My Origin Story (PART 3)
“If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got.”
Tony Robbins
Recap of Part One:
As a child, my fascination with trucks led me to join the local volunteer fire department just for the chance to ride in them—quite a passion, right? I earned my CDL at 18 but spent years seeking to move away from trucking. When we last left off, I had recently become a licensed CDL tester for Colorado.
Recap of Part Two:
I was tasked with a significant challenge: transforming a large company’s compliance from 0% to 100% promptly after an audit.
After achieving a 98% compliance rate in less than 3 months, our company was acquired by a larger one, leaving me unsure about the security of my job. However, it also presented unexpected networking opportunities.
Let’s dive back into the story! Shortly after, I received an email from the CEO requesting my presence at their corporate office in Houston, TX. I promptly purchased my ticket and flew down the following week.
That week felt like an eternity, filled with doubt and fear creeping into my mind.
Upon arriving and entering his office, I found Tamisha and the former owner of my company already present. My heart sank—I anticipated bad news.
They invited me to take a seat, and the tension in the room was palpable.
My stomach churned with nerves as I anticipated the worst—they had called me here to terminate my employment. I braced myself for criticisms about my system failures, accusations of incompetence, and the dreaded news that my services were no longer required.
But then, to my surprise, they all smiled warmly. The CEO spoke up, “So, this is Dan, the DOT man Tamisha has been praising? Dan, these two haven’t stopped talking about you since our discussions about merging companies began. After Tamisha’s initial visit, she insisted on your inclusion as a condition for approval. So, what do you say? Would you consider joining our team?”
My stomach plummeted, and my thoughts raced in disbelief. My fears were unfounded.
He continued speaking, “Ez (the former owner) shared with us that when you took on the role of DOT manager, they were facing a potential shutdown due to an audit. However, you developed a DOT program that not only transformed the company culture but also boosted safety ratings and profitability. Tamisha raved about your program, calling it the best she’d ever seen after her visit. So, would you be interested in helping align our entire team?”
I couldn’t refuse such an opportunity, could I?
We successfully integrated my system across six different companies, totaling over 4400 employees and 2500 drivers. Over a span of two years, I collaborated with them to transform their DOT program from roughly 40% compliance to nearly 99% compliance. Our fleet spanned the lower 48 states and included over 3,800 pieces of rolling stock. Despite our small team of just four individuals, I was primarily responsible for travel and implementation.
I broadened my network beyond what I had ever imagined.
When the CVSA conference came around, I was asked to attend and represent our companies. While there, I also assumed a voting position on two separate committees, a unique role as the sole attendee with voting rights on both committees.
CVSA represents a collaborative effort among lawmakers (FMCSA, PHMSA), law enforcers (officers, police, DOT patrol), and industry representatives (companies) to enhance DOT standards across North America.
Shortly thereafter, we made the decision to establish a business aimed at assisting more companies with their compliance needs. This involved taking a leap of faith by leaving behind a well-paying job with an income exceeding six figures and leaving behind valued colleagues.
Initially, we only had one client. Yes, you read that correctly—we believed in our ability to succeed with just one client. Who does that? We dedicated ourselves to hosting numerous free live events to share our expertise with the community.
Then COVID-19 struck, halting our free events just as we were gaining momentum. We swiftly adapted, transitioning to digital platforms. Initially, attendance was sparse, with only one or two participants showing up at our events. I often questioned if our efforts were worthwhile and if we would ever reach enough people to realize our goal of assisting more companies.
However, there was a turning point when we hosted an event that reached maximum capacity. That success prompted us to pivot once again to share our knowledge more widely.
In our inaugural year of business, we experienced significant growth: a 30x increase in our client list, a 300x growth in our email list, and a 1000x increase in our followers. We consider this an exceptional first year in business.
While there have been numerous challenges along the way, we remain dedicated to helping all businesses that rely on trucks in their operations. Our mission is to empower every company, regardless of size, with a robust DOT program that transforms their operations. We aim to provide industry expertise to every company, ensuring they have the tools needed for success.
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