Teen owns, operates The Ridge Hauling
Beginning a new business can be challenging for anyone, but that didn’t deter young Kaden Brantley, who at 15, owns and operates his own business.
“I wanted to be an entrepreneur like my granddad,” Brantley said. “He owns his own business.
“I wanted to open my horizons and try something else and start something new.”
He said he was scrolling on YouTube looking for business ideas when he found a video of a guy with a dump trailer.
“I thought that would be a good idea,” he said.
So, The Ridge Hauling was born.
“I do dumpsters rentals. I have a dumpster trailer that I bring to your house,” Brantley said. “You fill it up with all the stuff you want … I come back and pick it up, take it to the dump. It’s as easy as that.”
People may rent from one to seven days usually but longer times can be requested. There is a QR code on the sign which connects to the business website.
The Pea Ridge High School student began the business in March 2022.
Brantley bought the trailer himself with proceeds he gained from selling a Razor (a four-wheeled off-road vehicle) that he also bought himself.
Contents of the trailer are then taken to the Bella Vista Transfer Station. The cost to dump is included in the price for the trailer rental.
Brantley credits his father for helping him with the banking and accounting as he’s learning and for going with him when driving him as he has a student permit driver’s license and has to have an adult with him.
“This year has been kind of slow; I do have two this month,” he said.
Fuel costs have surprised him as he didn’t anticipate how much that would be.
“I had to pay for tires, signage, all that kinds of stuff … and Google ads,” Brantley said. “I do it all myself.”
He said he mostly learns from watching YouTube videos.
“It’s been a big learning adventure — with costs. And I have to track all my mileage for the end of the year. I’ve been running a spread sheet trying to figure out how to do all of that … all of my customers, all of their info,” he said.
Trailer maintenance is costly and he does most of it himself.
The trailer box is 16 feet and the neck is 8 feet. It holds 12 cubic feet and can hold up to 10,000 pounds as it has two 7,000-pound axles. The bed lifts to dump.
Items not accepted include paint/chemicals, concrete, batteries, appliances, mattresses, oil, tires and hazardous materials.
Rates begin at $295 for a oneto two-day rental and include up to one ton. There are additional charges for overages. Brantley has a square reader and can process debit and credit cards and send receipts.
Brantley is the son of Travis and Melanie Brantley of Pea Ridge.