The Trucking Entrepreneurs Podcast

We are closing shop on our podcast completely officially November 1st.  In addition, our magazine will be closing also, with no new publications, but the website will still be available to view until January 1st, 2023. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Ashley Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of Supreme Driver Recruiting, joins the show.  She is an inspirational and nationally renown motivational speaker who specializes in transportation recruitment for both businesses and individuals alike. Her story of overcoming adversity through hard work and determination has allowed her to become one of America's success stories. With books such as Divorcing the Game: My Journey from the Stripper Pole to Owning a Million-Dollar Trucking Business, she shares her personal journey with listeners all over the world. Today, Ashley talks about how driver recruiting works, what it means to persevere in the face of adversity, and how to put your trust in God in everything you do. Website: https://supremedriverrecruiting.com/ About the Guest [05:28] Ashley formerly worked at a home security company and sold home security before entering the trucking industry. She was about the hustle and left her house when she was 13. When she was working at a call center, a friend encouraged her to pursue a career in the trucking sector. [07:58] Ashley is also an author and motivational speaker who gives speeches on various tour stops. Her mission is to give back to organizations, inspire others, and make a difference in people's lives. Starting a Business [12:08] When beginning a business, Ashley wants her audience to understand that "disruption follows intention." However, she encourages individuals not to give up because failure is a part of the business path. [18:51] Ashley encountered difficulties while working in a call center. She acquired COVID and was forced to fire all her employees because their system was no longer operational. Even though it was the most difficult time of her life, she did not give up. Supreme Driver Recruiting [21:58] Her company provides various services, including one-time driver recruiting, which assists carriers in hiring a local driver, regional driver, over-the-road driver, or specialty driver. They also provide access to driver names as well as a coaching program. Truck Driver Recruiting Advice [24:22] According to Ashley, truck driver recruiting is a hidden market. This industry is worthwhile with a little coaching. [28:14] Ashley advises people struggling with a so-called driver shortage: accept automation or embrace technology and exploit it to your advantage. Feedbacks [30:50] It is not always bad for people to look in the mirror and tell themselves that they did a good job. But no matter what she achieves in life, Ashley constantly prays to God to remind her to be humble, no matter where she is or what she achieves. Biggest Success [35:57] Ashley went to church, and the pastor said God would give somebody a vision and a dream. With a piece of paper and pen beside her as she went to sleep on her second night, God showed her how to start a successful virtual assistant. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, we have Rowena Thornton, the CEO of Vallon Consulting. The firm focuses on consulting services and resources that aim to support clients to become successful in the trucking industry. They conduct various services like business formation, authority setup, complete compliance maintenance program, and much more. Rowena also shares with us about Vallon Consulting and how she got there, in addition to giving some tips to succeed in the trucking industry.  Website: https://www.vallonconsulting.com/ CEO & Founder Rowena Thornton is the CEO and Founder of Vallon Consulting, a consulting firm that focuses on compliance, business development, and providing resources to owner-operators and small carriers in the trucking industry. Vallon Consulting has helped thousands of trucking companies all over the United States and Canada. Before devoting her work full-time to Vallon Consulting, Rowena served and continues to serve as the Director of Compliance at Innovative Logistics Group, a trucking consulting firm out of Charlotte and Atlanta. She entered the transportation industry almost a decade ago working under a number of different roles such as Fleet & Driver Manager and Marketing Director for a non-emergency medical transportation company and luxury transportation company (Charter buses, party buses, limos, etc.) Rowena has over 15 years managing and owning and managing international businesses in the Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe, as well as domestic businesses here in the United States. These business ventures fell within the realm of real-estate, retail, and restaurants/food service industries. Rowena recently graduated with her Masters in Business Administration(MBA) from the Jack Welch Management Institute. Prior to that, she received her Bachelors of Science in Psychology. She is currently working on a program to help the formally incarcerated re-enter society by helping them find jobs and start their own trucking business. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Elizabeth Rodriguez of Elizabeth Insurance joins the show. Elizabeth’s Insurance is a 15-year-old Independent Insurance Agency representing many different companies for your insurance needs. With a lot of experience, their team has the expertise to help you simplify the process of selecting an insurance carrier to fit your individual needs.  Today, Elizabeth shares a little backstory of her previous years leading up to starting Elizabeth’s Insurance as well as discussing with us how Elizabeth’s Insurance which is a family owned and operated agency located in Southern California is a powerhouse in the trucking insurance and insurance industry with the services and support that they offer.  As you will hear also, Elizabeth freely shares her wisdom and valuable knowledge and helpful tips throughout our interview. Website: https://elizabethsinsurance.com CEO Elizabeth’s Insurance is a Christian, family owned business, whose core values are to always demonstrate integrity and honesty in every transaction. We are one of the largest trucking insurance agencies in California. Our agency is empowered by our 98% referral based business, our knowledgeable, licensed and honest staff and most importantly by our exclusive rated A insurance company appointments. Our agency has nurtured powerful relationships within the industry for the last 25 years. We are a trusted, dependable, and valuable asset to the trucking industry. But most importantly, our mission is to provide the needs of our community. Our agency has provided meals, housing, funeral expenses, Kids camp supplies, support to woman & children, men, & woman’s homes, educational funds & financial aid to many across the globe, and currently helped build an orphanage & church with our brothers and sister in Kenya Africa. We have offices in Riverside, Colton, City of Commerce and Fontana, Ca. We are currently licensed in California, Texas, Arizona & Nevada We have 22 team members Established April 1, 2007 Licensed since 1999. Insurance Experience of 25 Years. We are here to serve and help get you covered to run your business with excellence. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Scott Rea of AvatarFleet joins the show. Scott is the president of AvatarFleet, which Mark Gardner founded in 2014. It aims to help you fill empty seats, pass every audit, and come home safely. Its primary goal is to help solve the driver problem in the trucking and transportation industries. In today’s episode, Scott discusses the driver problem in the industry, mentorship, and his business, AvatarFleet.  Website: https://www.avatarfleet.com Blog: https://www.avatarfleet.com/blog Resources: https://www.avatarfleet.com/resources Purple Cow Academy: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-DsGPxt5fwTxWowNCYA-JaJA9njOkMXF CEO Scott Rea, President of AvatarFleet, is on a mission to help transportation companies fill empty seats by doing driver marketing the smart way. Scott started in the industry by managing a high growth driver recruiting department. He uses that first-hand experience to ensure AvatarFleet provides the industry’s best software and services for transportation companies to recruit, hire, train and retain safe drivers. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, our guest is Patrick Holmes. He began his financial services career at State Employees Credit Union in 2013 and started building relationships with members, helping them with their financial needs ranging from financial counseling, tax preparation, personal and mortgage lending, and Auto, Home, and Life Insurance. Determined to find the best insurance solutions on the market, he founded Seven Two Advisors, specializing in Life, Health, Disability, Long Term Care, and Medicare Solutions with no sales goals, quotas, or forceful sales practices. Today, Patrick explores the essential components that influence a person’s spending habits, discovering the true value of wealth and how to be financially independent. Website: https://seventwoadvisors.com/about/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Vitaliy Vinnichuk joins the show. He is the Co-Owner and General Manager of VTS Transportation Inc. VTS Transportation Inc. offers full-service transportation and logistics solutions, specializing in reefer transportation. Today, Vitaliy Vinnichuk shares the story of how VTS Transportation Inc. was born, the services they provide and how they provide top-quality customer service to their customers, while maintaining excellent care for their employees. Sit back, relax and enjoy! Website: https://vtstransportation.com General Manager Hello my name is Vitaliy Vinnichuk and I am the Co-Owner and General Manager of VTS Transportation Inc. A little about me, I was born in Ukraine and in September of 2000, we moved to California with my family. We quickly adapted to the hard-working culture of the country and began to work in the trucking industry. Being owner-operators at another company we continuously encountered issues and poor customer service. We wanted to do things differently; thus VTS Transportation Inc was created. Our goal was to be transparent, honest, and exceed at customer service. We started with the idea of opening up a dispatch company to dispatch the 6 trucks we had at the time of early 2013. From the beginning the journey was difficult, we had troubles, mistakes, and frustrations. The hours were long due to the lack of knowledge and expertise in how dispatch correctly functioned. We knew we needed to take a different approach, my brother and I dove into learning the correct way of managing a trucking business, from booking loads to correct billing we strived to exceed at it. Meanwhile our father started to learn the maintenance of trucks and began to service the trucks to minimize downtime on the road. Believe me, the journey was difficult, we were in a different country with little English, but this motivated us to work harder, we learned the rules, language, and culture quickly setting yearly goals, and achieving them. Today we have over 150 trucks that we Dispatch with 40 office personnel. Our gross projection will be over 33 million this year. Everything we do is in-house from servicing our own equipment to the in-house software we built. Above all, we remain transparent, honest, and exceed at customer service. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

Truck parking has always been a problem in the trucking industry, and this is a problem that requires a solution. In this episode of Trucking Entrepreneurs Podcast, we have Jora Singh, founder of Semiyard, an app for booking a parking space for your truck, and it aims to solve the truck parking problem in the industry. Check out today’s episode as Jora discusses Semiyard and how it can contribute to the trucking industry. Website: https://semiyard.com CEO & FOUNDER An app that provides hands on semi truck parking solutions to truckers on their finger tips and within 5 minutes. The SemiYard Driver App is up and running flawlessly and we are Ready to Scale! We want truckers not to park at the freeway exits and sleep at night. It is not safe. We will provide them a safe, secure, and affordable parking space in no time. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Michael Ritzema of Superior Trucking Payroll Service joins the show. Michael started Superior Trucking Payroll Service in 1995 because they couldn't find someone in the payroll sector who knew enough about trucking to assist them. Superior Trucking Payroll Service helps drivers save money on payroll by constantly researching best practices in the trucking business, and we serve clients across the country. Today, Michael talks about the importance of having a wide range of backgrounds and experiences to rapidly understand what's happening behind any firm and come up with a solution that's right for them. Website: https://www.truckingpayroll.com President and Founder With over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, management, business planning, financial analysis, software engineering, operations, and decision analysis, Mike has the breadth and depth of experience needed to quickly understand entrepreneurs’ businesses and craft the most suitable solutions. Before founding Superior Trucking Payroll Service, Mike was the CFO of a trucking company with 80 trucks and a thriving brokerage. This experience gave him the perspective that a payroll solution has to make the lives of the office people better. All the solutions he has designed are to benefit everyone. Our company mission is to help trucking families and that includes the company owners, the drivers, and the office. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Chris Joslyn of iLevel Logistics joins the show. CJ Solutions Group was founded by Chris and is led by him as CEO. With over 25 years of experience in the sector, he works with customers and companies to develop and implement supply-chain solutions that are both efficient and cost-effective. Customer first has always been Chris' personal philosophy. ✅ Why you need a partner like CJ Solutions Group ✅ How they help companies succeed ✅ What they can do for your company Join us, as Chris talks about these important topics and much more! Website: https://www.ilevellogistics.com CEO 17 years with The Hub Group from Salesperson to the President of the Pacific Northwest Division. 2008 left Hub to pursue his goals in the Transportation Industry founding CJ Solutions Group. A company designed for equipment repositioning, truck brokerage, Business Planning and development as well as Special Project Implementation. Additionally, Chris owned a small Los Angeles Drayage company and now is beginning to develop an online platform for the aggregation, curation and dissemination of Information, statistics and opinion throughout the Transportation world with www.iLevellogistics.com Chris believes that the "high tech" nature of our progress shouldn't leave behind the "high touch" aspects required to positively shape our Industry --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Bruce Outridge of The Lead Pedal Podcast joins the show. Bruce has been in the industry for over 30 years and offers business advice, interviews, and career information to help new and existing truck drivers improve their careers in transportation. He started his podcast because he wanted features such as interviews with industry experts, featured music, career information, and business tips. Today, Bruce discusses some aspects of his personal life, how he got started in the industry, and what the lead pedal podcast is about and more. Website: https://www.theleadpedalpodcast.com/ Media Entrepreneur Producer of the Lead Pedal Podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Demetrius Martin of 250 Logistics joins the show. Demetrius started the company by himself, with just one truck. He decided to expand because he wanted to create a system that could provide his family with a little bit more financial stability and create a future for his children. He eventually started to span the trucks with his twin sister Leticia Martin and was able to grow the company from one truck to over 20 now. Today, Demetrius discusses his start in the truck business and his struggles, the goings-on within the company, and advice on important things related to trucking. Website: https://www.250logistics.com/ CEO My name is Demetrius Martin Owner of “250 Logistics” a transportation company out of Greenville, SC. After finishing trucking school I landed a position at a local sanitation company making only $500 a week. Soon realizing that would not provide enough financial stability for my family, I took a leap of Faith and invested 12k (borrowed & Saved Funds) into myself. In just 4 short years I turned 250 Logistics LLC from 1 owner-operator Semi-Truck grossing 8k a week to a Fleet 20 Units grossing over 100k weekly. 250 Logistics LLC is now a multi million dollar Family business. Now my focus is on expanding the 250 brand. Me & my team have created a platform to teach aspiring entrepreneurs how to start and grow their transportation business. 250 Academy is able to catapult your business to the next level with or without owning a truck. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Jason Clark of Braveheart Logistics joins the show. Jason Clark is the co-founder and CEO of Braveheart Logistics. He is a seasoned entrepreneur with extensive experience in logistics, supply chain management, and business growth. He has brought together two seemingly different fields: business and transportation, thanks to his experience as a successful entrepreneur and his work in the field of logistics. Today, Jason discusses trucking, including how he found his company, how the people around him helped him succeed, and how to be successful in this industry. Website: https://www.braveheartlogistics.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, our guest is Rachel Miller. She is the recruiting manager at Impact Recruiting Center, a trucking recruitment agency that helps drivers find jobs that match their lifestyles while assisting companies in filling positions with top-notch drivers. Today, Rachel shares all about the company and how they help both drivers and their partners get work opportunities. Website: https://impactrc.net/ Recruiting Manager Impact RC started working in early 2020, we are proud to say that we started as a small team and worked hard and unique. Now we count more than 20 members in our team and we are still expanding it. Also the thing that we are the most proud of is that we have hired more than 450 drivers, and that most of those drivers are still working with the companies that we connected them with. We are currently cooperating with more than 50 good and reliable companies but that number is increasing. We are connecting quality drivers with equal companies. First we want to know exactly what drivers are looking for so we can connect them with the right company for them. Our drivers are so valued and well taken care of. We only work with great companies who can provide the best programs for our drivers. That as well means that we are always here for them, to help them with any kind of problems that they might face. Our main goal is to have both pirates satisfied, because as we like to say happy driver - happy company. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Wade Fenton and Jonathan McCormack of OTR Solutions join today’s show. OTR Solutions has been working with small, medium, and large companies in various industries to solve cash flow problems by providing quick, easy, and affordable funding. Today, Wade and Jonathan discuss the factors that influence a company that needs Factoring Services and how they help to have more cash on hand, enabling you to take advantage of more opportunities, leading to sustained growth potential!  Sit back and enjoy this very informational interview! Website: https://otrsolutions.com/ Wade - Inside Sales Coordinator & Jonathan - Vice President of Partnerships OTR Solutions provides industry-leading technology and financial services, tools, and support to help carriers and brokers start and grow a successful operation. Trucking companies and freight brokerages of all sizes turn to OTR to receive reliable financing and back-office solutions, a dedicated fuel team, up-to-date news and education, and technology and innovation to prepare them for anything and everything. As a testament to its growth, OTR has been named in the Inc. 5000 multiple years in a row and strives to improve the work experience for its employees as a Top Workplace in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 as named by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Founded in 2011 (OTR Capital, LLC) as a financial services and factoring provider dedicated to improving cash flow for motor carriers, the recent launch of the OTR Solutions brand better defines what carriers, brokers, and industry partners have come to expect from the company — and what they can continue to expect for years to come. Along with the new brand, OTR Solutions is offering several new services to the trucking industry, including ELEVATE, a first-to- market solution that delivers value through branded email domains and customized websites for carriers. Included among the services that OTR is launching to expand its menu of services concurrent with today’s name change are the following: An expansion of OTR’s “Bolt” product to allow carriers to receive “direct to debit” payments in a timely and cost-effective manner; A “driver safety rating scorecard” tool that will allow carriers to monitor their FMCSA scores to ensure that a surprise inspection doesn’t take them off the road; An “OTR Solutions Forum” where carriers can trade notes best practices with their industry colleagues, identify opportunities, and find new ideas for growing the success of their business; Expanded availability of OTR’s fuel advance app to allow carriers to receive advance financing in today’s high fuel cost environment; and The $9 Lumper Advance, which for a low and flat fee of $9 will provide advance financing of lumper fees. In the coming months and years, OTR will be expanding its menu of additional services in its continuing quest to help carriers and brokers succeed. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, John Farquhar joins the show. He is a risk solutions specialist. He had a very long career of 30-plus years in the transportation and insurance industries. Due to his experiences on both sides of the desk, he was able to start his own company conducting comprehensive risk evaluations. He can help his clients develop, improve, and enhance their risk management programs and practices. Today, John discusses his experiences in the transportation industry and his big-time experiences in the insurance industry. All of this culminated in the eventual formation of his current company, Summit Risk Solutions, Inc.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy! Website: http://www.summitrisksolutions.ca/ Risk Solutions Specialist John has had an extensive and extraordinary career in the transportation and insurance industries over the past 30-plus years. He has seen many changes on both sides of the desk, which gave him the opportunity to start his own company conducting comprehensive risk evaluations. This hands-on assistance to clients will help them in developing, improving and enhancing their risk management programs and practices. John started his career in the 80s as a driver, before making the first big step of owning his own truck. He eventually owned several trucks and managed the safety of their drivers and equipment. He then took on the adventure of owning his own company, which specialized in over-dimensional cargo on open-deck trailers throughout North America. In 2003 John stepped out of the trucking owner role and moved over to risk management, providing consulting services for several trucking clients. It was not long before he was recruited by a global insurer, where he helped to strengthen risk services training programs and risk evaluation processes. He managed a team of highly qualified risk specialists across Canada, along with a national portfolio of transportation clients. In 2013 John was offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to work with a long-time and well-known Canadian insurer in developing and building a unique and specialized transportation product from the ground up. John was instrumental in developing and delivering the customized and comprehensive risk evaluation process. He was also responsible for recruiting, mentoring and leading an elite team of risk solutions specialists that conducted the comprehensive risk evaluations. John and his team were tasked with developing unique client support tools for tracking and analyzing violations, losses and trends, as well as creating a one-of-a-kind mentoring and training curriculum for client staff and drivers. This new chapter in John's career sees him continuing to share his knowledge and expertise with transportation companies to enhance and improve their risk management programs and practices. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, our guest is Chris Harris. Chris is a highly experienced, sophisticated Safety Professional. He is well versed in the needs of trucking safety and compliance departments. Expert in recruiting, interviewing, and driver training. With his years of loss control for a trucking insurance company, he can best prepare a risk analysis report which results in an easy-to-follow and executable action plan. In 2013, he started Safety Dawg as a part-time source of income. In 2015 the company had grown, and Chris made it his full-time passion. In the same year, the company became incorporated. Chris talks with us today to share his journey on trucking safety and more. Sit back, relax, and enjoy! Website: https://safetydawg.com/ Safety Dawg We provide Action Plans that help your trucking company achieve reduced crash rated, improved insurance rates and facilitate your ability to feel well-prepared to pass an MTO Facility Audit through this comprehensive plan. Accidents are reduced by effective hiring and strategic driver online training. This is our area of expertise! We also assist entrepreneurs who are ready to start up their own trucking company, beginning with helping them with everything they need to know about obtaining CVOR and trucking permits. Safety Dawg can help. Whether it be the need for a Safety Department or to develop hiring and on-boarding policies and procedures, we have you covered. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, Saundra Covington joins the show. Saundra wrote the book “The Truck Driver’s Wife: Holding Down the Home Front,” where she highlights her and her husband's struggles and how they overcame them. Today, Saundra tells us about her life experiences, how they changed her for the better, and how her husband and family helped her through them.   Website: https://linktr.ee/truckdriverwife The Truck Drivers Wife Holding Down The Home Front Home town Fresno, Ca Moved to So California early teens, High School Graduate Centennial High School Compton Ca. And Some College. I am the wife of an Over The Road Driver, we have been married to the over 16 years. I have written a book entitled “The Truck Drivers Wife Holding Down the Home Front” that is a collection of shared experiences, challenges, and rewards that I have encountered being married in this Industry. I wanted to share my experiences being the Wife of a Over The Road Driver. Our world in this industry is not the norm, adjusting unexpected occurrences, and staying together thru devastating losses. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, our guest is Humberto Marquez, founder of Miggy for Truckers, the ultimate trucking resource for the CDL driver. Today, Humberto shares with us his journey into trucking, how he launched Miggy, and also the integrations and features of the powerful app and more. Humberto's goal is to help truckers and the trucking industry. Sit back, relax, and enjoy! Website: https://www.miggy.io/ Founder Founder of Miggy.io. The rapidly growing number 1 source of information and vendors for trucking professionals. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support

In this episode, our guest is Danielle Spaar, Area Sales Manager for Benefits for Trucking, an insurance company that helps trucking and transportation professionals.  The company has worked in the trucking industry for over 30 years. They aim to help the trucking industry have higher value benefits and enrollment solutions. Today, Danielle talks with us about the importance of insurance to the trucking industry and much more.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy this short, but power packed interview! Website: https://www.benefitsfortrucking.com/ Email: danielle@benefitsfortrucking.com Caregiver/Benefits Consultant Caregiver to my dad who has Alzheimer’s and mother who suffered a major stroke. Had to pivot in my career as a hairstylist to stay home and work virtually. That is when I found: Benefits For Trucking. I now help the trucking industry find the best benefits for their needs. I love the down to earth mentality that this business has and the core belief in helping others. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truckentrepreneurspodcast/support