An 11-year-old boy in East Gwillimbury, Canada, has launched a neighborhood trash bin cleaning business, generating $700 CAD in revenue and building a following of over 111,000 on Instagram amid a historically tight entry-level labor market for teenagers. According to Fortune, Ashton Meyer started knocking on local doors in May to offer $10 bin cleaning services, filming his door-to-door pitches with the encouragement of his parents.
Building a Service Business Door-to-Door
Meyer established his venture after school broke up for summer, targeting residential garbage, green bins, and recycling containers. His father suggested helping neighbors manage their trash days, while Meyer expanded the concept into a dedicated cleaning service and his mother recommended documenting the process on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Operating in East Gwillimbury, Meyer accumulated 40 regular clients within two months. Despite facing frequent rejections during his door-to-door pitches, he hands out his contact card to skeptical residents. His current earnings have reached $700 CAD (approximately $500 USD).
The Broader Teen Labor Market Context
Meyer’s entrepreneurial pivot arrives during what labor analysts track as a challenging period for young job seekers. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data and broader economic reporting cited by Fortune, persistent inflation, elevated living costs, and cautious hiring practices have constrained traditional part-time youth employment opportunities such as retail roles and municipal lifeguarding.
Rather than pursuing traditional roles, Meyer plans to continue his operations through the school year. According to statements given to Fortune, he intends to work Saturdays and after-school hours, shifting his service offerings to include leaf raking and snowplowing as seasonal weather changes.
Social Media Expansion and Inspiration
Meyer’s video documentation has drawn global attention, inspiring other children to launch similar local services. He reports receiving messages from parents worldwide who use his content to encourage youth entrepreneurship.
His trajectory mirrors early commercial ventures of established business owners, such as Chase Gallagher, who began a lawn-mowing business in Chester County, Pennsylvania, at age 12 before scaling it into a multimillion-dollar landscaping firm a decade later.
Worth a look