Axle Advertisements began as a project in college that would be counted as a class credit in exception to a real class. **the only contingency being Drew Jackson, founder of Axle, apply for the university startup competition.

Like most college students, Drew delayed starting the business plan (AKA the entirety of the class) until 4 days before it was due

Low and behold, Drew won the startup competition and earned a lump sum that allowed him to dive into Axle full time.

What’s the business plan you ask?

How many 18-wheeler’s do you pass on a regular basis during your commute to your day job? 5? 10? 20?

While in school Drew had a thought: why are companies not advertising on the blank, white canvas trailers?

There are tens of thousands of blank white trailers on the road. But why don't they have advertising on them?

Turns out, it’s not that these truckers don’t want to advertise one them but instead don’t fully understand who wants to see them. Nor did media buyers have an algorithm or science to follow as it relates to the number of eyes on the ad.

That’s when it clicked.

Drew has combined big data (through his proprietary cell phone tracking technology) with out of home marketing (by wrapping trailers with call to action advertising) to form Axle Advertisements.

He has cracked the code to get granular with the types of people who are seeing the ads as they drive down the road.

Like most Millennovator success, it didn’t come over-night.

Drew put in hours’ worth of time each week at a local woodshop to get to where he is today.

“Woodshop and big data advertising? What on Earth do these two have in common?”

I had the same thought…until Drew reaffirmed that they indeed had absolutely nothing in common.

What the woodshop did provide, however, was relationships. Drew formed relationships with prominent businessmen customers who would later turn into initial investors, mentors and strong centers of influence.

He truly believes he would not be in the position he is in today with Axle had it not been for the woodshop.

Ask yourself this- even if you are not in the position to quit your 9-5 and take on your side-hustle full time, what is your full-time job providing for you and your entrepreneurial future?

Is it giving you real-life experience in a similar field?

Is it opening doors to potential future investors?

Is it proving your market?

I learned from Drew that it takes quite some time before you can truly quit your 9-5. Despite that, there are numerous tricks you can be following today to put yourself in the position for success in the future.

Learn those tricks in this episode of The Millennovator Podcast with Drew of Axle Advertisements.