Leaving a secure, decade-long corporate career to launch a blue-collar service business is a leap few professionals dare to take. Yet, for Chad Howard, walking away from Procter & Gamble turned into a masterclass in calculated risk, operational speed, and seizing unexpected market opportunities. In a recent episode of the Niche Pursuits podcast, Howard detailed how he transitioned from the corporate ladder to founding Halftime Rentals, a portable restroom supplier in Charlotte, North Carolina, that is currently pacing for approximately $4.5 million in annual revenue.
Launched in mid-2024, the company has scaled rapidly in under two years. Halftime Rentals now maintains nearly 1,900 units under lease, operates nine full-time service trucks, employs a team of 15 people, and has sustained an average EBITDA margin of around 30 percent over the past six months. While portable toilet rentals are rarely viewed as a glamorous industry, Howard’s journey illustrates how an overlooked service sector can yield rapid financial growth when approached with high-level corporate execution and an unwavering commitment to customer service.
From Corporate America to Porta Potties
Howard spent ten years building a successful corporate resume at Procter & Gamble, rotating through various roles and living across eight states. For a long time, climbing the traditional corporate ladder appeared to be his permanent trajectory.
The spark for Halftime Rentals came from his now-business partner, Austin, who had experience in blue-collar search funds and had thoroughly evaluated the portable sanitation industry. Recognizing the strong financial fundamentals of the business model, Austin repeatedly urged Howard to consider launching an independent operation.
Initially, Howard dismissed the idea. Drawing a comfortable salary while navigating a steady corporate ascent made the prospect of pivoting to a hands-on, unglamorous service company feel like an unnecessary gamble. However, persistent contemplation and advice from seasoned mentors—particularly individuals over the age of fifty who shared their own regrets about not betting on themselves earlier—gradually shifted his perspective. By early 2024, Howard had secured funding from friends and family, packed his bags for Charlotte, and prepared to leave corporate life behind.
Going All In From Day One
While many aspiring entrepreneurs hedge their bets by launching side hustles while maintaining full-time employment, Howard rejected that strategy entirely. He chose to resign first, secure capital, relocate, and dedicate his complete focus to the enterprise from day one.
This decision was driven by both his self-awareness and the practical demands of the industry. Howard understood that his personality was ill-suited for splitting focus between a corporate desk job and a local startup. Furthermore, a portable sanitation business cannot be managed remotely via a laptop late at night. Success required his physical presence in Charlotte to meet customers, deliver sanitation units, troubleshoot mechanical issues with trucks, and establish efficient daily routes during standard business hours.
The Six-Month Setup Before Launch
Despite making a dramatic career shift, Howard did not rush into the market blindly. He spent roughly six months meticulously planning the logistics, financial frameworks, and operational strategies before opening for business. This preparatory phase allowed him to orchestrate equipment orders and set the enterprise in motion within a single week once the final decision was made. That foundational preparation proved vital when a sudden, massive crisis tested the company’s fledgling infrastructure.
Hurricane Helene as the Turning Point
Halftime Rentals was still in its infancy—operating with roughly 100 rented units and a single truck—when Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina. On a Sunday morning while picking up restrooms from a Carolina Panthers tailgate, Howard received an urgent call from Home Depot’s corporate headquarters. The company required emergency portable sanitation units for stores across the greater Asheville area to facilitate immediate disaster recovery efforts.
Initially, Howard declined. Asheville was located two hours away from Charlotte, and fulfilling the request meant mobilizing immediately to drive into a disaster zone. Reconsidering moments later, he quoted a premium rate, which Home Depot promptly accepted.
The ensuing 24 hours required relentless execution. Howard financed multiple new trucks in a single day, acquired 500 portable restrooms, secured a staging area at a local community college parking lot, rented an RV for shelter, and slept on a friend’s goat farm while managing logistics for up to 20 hours a day. The chaotic endeavor transformed Halftime Rentals overnight, serving as the catalyst that catapulted the startup into a major regional player.
Speed, Risk, and First-Mover Advantage
The high-pressure response to Hurricane Helene fundamentally reshaped Howard’s business philosophy. Having survived a natural disaster deployment mere months after launch, subsequent high-stakes commercial opportunities appeared far less daunting. His default corporate response shifted from hesitation to affirmation, allowing the company to capture urgent contracts that competitors often ignored.
Financially, the impact was immediate. Howard noted that the revenue generated during that single month enabled the company to cash flow nearly all the assets deployed during the emergency response, including multiple service trucks and hundreds of additional units. Furthermore, the operational credibility established with corporate brokers during the crisis opened long-term commercial doors back in Charlotte with major retailers.
Why a "Boring" Business Requires Constant Execution
While outsiders often categorize portable sanitation as a monotonous utility business, Howard’s daily reality involves continuous problem-solving. Between managing transport routes, overseeing vehicle maintenance, handling customer inquiries, and coordinating emergency deliveries, true downtime is rare.
Nevertheless, the underlying economic model offers distinct advantages. The market demand is entirely pre-established; construction companies, event planners, and municipalities inherently require sanitation services. Rather than needing to convince consumers of a product’s utility, Howard’s objective is simply to execute the service more reliably and efficiently than competitors.
Marketing, Reviews, and the Driver-Led Customer Experience
Halftime Rentals drives growth through persistent sales outreach, prominent digital positioning, and distinct branding. By maintaining a 24/7 availability listing on Google Maps, the company routinely captures emergency orders during evenings and weekends when competing providers are closed. Additionally, the firm utilizes memorable merchandise and humor, distributing apparel featuring the phrase "get shit done" to foster brand recognition on busy job sites.
Customer service is driven primarily by the frontline workforce. Recognizing that clients rarely interact with office management, Howard treats delivery and service drivers as the core representatives of the enterprise. To align employee performance with company growth, Halftime Rentals implements structured incentive programs, including a bonus system where drivers earn gift cards when specifically named in positive online customer reviews.
Scaling and Future Outlook
Having spent the majority of his first year performing manual labor in the field, Howard has successfully transitioned into a higher-level managerial role, reclaiming hours in his daily schedule to focus on strategy, sales, and team development.
Looking ahead, Howard aims to establish Halftime Rentals as the preeminent portable sanitation provider in the greater Charlotte area, projecting the business to double or triple in size over the next two to three years. While regional expansion across the Southeast remains a long-term possibility, the immediate priority rests on market dominance in Charlotte, validating that disciplined execution in an overlooked industry can yield extraordinary results.
