In Huntsville, Alabama, a quiet revolution is rolling down the streets—five trucks strong. Beyond Trash LLC isn’t just another waste management company. It’s changing the way businesses think about trash.
Meet Nelson McCloud, co-owner and the face of Beyond Trash. If you’ve ever spoken to him, you know why the company is thriving. He’s a natural connector—personable, responsive, and relentless about customer service.
“I’ve been in sales most of my career,” McCloud says. “My partners and I have known each other for over 25 years, and we went to college together. We saw a void in this industry—especially in customer service—and decided to fill it. Traditional waste management companies often lock customers into rigid contracts. Switching providers can feel impossible.”
Beyond Trash flipped the script.
“Our goal is simple,” McCloud explains. “To restore traditional business values and provide a level of service so superior that our customers won’t want to leave us, contract or not.”
The journey wasn’t easy. After securing a business license in October 2023, McCloud and his partners invested personal funds to buy trucks and dumpsters. By March 2024, they delivered their first dumpster. Today, Beyond Trash serves 160 commercial clients—from restaurants and retail shops to apartment complexes and construction sites. The team has grown to six employees and operates a fleet of five trucks.
The company’s growth has accelerated, thanks to two critical loans from the NCI Loan Fund, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) supporting small businesses in northern Alabama and a subsidiary of nonprofit Neighborhood Concepts, Inc.
“Those loans were lifesavers,” McCloud says. “They helped us buy more dumpsters, add a truck, and keep up with demand.”
“Nelson and his team embody what we look for in a borrower,” says Mary Ellen Judah, executive director of Neighborhood Concepts. “They had a clear vision, a strong plan, and the determination to execute. Beyond Trash isn’t just filling a market gap—they’re creating jobs, building community, and setting a new standard for service.”
Flexibility sets Beyond Trash apart. Need a dumpster today? McCloud can make it happen—often within hours. He says competitors typically require 24–48 hours. Weekend service? They do that too.
“We do a lot of out-of-the-box things,” McCloud says. “Same-day deliveries, weekend pickups—whatever it takes.”
Technology plays a role as well. Beyond Trash uses software that lets customers track drivers in real time and communicate via text. Another differentiator is dumpster cleaning and sanitizing.
“We power wash with water heated to 200 degrees, disinfect, deodorize, and reclaim wastewater so it doesn’t pollute your property,” McCloud explains.
Beyond Trash also offers junk hauling—perfect for apartment complexes dealing with abandoned furniture—and recycling services for cardboard, plastic, and glass. Even concrete waste gets a second life.
“Instead of sending it to a landfill, we partner with a company that repurposes it as crushed gravel,” McCloud says. “It saves customers money and keeps material out of landfills.”
Beyond Trash aims to hit 200 contracts by year-end 2025 and is planning a nonprofit called BE UN-Trash to repurpose abandoned items like furniture and wheelchairs for families in need.
McCloud also envisions installing recycling kiosks in public places —“like vending machines for recyclables,” he says. “Put trash in. Get money out.”
Beyond Trash isn’t just hauling waste. It’s hauling in a new era of service, sustainability, and opportunity—one dumpster at a time.
The Regions Foundation recently announced a $150,000 grant to support the NCI Loan Fund, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) operated by Huntsville-based nonprofit Neighborhood Concepts, Inc. This latest investment from the Regions Foundation will expand access to capital for small businesses in Huntsville and surrounding communities.
The Regions Foundation is a nonprofit funded primarily by Regions Bank; through its grantmaking program, the Foundation supports economic and community development initiatives, along with education and workforce readiness programs and financial wellness opportunities.
The NCI Loan Fund is a natural community partner for the Regions Foundation. Since 2015, NCI has deployed nearly $17 million and supported more than 220 small businesses, including 25 this year alone.
To learn more about the Regions Foundation, please visit https://www.regions.com/foundation.