LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — Zaiden Humes-Reese loves to play basketball and video games. It’s where you might expect to find him on a hot summer day. But you’d be wrong. Instead, he’s hard at work in what is truly a trashy job.
Zaiden is the teen behind the new business: Clean Cans by Zai.
It started with a favor to his godmother, who needed her trash bin cleaned. Then a few of her friends requested his help, too. When his grandmother posted about it on the Hip Mt. Juliet Facebook page, it seemed everybody wanted a clean trash can. I saw the post and wanted to know more about this 14-year-old entrepreneur.
“Did you ever think it would be this big?” I asked.
“No ma’am. It happened a little too fast — it happened in less than two days.”
With all the demand — literally, hundreds of requests — Zaiden has already hired two employees: his best friend, Koby and little sister, Zaila. With a cart crammed with tools in tow, the trio is spending the last weeks of summer break pounding the pavement willing to do the dirty work.
Amy Jo Dever is a satisfied customer.
“I love seeing young people working hard for their money and to have goals and to set them and reach them. I think it’s great.”
Dever’s neighbor, Donna Flatt, noticed Zaiden's impeccable manners and the crew's attention to detail from across the street and wheeled out her can for a cleaning.
“I was thinking that’s rare to see that anymore, and I’m very proud of them.”
This small business may not stay that way for long, proving one man's trash really can be someone else's treasure.
“Honestly, I'll keep this going probably — it’s already big — I’ll make it bigger when I get older,” Zaiden said.
Zaiden is saving his money to buy a car when he turns 16.
You can check out on his Facebook page at Clean Cans by Zai.
