, specifically when it comes to what he\u2019s selling.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe took a traditional industry,\u201d said Friedman, \u201cand put an intentional focus on the internal experience \u2013 our employees \u2013 and the external experience \u2013 our customers.\u201d<\/p>\n
In other words, moving trucks and services are not a novel concept. These sorts of companies existed long before Friedman was born. But he says the brand prides itself on movers that go above and beyond and services that make people want to do repeat business.<\/p>\n
Distributors of promo products, similarly, are often selling many of the same types of items, but what sets them apart is the service and reliability they provide to their end-buyers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s clear to me you\u2019re not selling products, you\u2019re shaping brands and changing lives,\u201d he said. \u201cYou need to protect your reputation like revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Humble Beginnings<\/p>\n
Friedman wasn\u2019t always a successful franchise owner. Like many small businesses that operate with very few employees and minimal resources, College HUNKS Hauling Junk began as just two college guys trying to make some extra cash during the summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy best friend Omar [Soliman] and I were home from college, and Omar\u2019s mom had this old, beat-up cargo van that she offered to let us borrow,\u201d Friedman explained. \u201cShe looked us up and down and said, \u2018You could be college hunks who haul junk!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
And so began the idea that would change the trajectory of Friedman\u2019s career \u2013 and his life.<\/p>\n
Going Against the Grain<\/p>\n
Friedman was brought up to follow a traditional career path, but he wasn\u2019t interested in sitting in a cubicle for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had an internship my senior year of college, but it felt very unfulfilling,\u201d he said. \u201cI knew I didn\u2019t want to pursue that.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, once they graduated from college, Friedman and Soliman decided to turn their little business idea into a reality.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew starting a business right after graduation was risky,\u201d Friedman said. \u201cMost college kids would go do something in the \u2018real world.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
But to the two recent grads, the risk was one worth taking.<\/p>\n
At the beginning, it was just the two of them. Friedman and Soliman were doing everything, including driving the moving trucks. They bought an 800 number so that people knew the business was legitimate, but linked it to their cell phones.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne time, we got a call from someone complaining about our drivers,\u201d Friedman said. \u201cWe answered the phone while we were driving, and told the person we don\u2019t condone careless driving and that we\u2019d talk to our guys, knowing full well the complaint was about us.\u201d<\/p>\n
A lot of learning happened in the years that followed. \u201cThere\u2019s a quote from the book The E-Myth Revisited that says, \u2018If you want to scale a business, you need to work on the business, not just in the business,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cWe started documenting everything and systemizing processes. We joke that we were a 20-year overnight success.\u201d<\/p>\n
College HUNKS Hauling Junk is now worth $300 million and owns more than 350 franchises across the U.S. and Canada.<\/p>\n
Tapping Into Emotion<\/p>\n
According to Friedman, people buy with their guts, not their minds.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey rationalize purchases based on logic, but buy products based on emotion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
So, distributors need to \u201cfigure out what you\u2019re selling. In promo, you sell confidence, team identity, retention, culture, success and branding,\u201d Friedman added. \u201cLeverage that emotional connection with buyers.\u201d<\/p>\n
He notes that clients have a number of expectations when they engage with a business, and asked members of the audience to shout out some of the things their clients expect of them.<\/p>\n
Distributors mentioned quality service, ability to problem-solve, timeliness, brand integrity and attention to detail. But sometimes, Friedman said, these expectations aren\u2019t met.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s when it\u2019s especially important to go above and beyond,\u201d he added. \u201cWhen clients are upset, they want to be heard. Otherwise, they may post about your services negatively on social media or move their business elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Figuring out what customers expect, what could go wrong and some ways to go above and beyond can help distributors provide a service that buyers won\u2019t be able to find anywhere else.<\/p>\n
And when a business manages to delight a customer, Friedman says they should be asking for a review and a referral.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re going to want to recommend you if you delivered a great service,\u201d he said. \u201cWord of mouth goes a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, Friedman acknowledged that a lot of this isn\u2019t easy. \u201cIt takes grit, focus and commitment,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery day is game day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friedman ended his talk by taking out a copy of the book he wrote, titled Effortless Entrepreneur. \u201cWho wants a copy?\u201d he asked the audience. As people raised their hands, he paused and asked again: \u201cWho wants the book?\u201d<\/p>\n
Two people ran up onto the stage, and one of them was just fast enough to grab it. The exercise was Friedman\u2019s way of illustrating the importance of taking action \u2013 even (and especially) when others are too afraid to do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou may fall on your face a bit, but it\u2019s about being able to pick yourself up,\u201d he explained. \u201cIf you want to be able to achieve the things that others don\u2019t, do the things others won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Stay Ahead of the Curve<\/p>\n