Who we are
Welcome, My Trash Panda is a family-run, veteran-owned business rooted in service, responsibility, and love for our community.
This business began at our kitchen table with one simple goal: to teach our middle school son the value of hard work and personal responsibility while helping him earn money for his 8th-grade school trip to Europe. We wanted him to understand that opportunities are earned through commitment, consistency, and showing up, even when it’s hard.
With our guidance and supervision, he is learning real-life lessons you can’t find in a textbook. He is learning to be dependable, to take pride in a job well done, and to treat people with kindness and respect. Every trash can rolled to the curb and brought back is a small step in building confidence, character, and responsibility.
As parents and veterans, we believe in leading by example. Service has always been at the center of our lives, and we carry that same mindset into this business. We are actively involved in every part of My Trash Panda to ensure safety, reliability, and quality service, while teaching our son the importance of accountability, work ethic, and serving others.
When you choose My Trash Panda, you are doing more than signing up for a convenient service. You are supporting a local family, a veteran-owned business, and a young entrepreneur who is learning that dedication, responsibility, and community support can truly make a difference.
Our Logo’s Story
The inspiration behind our tabby cat logo comes from a very special part of our family’s story.
While stationed in Germany, we noticed that our trash would sometimes get scattered. At first, we only saw small teeth marks and had no idea what was causing it. When winter came, and the snow fell, the mystery was finally solved. Tiny paw prints appeared in the snow, leading us to a small orange tabby cat.
Shortly after, he followed our son home from school, walked right up to our front door, and straight into our hearts. From that day on, he became part of our family and an official Balderrama.
Because of his love for exploring trash cans, we affectionately started calling him our little trash panda. That nickname stuck and eventually inspired the name and logo for My Trash Panda.
Our mascot represents family, resilience, and the unexpected ways small moments can turn into something meaningful.