The Art of Creating a Trucking Business

#trucking #business #owneroperators #careers 

The Art of Business! We often think of business as numbers and methodical equations that once figured out will give you the secret to success. Plug them in and BOOM you are on the road to riches. We watch someone else create a business in the trucking industry successfully and think all I have to do is that and we are good. Unfortunately that is not how it works and no two businesses are alike. Two training schools can have one successful and another failing. Some owner operators are successful while others are losing their trucks. In business there are a lot of differences behind the scenes that can change the way business works or the advantage one business has over another. Starting a business is not for everyone. 

Becoming a business owner is a drive that many people have and strive for in life. For truck drivers the natural progression is to become an owner operator after some time behind the wheel as a company driver. For some they want to use their experience teaching others and would like to open up a school to help people new to the industry have quality education. Others move into insurance or operations, or even take the next step and begin their own trucking company with multiple trucks. 

Whatever you want to do with your business can be done but it has to be done with ethics and determination. It won’t be an easy road no matter how many advantages you have. As they say in the movies,”Somethings got to give!” You can follow a path and others that have gone before you but scenarios will come up that are unique only to you. 

Business is not easy and certainly not for everyone. It takes a lot of work and a lot of expense to get a business off the ground as the saying goes,” It takes money to make money!” As a business owner you have to have a certain drive and you have to be willing to keep in the fight even when the fight isn’t going that well. Do you have that kind of determination to keep going when the world seems against you? 

What type of person best suits getting into business? Everyone is different so only you can answer that question but it will not be an easy road no matter how much of an advantage you have. Most people start businesses for the freedom and prestige of being a business owner. We all think we will be rich but you will quickly find out that it is easy to get yourself into a rut working in the business and basically trading your current job for a job with more issues to deal with. If you are the type of person that likes to turn off at 5:00PM or doesn’t want to deal with issues outside of your job description then you will have problems. If you are determined to succeed and don’t mind getting your hands dirty then business may be suited to you. 

I wish you luck in whatever direction you plan to go for your future and realize that business is a big step and not to be taken lightly. Most people jump into a business too soon in trucking and forget that you need to know your primary role before turning something into a business. If you are struggling as a truck driver now, then becoming an owner operator will be no better. I invite you to listen to episodes of The Lead Pedal Podcast during the month of February where we talk about many of these issues. Good luck with your business venture. 

About the Author

Bruce Outridge has been in the trucking industry for over 40 years with 25 of those years behind the seat. Today he is a media entrepreneur for the industry, author of several books on business and careers, and is very involved in the Canadian Trucking Industry. You can learn more about Bruce and his work at www.theleadpedalpodcast.com