Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Johnson.
Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
How do I begin? There are so many unknowns and rollercoaster moments in life. There are some highs that are unbelievably unexpected. The lows I have experienced are some of the lowest I could ever have imagined. In spite of all the ups and downs of life, God has been there every step of the way. He has taught my partner and me when to move forward and when to take a step back.
There have been times when we didn’t know what we were doing. At other times, we have had to step out in faith and say, “God either is or He is not.” This is something I repeatedly have to remind myself because it’s so easy to forget that God can do the impossible when I choose to place my trust in Him. At 25, I would never have imagined my life would be the way it is. Yet, I am grateful for the blessings that have come my way.
I met my current partner through crazy circumstances and I was a mess needing a lot of patience, grace, and work. Through the tides of our relationship, we’ve come through and surprised ourselves even. My partner, Marlo, was the one who brought up the idea of starting up our own Trucking Company. I was hesitant in the beginning but loved the idea of starting our own business as this was something I had wanted for myself for a long time.
However, after much research and asking questions, I found that there would be a lot of hurdles and tough loops to go through just to dive in as a new company. The costs of having your own truck, legal paperwork, maintenance, and then getting loads all while being new to the industry; I just didn’t think it would be smart to jump in without a plan and source of funds. My sponsor guided me as well and helped me to think it through as I am one to jump in and think later, haha. I’m thankful to her and all that she has taught me!
I took her advice and sat down, took notes, prayed, and did some more research. This is how we discovered the dispatching path. We realized that it was better to start there than to try and buy a truck as two young people with no experience and knowledge. So, I did my due diligence and started researching, reading, and learning as much as I could. I took on the Dispatch Trucks training course from Kamal M. I paid the fees because I believed it was worth it. I finished the course and felt like my brain was overflooded with a vast array of information. I quickly joined their Facebook group and started the steps per my trainer’s guidelines.
I built a website, started a Facebook page, opened a new Facebook page (note that I had not had social media for the last two years), and created an IG business page. As well as, started a YouTube channel, which I had hardly ever used YouTube! It was a lot and I did this all in the span of one month. I wanted to make sure I followed the legal steps too, so I got our LLC. My partner continued to work and bring in revenue to support our crazy journey. We are both go-getters and dream big. We believe in chasing our dreams even if there might be mountains to climb. This company is still new and really came together in the late part of June. July 1st was our goal of getting everything up and running. We got it up earlier than that.
Since then, we’ve hustled and continually studied how to get customers, build generational wealth, and stay motivated. Has it been easy? No way. We are still learning as we go and we continually keep each other motivated and stay as consistent as we can. We’ve got customers and walked through the entire process of getting them to sign on and at the end of the day, we won’t hear back from them. So, it is definitely not an easy journey.
Despite the difficulties, we believe in what it will become and that our hard work will pay off. Our followers, viewers, and subscribers continue to motivate us and keep us on track. I have to thank my partner, Marlo because he has really pushed me on days when I felt like giving up. When I get distracted or feel down, he’ll remind me of our goals. I’ll do the same for him and I think that’s so important. It’s encouraging to have someone who is on the same level as you and stays by your side even when it’s hard.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No, it has NOT been a smooth road. If I am being quite honest, it is still not a smooth road. We’re still working and learning to get better. We learn from our mistakes and take note of others’ mistakes. My partner works hard so that we still have income while I maintain getting our business up and running. I quit my job and am doing school while trying to get this business on its feet. I have a 3-year-old son who also needs my attention and time. So, there are definitely tough mountains we’ve had to get up in order to see the valley. We’re still on some of those mountains and having to put our faith into practice.
Sometimes, as I shared, we will have customers be on the phone for an hour and think it’s going to work out and it doesn’t. We have to say, “Okay, that’s that,” and move forward. That’s just part of the game if you will. Other times we’ll send out marketing emails and not get anything back! Yet, we keep sending them and keep making videos, posts, etc.
I recently dropped a short YouTube video sharing my top 3 challenges and that is, staying motivated, staying consistent, and finding carriers or owner/operators. Carriers are those who have their own trucks and normally have their own drivers. Owner-operators might have one or more trucks and will own and drive their trucks.
Having your own business is a dream that many have and we were one of those. Yet, starting your own business also comes with costs. Those fees may come out of your own pockets which means that the losses also come from your pockets, haha. So, that in itself is a challenge and sometimes hard to face when you don’t get the outcomes you’d like. You have to be willing to lose some in order to win some. That is sometimes easier said than done.
We’ve been impressed with JJ Truck Dispatching Services, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are an independent truck dispatching company. We offer our services to carriers or owner-operators in need of dispatching. We help companies who need that extra hand or want to get better paying rates but aren’t able to get that on their own. We negotiate with brokers, find loads through load boards, and make the calls that they might not want to. We also offer to do paperwork only, invoicing, collections, and other services. The service depends on what the customer’s needs are. Some just need dispatching while others need all the services we provide. Some might just need help with invoicing or collections. So, based on what the customer’s needs are we try and build a plan that works for them. We specialize in the Flatbed Market but are open to working with what our customer needs. Some come to us and are in the hotshot market or use sprinter vans.
We are here to learn and build relationships, so we like to be as open as possible. However, we are careful to set boundaries for our company and try not to overwork ourselves. We are most proud of the fact that we are so young and willing to jump in even if we don’t know everything. We are willing to learn from our customers and those around us. We want to stay humble and practice kindness in all that we do. To be able to serve others where they really need it, that’s our dream. While being of aid to customers is great, it’s the customers who really need our service and can benefit from it that we get excited about. To be able to actually be of service to someone else and make their lives better while growing together… that’s something money can’t buy.
So, to anyone out there who is in need of a dispatcher or knows someone who is, let us know! We would be happy to configure a plan that works for you and to be a part of your team. We are offering new customers their first load free. Some of the biggest brand names and companies had to start from the bottom to get to the top. That’s why we’re okay with the roadblocks because others before us have made it. If nothing else, follow us on our journey and get some motivation from our blog! 😊
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Yes! Oh my gosh, yes. Like others who told us, I’ll pass it on to you, stay consistent. Don’t give up even if others look at you sideways or question what you’re doing. Their insecurities and fears are not yours. On the other hand, also be willing to take advice and start over. It’s okay to get down and feel weary but then get back up. Start the day over if you have to. Who says you can’t have bad days? That’s part of being human. You never know who’s out there watching you and learning from you. Whether it’s 2 followers or 1k, be grateful for the small steps. Start your day off with thanks and name 5 things you are thankful for if negative thoughts are eating at you. You’d be surprised how much you DO have when you start to make a list. It’s easy to forget the small steps you’ve taken when you aren’t getting the results you’d like. Seriously, there is so much to be grateful for, and money isn’t everything.
Take a break if you need. Get some food, drink some water. Take care of yourself and go see your family. Even if you don’t have a good relationship, facetime them or send a text. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow and life is so short. So, while building your dreams and goals, don’t forget to live life as well. Be present today and take it ONE DAY AT A TIME. If it’s one of those tough days where you can barely get out of bed, take it one minute at a time. Don’t be afraid to pray and ask God for whatever it is you need. However, just because you ask doesn’t mean you’ll always get exactly what you want. Sometimes God answers us with what we want and other times He says yes and gives us what we NEED. Trust the process and know that in the right timing and place, you’ll be given an answer.
I wish I had taken it in slower bites but I don’t live in the past. I stay right in today and give the rest to God. I don’t try to live too far into the future because it’s not here yet. I have no idea what tomorrow might be like. I’m okay with that because of the relationship I have with God today. So, take each day in strides. You’ll be amazed at the number of “roses” around you when you pause and take a look. As a friend once said, “pause and smell the roses.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jjtruckdispatchingservices.com/blog
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjtruckdispatchingservices/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jjtruckdispatching
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrUqKMyVLS6WlRDHxmPYgzA
- Other: https://linktr.ee/jjtruckdispatching
Image Credits
Sarah Johnson
