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Welcome to our latest newsletter! Firstly, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all our new subscribers. We've had an incredible influx of new members this week, and it's truly heartening to see our community grow. In our industry—filled with junk removal, dumpster rental, and demolition service businesses—it’s easy for the little guys to feel left out.
While big corporations have their grand conferences to discuss the latest transfer station equipment or the newest quarter-million-dollar front loaders, what about us? What about those just getting started with a personal pickup truck and a dump trailer? Or those hustling with a used box truck, breaking their backs to make ends meet and reinvest in their dreams?
This newsletter is my answer to those questions, and it’s just the beginning of what I’ve got planned (stay tuned for more on the Elite Haulers Alliance). We're building a community of like-minded individuals sharing knowledge and industry-specific experiences to elevate us all.
To our new members, remember that you have access to tons of previous newsletter issues right here at this link. Dive in and explore the wealth of information we've shared over time!
A Personal Reflection
Now, onto today’s story. Last night, Stamford was hit with a fierce rainstorm and high winds. As my wife and I headed home with our two toddlers, we encountered a massive oak tree downed across the road, taking a power line with it. In normal circumstances, this might not have been a big deal. But with my wife being 39 weeks pregnant, it was a bit more complicated. Thankfully, my in-laws live nearby and welcomed our soon-to-be family of five with open arms.
Events like these really make you pause and reflect on what’s important. Priorities that once seemed critical often fade in the face of life’s real values. For me, those are health, family, and happiness, in no particular order. And of course, there’s money too—but that’s assuming you’ve got your finances under control. To me, it’s about finding that balance where money supports your goals rather than becoming the goal itself.
Controlling Reactions, Not Events
I remember the days when a customer not paying for a job would eat at me for days. I’d stew, bringing it up repeatedly until it seeped into other areas of my life. These things still happen, but I've learned to manage my reactions. It's one of the few things in life we can truly control. When life throws a curveball, we don’t wallow. We strategize and work toward a solution, which reduces anxiety and keeps us moving forward.
Now we have a process to follow for situations like this—how and when to contact the customer, when to involve our legal team, and when to reach out to our collections agency. By taking the emotion out of it and following the playbook, we simply just keep it moving and focus on the company's bigger picture.
A Lesson in Adaptability
Just before the birth of my first child a couple of years back, the economy was in turmoil, and finding workers was nearly impossible. My general manager was poached by a big corporation offering unbeatable pay and benefits. This left me in a tight spot just a week before my child was born.
I was happy for my manager’s advancement, but it was a really challenging time for it to happen. So, I took action. I posted job openings everywhere and reached out to everyone I knew. Leveraging your network isn’t just a great way to fill positions; it’s also invaluable for securing new business. I managed to find someone through a mutual connection who was seeking a career change.
And thanks to our established systems and processes, he could train himself while I was at the hospital with my wife. Was business operating as smoothly as before? Not quite. But it was good enough, with no service delays and likely no noticeable difference to customers.
Preparing for the Unexpected
The lesson here is to be prepared for the worst so that when it happens, it doesn’t seem so daunting. It minimizes the toll on you and your business. By controlling your reactions and planning for the unexpected, you can weather any storm with resilience and poise.
In the hauling industry, unexpected challenges are a part of the business—whether it’s a sudden change in regulations, equipment breakdowns, staffing issues, and on and on. By building robust systems, maintaining flexibility, and fostering a strong network, you can turn potential setbacks into opportunities for advancement.
This approach allows you to grow your business, replace yourself in daily operations, and focus on higher ROI tasks. By delegating effectively and concentrating on strategic decisions that drive profitability, you can ensure that your business continues to thrive while you focus on what truly matters to you and the company.
Stay tuned for next week's insights, and keep hauling success!
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Justin Hubbard
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